1. One day as He was teaching the people in the temple complex and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the scribes, with the elders, came up
2. and said to Him: “Tell us, by what authority are You doing these things? Who is it who gave You this authority? ”
3. He answered them, “I will also ask you a question. Tell Me,
4. was the baptism of John from heaven or from men? ”
5. They discussed it among themselves: “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him? ’
6. But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, because they are convinced that John was a prophet.”
7. So they answered that they did not know its origin.
8. And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”
9. Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and went away for a long time.
10. At harvest time he sent a slave to the farmers so that they might give him some fruit from the vineyard. But the farmers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.