16. He will come and kill those farmers! Then he will give the vineyard to other farmers.”The people heard this story. They said, “No! Let this never happen!”
17. But Jesus looked at them and said, “Then what does this verse mean:‘The stone that the builders did not wantbecame the cornerstone’? Psalm 118:22
18. Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken. If that stone falls on you, it will crush you!”
19. The teachers of the law and the priests heard this story that Jesus told. They knew the story was about them. So they wanted to arrest Jesus at once. But they were afraid of what the people would do.
20. So they waited for the right time to get Jesus. They sent some spies who acted as if they were good men. They wanted to trap Jesus in what he said so they could hand him over to the authority and power of the governor.
21. So the spies asked Jesus, “Teacher, we know that what you say and teach is true. You teach the same to all people. You always teach the truth about God’s way.
22. Tell us, is it right that we pay taxes to Caesar or not?”
23. But Jesus knew that these men were trying to trick him. He said,