1. One day as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, together with the elders, came up to him.
2. “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?”
3. He replied, “I will also ask you a question. Tell me:
4. John’s baptism—was it from heaven, or of human origin?”
5. They discussed it among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will ask, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’
6. But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, because they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”
7. So they answered, “We don’t know where it was from.”
8. Jesus said, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
9. He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time.
10. At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed.