Luke 20

1One day Jesus was in the temple teaching people. Jesus told them the Good News. The chief priests and the teachers of the law came to talk to Jesus

2And asked Him: Tell us what authority You have to do these things. Who gave You this authority?

3Jesus said to them: I will ask you one question.

4John the Baptist came, and he baptized people. Who sent John to do it? Was it God who sent John, or did the people send John?

5They talked to each other and said: If we say that John was sent by God, then Jesus will ask us: Why did you not believe what John said?

6But if we say that John's baptism was from someone else, the people will stone us to death. They all believe that John was a prophet.

7So they answered: We don’t know who sent John.

8Then Jesus said to them: Then I will not tell you who told me that I may do these things.

9Jesus told the people this story. He said: A man planted a vineyard. Then he rented out the vineyard to other farmers and went on a journey for a long time to another country.

10When it was time to pick the grapes, the owner sent a servant to the farmers who rented his vineyard, and the owner asked the farmers to give the servant his share of the grapes. The farmers grabbed the servant and beat him and chased him away. The farmers gave the servant no grapes.

11The owner sent another servant to the farmers. They took this servant and beat him also. They dishonored him, and they gave him no grapes.

12The owner then sent a third servant, but the farmers beat him too, and they threw him out of the vineyard.

13Then the owner said: What can I do? I will send my son, whom I love very much. I think they will respect my son.

14But when the farmers saw the son, they said to each other: This son will inherit everything one day. Let us kill him, so that we will get it all.

15So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What do you think the owner will do to those farmers? Jesus asked.

16He will come and kill those farmers and give the vineyard to others. When the people heard this, they said: This must never happen.

17But Jesus looked into their eyes and said: If you say that this must never happen, what do these words in the book of Psalms mean? The stone that the builders did not want to use is now the most important stone in the building.

18Everyone who falls over this stone will die and break his legs. And if this stone falls on anyone, it will scatter him like dust.

19The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest Jesus immediately, because they knew He had told this teaching story against them. But they were afraid of the people.

20Keeping a close watch on Him, they sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They hoped to catch Jesus in something He said, so that they could hand Him over to the power and authority of the Roman governor.

21The spies then asked Jesus: Teacher, we know that what You say and teach is true. It doesn’t matter who is listening, You teach the same to all people. You always teach the truth about God’s way.

22Now tell us: Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar? Must we pay taxes to him or not?

23But Jesus knew that these men were trying to trick Him. Jesus said to them: Why are you trying to test me?

24Show me a coin, Jesus said. Whose head and whose name is on this money? They answered him: It is Caesar’s head and his name.

25Jesus said to the spies: That is right. Then you must give to Caesar what belongs to him, but you must also give to God what belongs to Him.

26The men were amazed at His wise answer. They could say nothing. They were not able to trick Jesus there in front of the people. He said nothing they could use against Him.

27Some of the Sadducees, who believe that people will not rise from death, came to Jesus and said:

28Teacher, Moses wrote that if a married man dies and has no children, his brother must marry his widow. Then they will have children for the dead brother.

29Now, there were seven brothers. The oldest brother married a woman, but he died, and they did not have any children.

30The 2nd brother then married the widow of the oldest brother, but he also died, and they did not have any children.

31The same happened with the third brother. He also married her, and he died. It happened to all seven brothers. All of them married this woman but they did not have any children.

32Later, the woman also died.

33Now we ask You, Jesus: Whose wife will this woman be when all the dead people rise and live again? Because all of these seven brothers were married to her.

34Jesus said to the Sadducees: In this life people get married.

35But when God is King, He will give life to all the people who have believed in Jesus and have died. Then people will neither marry nor be given in marriage.

36They will be like the angels in heaven who do not die and who live with God in heaven. They will be children of God because God gave them life and made them live again.

37Moses also said that people who have died will rise and live again. He wrote about it when he spoke about the burning bush. There God said to Moses: I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.

38God is not the God of dead people. He is the God of people who live.

39Some of the teachers of the law responded: Well said, teacher!

40From that day on the people were afraid to ask Jesus any more questions.

41Then Jesus said to them: Why is it said that the Messiah is the son of David?

42David says in the book of Psalms: The Lord God said to my Lord: Sit by me at my right side,

43I will make your enemies bow before you. You will put your feet on them.

44David calls Him Lord. How then can He be His son?

45While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples,

46Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.

47They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such people will be punished most severely.