Jesus' Authority Questioned

201 On one of the days while He was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel , the chief priests and the scribes with the elders confronted Him, 2 and they spoke , saying to Him, "Tell us by what authority You are doing these things , or who is the one who gave You this authority ?" 3 Jesus answered and said to them, "I will also ask you a question , and you tell Me: 4 "Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men ?" 5 They reasoned among themselves , saying , "If we say , 'From heaven ,' He will say , 'Why e did you not believe him?' 6 "But if we say , 'From men ,' all the people will stone us to death , for they are convinced that John was a prophet ." 7 So they answered that they did not know where it came from. 8 And Jesus said to them, "Nor will I tell you by what authority I do these things ."

The Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen

9 And He began to tell the people this parable : "A man planted a vineyard and rented it out to vine-growers , and went on a journey for a long time . 10 "At the harvest time he sent a slave to the vine-growers , so that they would give him some of the produce of the vineyard ; but the vine-growers beat him and sent him away empty-handed . 11 "And he proceeded to send another slave ; and they beat him also and treated him shamefully and sent him away empty-handed . 12 "And he proceeded to send a third ; and this one also they wounded and cast out. 13 "The owner of the vineyard said , 'What shall I do ? I will send my beloved son ; perhaps they will respect him.' 14 "But when the vine-growers saw him, they reasoned with one another , saying , 'This is the heir ; let us kill him so that the inheritance will be ours .' 15 "So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What , then , will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 "He will come and destroy these vine-growers and will give the vineyard to others ." When they heard it, they said , " May it never be!" 17 But Jesus looked at them and said , "What then is this that is written : ' THE STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED , THIS BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone'? 18 " Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces ; but on whomever e it falls , it will scatter him like dust ."

Paying Taxes to Caesar

19 The scribes and the chief priests tried to lay hands on Him that very hour , and they feared the people ; for they understood that He spoke this parable against them.

20 So they watched Him, and sent spies who pretended to be righteous , in order that they might catch Him in some statement , so that they could deliver Him to the rule and the authority of the governor . 21 They questioned Him, saying , "Teacher , we know that You speak and teach correctly , and You are not partial e to any, but teach the way of God in truth . 22 "Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar , or not?" 23 But He detected their trickery and said to them, 24 "Show Me a denarius . Whose likeness and inscription does it have ?" They said , "Caesar's ." 25 And He said to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's , and to God the things that are God's ." 26 And they were unable e to catch Him in a saying in the presence of the people ; and being amazed at His answer , they became silent .

The Question about the Resurrection

27 Now there came to Him some of the Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection ), 28 and they questioned Him, saying , "Teacher , Moses wrote for us that IF A MAN'S BROTHER DIES , having a wife , AND HE IS CHILDLESS , HIS BROTHER SHOULD MARRY THE WIFE AND RAISE UP CHILDREN TO HIS BROTHER . 29 "Now there were seven brothers ; and the first took a wife and died childless ; 30 and the second 31 and the third married her; and in the same way all seven died , leaving no children . 32 "Finally the woman died also . 33 "In the resurrection therefore , which one's wife will she be? For all seven had married her." 34 Jesus said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage , 35 but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead , neither marry nor are given in marriage ; 36 for they cannot e even die anymore , because they are like angels , and are sons of God , being sons of the resurrection . 37 "But that the dead are raised , even Moses showed , in the passage about the burning bush , where he calls the Lord THE GOD OF ABRAHAM , AND THE GOD OF ISAAC , AND THE GOD OF JACOB . 38 " Now He is not the God of the dead but of the living ; for all live to Him."

39 Some of the scribes answered and said , "Teacher , You have spoken well ." 40 For they did not have courage to question Him any longer about anything .

The Question about David's Son

41 Then He said to them, "How is it that they say the Christ is David's son ? 42 "For David himself says in the book of Psalms , ' THE Lord SAID TO MY Lord , "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND , 43  UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET ."' 44 "Therefore David calls Him 'Lord ,' and how is He his son ?"

Jesus Denounces the Scribes

45 And while all the people were listening , He said to the disciples , 46 "Beware of the scribes , who like to walk around in long robes , and love respectful greetings in the market places , and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets , 47 who devour widows' houses , and for appearance's sake offer long prayers . These will receive greater condemnation ."

The Preaching of John the Baptist

31 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar , when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea , and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee , and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis , and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene , 2 in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas , the word of God came to John , the son of Zacharias , in the wilderness . 3 And he came into all the district around the Jordan , preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins ; 4 as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet , " THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS , 'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE Lord , MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT . 5 ' EVERY RAVINE WILL BE FILLED , AND EVERY MOUNTAIN AND HILL WILL BE BROUGHT LOW ; THE CROOKED WILL BECOME e STRAIGHT , AND THE ROUGH ROADS SMOOTH ; 6 AND ALL FLESH WILL SEE THE SALVATION OF GOD .' " 7 So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, " You brood of vipers , who warned you to flee from the wrath to come ? 8 "Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance , and do not begin to say to yourselves , ' We have Abraham for our father ,' for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham . 9 "Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees ; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire ." 10 And the crowds were questioning him, saying , " Then what shall we do ?" 11 And he would answer and say to them, "The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none ; and he who has food is to do likewise ." 12 And some tax collectors also came to be baptized , and they said to him, "Teacher , what shall we do ?" 13 And he said to them, "Collect no more than what you have been ordered to." 14 Some soldiers were questioning him, saying , "And what about us, what shall we do ?" And he said to them, "Do not take money from anyone by force , or accuse anyone falsely , and be content with your wages ."

15 Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John , as to whether he was the Christ , 16 John answered and said to them all , "As for me, I baptize you with water ; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals ; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire . 17 "His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor , and to gather the wheat into His barn ; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire ." 18 So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people . 19 But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias , his brother's wife , and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done , 20 Herod also added this to them all : he locked John up in prison .

The Baptism of Jesus

21 Now when all the people were baptized , Jesus was also baptized , and while He was praying , heaven was opened , 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove , and a voice came out of heaven , " You are My beloved Son , in You I am well-pleased ."

The Genealogy of Jesus

23 When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age , being , as was supposed , the son of Joseph , the son of Eli , 24 the son of Matthat , the son of Levi , the son of Melchi , the son of Jannai , the son of Joseph , 25 the son of Mattathias , the son of Amos , the son of Nahum , the son of Hesli , the son of Naggai , 26 the son of Maath , the son of Mattathias , the son of Semein , the son of Josech , the son of Joda , 27 the son of Joanan , the son of Rhesa , the son of Zerubbabel , the son of Shealtiel , the son of Neri , 28 the son of Melchi , the son of Addi , the son of Cosam , the son of Elmadam , the son of Er , 29 the son of Joshua , the son of Eliezer , the son of Jorim , the son of Matthat , the son of Levi , 30 the son of Simeon , the son of Judah , the son of Joseph , the son of Jonam , the son of Eliakim , 31 the son of Melea , the son of Menna , the son of Mattatha , the son of Nathan , the son of David , 32 the son of Jesse , the son of Obed , the son of Boaz , the son of Salmon , the son of Nahshon , 33 the son of Amminadab , the son of Admin , the son of Ram , the son of Hezron , the son of Perez , the son of Judah , 34 the son of Jacob , the son of Isaac , the son of Abraham , the son of Terah , the son of Nahor , 35 the son of Serug , the son of Reu , the son of Peleg , the son of Heber , the son of Shelah , 36 the son of Cainan , the son of Arphaxad , the son of Shem , the son of Noah , the son of Lamech , 37 the son of Methuselah , the son of Enoch , the son of Jared , the son of Mahalaleel , the son of Cainan , 38 the son of Enosh , the son of Seth , the son of Adam , the son of God .