when Jesus had come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him as he was teaching and said, 'By what authority do you do these things? And who gave you this authority?'
24 And Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things.
25 The baptism of John, from where did it come? Did it come from heaven or from men?" And they reasoned with themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven;' he will say to us, 'Then why did you not believe him?'
26 But if we shall say, 'Of men,' we fear the people, for all regard John as a prophet."
27 So they answered Jesus and said, "We cannot tell." And he said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.
28 But what do you think? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go work today in my vineyard.'
29 And he answered, 'I will not;' but afterward he repented and went.
30 And he came to the second and said the same thing. And he answered, 'I will go, sir;' but did not go.
31 Which of those two sons did the will of his father?" And they said to him, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, that the tax collectors and prostitutes will enter into the kingdom of God before you.2
32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him. But you, after you had seen it [his righteousness], did not repent afterwards and believe him.
33 Listen to another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and hedged it around, and dug a winepress in it, and built a tower, and rented it out to some farmers and went into a far country.
34 When the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the farmers, so that they might receive the fruits of it.
35 Then the farmers took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.
36 And again, he sent other servants, more than the first time, and they did the same to them.
37 But last of all he sent his son to them, saying, They will reverence my son.
38 But when the farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.'
39 So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.
40 Therefore, when the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those farmers?"
41 And they said to him, "He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will rent out his vineyard to other farmers, who shall pay him the fruits in their seasons."
42 Then Jesus said to them, "Have you not read in the scriptures, where it is said: 'The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the cornerstone; this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes?'3
43 Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a people who will bring forth the fruits of it.
44 And whoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken; but on whomever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder."
45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke of them.
46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they believed him to be a prophet.
