Matthew 21:33-46

The Parable of the Tenants

33  a “Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted b a vineyard c and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and d leased it to tenants, and e went into another country. 34 When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants ▼
▼ Greek bondservants; also verses 35, 36
 to the tenants g to get his fruit. 35  h And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and i stoned another. 36  j Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. 37 Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 38 But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves k ‘This is the heir. Come l let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ 39 And they took him and m threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. 40  n When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” 41 They said to him, o “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and p let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

42 Jesus said to them, q “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

r “‘The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone; ▼
▼ Greek  the head of the corner

this was the Lord’s doing,
and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God t will be taken away from you and given to a people u producing its fruits. 44 And v the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and w when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” ▼
▼ Some manuscripts omit verse 44

45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. 46 And y although they were seeking to arrest him z they feared the crowds, because they held him to be aa a prophet.

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