Matthew:21:23-22

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* And when he entered the temple , the chief priests and the elders of the people came up to him as he was teaching , and said , "By what authority are you doing these things , and who gave you this authority ?" * Jesus answered them , "I also will ask you a question ; and if you tell me the answer , then I also will tell you by what authority I do these things . * The baptism of John , whence was it ? From heaven or from men ?" And they argued with one another , "If we say , `From heaven ,' he will say to us , `Why then did you not believe him ?' * But if we say , `From men ,' we are afraid of the multitude ; for all hold that John was a prophet ." * So they answered Jesus , "We do not know ." And he said to them , "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things . * "What do you think ? A man had two sons ; and he went to the first and said , `Son , go and work in the vineyard today .' * And he answered , `I will not '; but afterward he repented and went . * And he went to the second and said the same ; and he answered , `I go , sir ,' but did not go . * Which of the two did the will of his father ?" They said , "The first ." Jesus said to them , "Truly , I say to you , the tax collectors and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you . * For John came to you in the way of righteousness , and you did not believe him , but the tax collectors and the harlots believed him ; and even when you saw it , you did not afterward repent and believe him . * "Hear another parable . There was a householder who planted a vineyard , and set a hedge around it , and dug a wine press in it , and built a tower , and let it out to tenants , and went into another country . * When the season of fruit drew near , he sent his servants to the tenants , to get his fruit ; * and the tenants took his servants and beat one , killed another , and stoned another . * Again he sent other servants , more than the first ; and they did the same to them . * Afterward he sent his son to them , saying , `They will respect my son .' * But when the tenants saw the son , they said to themselves , `This is the heir ; come , let us kill him and have his inheritance .' * And they took him and cast him out of the vineyard , and killed him . * When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes , what will he do to those tenants ?" * They said to him , "He will put those wretches to a miserable death , and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons ." * Jesus said to them , "Have you never read in the scriptures : `The very stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner ; this was the Lord 's doing , and it is marvelous in our eyes '? * Therefore I tell you , the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing the fruits of it ." * When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables , they perceived that he was speaking about them . * But when they tried to arrest him , they feared the multitudes , because they held him to be a prophet .

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