Matthew 21:33-46 - The Parable Of The Tenant Farmers In The Vineyard

³³ Listen to another illustration. A master of a house made a vineyard, and put a wall around it. He made a wine press and built a tower. Then he rented it to workers and traveled to another country. ³⁴ When the time for the fruit came near, he sent his servants to the workmen, to get the fruit. ³⁵ The workmen attacked his servants, striking one with a stone and killing the other. ³⁶ He sent other servants more in number than the first. They did the same to them. ³⁷ Finally he sent his son to them, saying, 'Certainly they will respect my son.'

³⁸ When the workmen saw the son, they said, 'Let us put him to death and take his heritage, for someday he will own this property.' ³⁹ They took him out of the vineyard and killed him. ⁴⁰ When the lord of the vineyard returns, what will he do to the workmen?

⁴¹ They all said: He will put those cruel men to death. Then he will find other workmen who are worthy and who will give him fruit when it is ready.

⁴² Jesus said to them: Have you read the Scriptures, 'The stone the builders rejected has been made the chief cornerstone of the building. This was Jehovah's doing, and it is wonderful in our eyes.' (Isaiah 28:16)

⁴³ For this reason I tell you, The kingdom of God will be taken away from you. It will be given to a nation producing fruit. ⁴⁴ Any man falling on this stone will be broken. Any man having this stone fall on him will be crushed to dust.

⁴⁵ When the chief priests and Pharisees heard his illustrations they realized he was talking about them. ⁴⁶ They wanted to seize him, but feared the people, because the people saw Jesus as a prophet.

¹ He taught them with illustrations: A man had a vineyard planted. He built a wall around it. He prepared a place for crushing out the wine and put up a tower. Then he rented it out to field workers, and went into another country. ² During the season he sent a servant to the field workers that he might receive the fruits of the vineyard. ³ They beat him and sent him away empty. ⁴ Again he sent another servant and they treated him shamefully and wounded him in the head. ⁵ He sent another and they killed him. He sent many others and some were beaten and some were killed.

⁶ Last of all he sent his son saying: 'They will respect my son.'

⁷ But those field workers said among themselves: This is the heir let us kill him and the inheritance shall be ours. ⁸ They captured him and killed him. Then they cast his body out of the vineyard.

⁹ What will the lord of the vineyard do? He will destroy the field workers and give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰ Have you not read this Scripture: 'The stone the builders rejected was made the chief corner stone.' (Psalm 118:22, 23) ¹¹ This was from Jehovah and it is marvelous in our eyes? (Psalm 118:23)

¹² They tried to capture him but feared the crowd. They perceived that he spoke the illustration against them. So they left him and went away.

⁹ He told the people an illustration: A man planted a vineyard. He rented it to tenants and went to another country for a long time. ¹⁰ At harvest time he sent a servant to the renters to collect fruit of the vineyard. The renters beat him, and sent him away empty. ¹¹ He sent another servant who was also treated shamefully, beaten and sent away empty. ¹² A third servant was sent. They wounded him and threw him out.

¹³ The owner of the vineyard said, what should I do? I will send my beloved son. Maybe they will respect him.

¹⁴ When the renters saw him they reasoned that this is the heir, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. ¹⁵ They threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What will the owner of the vineyard do to them? ¹⁶ He will come and destroy the renters and will give the vineyard to others. When they heard it, they said, God forbid!

¹⁷ He looked at them and asked what does the scripture mean: The stone that the builders rejected the same was made the head of the corner?

¹⁸ Every one that falls on that stone shall be broken to pieces. Every one the stone falls on will be scattered as dust.

¹⁹ The scribes and the chief priests attempted to capture him in that very hour. They feared the people. They perceived that he spoke this illustration against them.