And the owner of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my son -- the beloved, perhaps having seen this one, they will do reverence;

But when the workmen saw him, they said to one another, This is he who will one day be the owner of the property: let us put him to death and the heritage will be ours.

He will come and put them to destruction and give the garden to others. And when he said this, they said, May it not be so.

And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?

Every one who falleth upon this stone shall be broken to pieces; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

And the chief priests and the scribes made attempts to get their hands on him in that very hour; and they were in fear of the people, for they saw that he had made up this story against them.

And they watched and sent forth spies, pretending themselves to be righteous men, so that they might seize upon a word of His, that they might deliver Him in this way to the power and authority of the governor.

They put this question to him, "Teacher, we know you are straight in what you say and teach, you do not look to human favour but teach the Way of God honestly.

show me a penny: whose image and inscription is this? they answer'd, Cesar's.

They could not lay hold of this answer before the people; and, in their wonder at his reply, they held their tongues.

Presently there came up some Sadducees, who maintain that there is no resurrection. Their question was this--

saying, "Teacher, Moses wrote for us if someone's brother dies having a wife, and this man is childless, that his brother should take the wife and {father} descendants for his brother.

And the second took the woman, and this man died childless.

and then the third married her, and in this same way all seven died, leaving no children.

Jesus said to them, "The people of this world marry and are married,

And some of the scribes, in answer to this, said, Master, you have said well.

And after this they durst not ask him any question at all.

Then Jesus looked up [i.e., from his seated position at the entrance to the Temple], and saw people throwing their gifts [of money] into the treasury [Note: This was a large open-mouthed container used for receiving offerings for meeting expenses of Temple upkeep].

And He said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has dropped in more than all of them;

For these all put [gifts] into the offering out of their abundance, but this [woman] out of her poverty put in all the means of subsistence that she had."

"As for all this that you are admiring, the time is coming when not one stone will be left upon another, that will not be torn down."

Then they asked Him, "Teacher, when will this be? And what is the sign that it is about to take place?"

he answered, take care, that you be not seduced: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ. it won't be long e'er this happens, therefore do not follow them.

And when you hear of wars and tumults, never be panic-stricken. For this has to take place first, but the end will not come all at once."

But before all this takes place, people will arrest you and persecute you, and turn you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name's sake.

This will turn out to you for a [time of] witness.

[But], by holding out steadfastly, you will gain your life. [Note: This means either "preserve your earthly life," or "attain never ending life"].

for this is the time of vengeance, when all that is writ, shall be accomplished.

Alas for the women who are pregnant and those who have nursing babies in those days! For there will be great misery in the land and wrath on this people.

"Then [Note: This event answers to the "immediately" of Matt. 24:29, and suggests the next major event on God's calendar] there will be [supernatural] signs [evident] in the sun and moon and stars. And on earth [there will be] distress among nations; they will be perplexed by the roaring of the ocean's churning waves. [Note: Probably this is figurative language for highly agitated conditions on earth].

And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great splendor [Note: This no doubt refers to the second coming of Christ. See II Pet. 3:9-10; Matt. 24:30-31; Rev. 1:7].

But when all this is beginning to take place, grieve no longer. Lift up your heads, because your deliverance is drawing near."

When they put out [foliage], now you see for yourselves [and] know that by this time the summer is near.

So, whenever you see all this happen, be sure the Reign of God is at hand.

"I solemnly say to you, this generation will not pass away before all this takes place.

But take heed to yourselves, lest haply your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day come on you suddenly as a snare:

For that is the way this 'day' will arrive for everyone [else] living on the entire earth.

But ever be watching and always praying, so that you may have strength to escape all this that is going to take place, and so you may take your stand in the presence of the Son of Man."

His habit at this time was to teach in the Temple by day, but to go out and spend the night on the Mount called the Oliveyard.

Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was approaching. [Note: This was the annual Jewish festival commemorating Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage under Moses' leadership].

They were glad of this, and agreed to pay him.

He consented to this, and looked for an opportunity to betray him, when the people were not present.

And He said to them, "I have heartily desired to eat this Passover supper with you before I suffer.

for I declare unto you, I shall not celebrate this passover with you any more, to the time, when it shall have its accomplishment in the kingdom of the messiah.

Then He received a cup of wine, gave thanks, and said, "Take this and share it among you,

"Take this, and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God is come."

Then He took a loaf, gave thanks, and broke it in pieces, and gave it to them, and said, "This is my body which is to be given for you. Do this as a memorial to me."

In like manner after supper He took a cup of wine, and said, "This cup of wine is the new covenant to be ratified by my blood, which is to be poured out for you.

Then they began to discuss among themselves which one it was who was going to do this.

And Jesus said to them, "The kings of the [unconverted] Gentiles lord it over their own people, and those who domineer over them are called 'Benefactors' [Note: This was a title used by Greek kings in Egypt and Syria].

But you [are] not [to be] like this! But the one who is greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the one who leads like the one who serves.

"Simon, Simon [i.e., Peter], Satan has earnestly requested the right to sift you like wheat. [Note: Grain was sifted by using a sieve-like device in which grain and particles of dirt and straw were shaken together, allowing the grain to fall through while the dirt and straw remained. This was an allusion to the agitating trials Peter was soon to endure, and survive].

And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before thou shalt thrice deny having known me.

Then He said to them, "But this time the person who has a money belt should take it, and also [he should take] a traveling bag. And if he does not have a sword, he should sell his coat and buy one.

For I tell you, that this which is written must be fully accomplished in me, And he was numbered with transgressors; for also the things concerning me have an end.

But they said, "See, Master, here are two swords!" And he said to them, "Enough of this!"

"Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet, not my will but always yours be done!"

Then a certain one of them struck the head priest's slave and sheared off his right ear. [Note: It was Peter who struck this man, whose name was Malchus. See John 18:10].

But Jesus said, "Permit me to go as far as this!" So He touched his ear and healed him.

While I was among you day after day in the temple, you never laid a hand on me! But this is your opportunity, even the power which darkness gives you!"

A servant girl saw him sitting by the fire and fixed her eyes on him and said, "This fellow was with Him too."

And about an hour intervening, another strongly affirmed, saying, Certainly, this man was also with him; for he is also a Galilean.

And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how that he said unto him, Before the cock crow this day thou shalt deny me thrice.

and besides all this, they loaded him with the most impious invectives.

But from this time the Son of man will sit on the right hand of the power of God.

At this they exclaimed: "Why do we want any more evidence? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips!"

Here they began to make the following charges against Him: "We have found this fellow corrupting our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar and claiming to be a king himself."

Then Pilate said to the high priests and crowds, "I do not find anything blameworthy in this man."

And they were more violent, saying, He excites the people, teaching in all Judea, beginning from Galilee even to this place.

When Pilate heard this, He asked if the man were a Galilean.

And on learning that he belonged to Herods jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was himself also at Jerusalem at this time.

And on the same day, Pilate and Herod became friends to each other; for, before this, they had been at enmity the one toward the other.

and said to them, "You brought this man to me on a charge of turning the people from allegiance, and here in your presence I have examined Him and do not find Him guilty of the charges you make against Him.

nor Herod neither: for I referred you to him; and, lo, nothing is done to this man, as if he deserved death.

But they all cried out together, "Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas"

But they all together began to shout, "Away with this fellow, but let us have Barabbas released!

Now this man was in prison because of an attack against the government in the town, in which there had been loss of life

And he said to them a third time, [Why], for what evil has this man done? I have found no cause of death in him; having chastised him therefore, I will release him.

Then, as they were leading Jesus away, the soldiers [See Mark 15:16-21] grabbed hold of a man named Simon, from Cyrene [Note: This was a city in the northern African country of Libya], who was coming in from the countryside, and placed the cross [i.e., probably only the cross-beam portion] on him, so he could carry it while following Jesus.

For this is certain: The days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore children, and the breasts that never nursed!'

For if they do this when the wood is green, what will they do when it is dry?"

And when they came to the place called "The Skull" [Note: The Latin word for this place is "Calvary"], they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one at His right side and one at His left.

And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also scoffed, saying, He saved others; if this is the Christ, the elect of God, let him save himself.

There was also an inscription written over him: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

And there was an inscription written over him in Greek, Roman, and Hebrew characters, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

And one of the evil-doers on the cross, with bitter feeling, said to him, Are you not the Christ? Get yourself and us out of this.

And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong."

And we indeed justly, for we receive deserved punishment for the crimes we have committed: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

So He said to him, "I solemnly say to you, this very day you will be in paradise with me."

And by this time it was about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour

And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." And having said this, he breathed his last.

And Jesus crying with a loud voice, said, Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit: and having said this, he expired.

And the centurion observing what had come to pass, glorified God, saying, Verily this man was a righteous person.

And all the multitudes who had come together for this spectacle, when they saw the things which were done, beating their breasts, returned.

All the friends of Jesus had been standing at a distance, with the women who accompanied him from Galilee, watching all this.

this man had not consented to their design and doing, [he was] from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, and he expected the kingdom of God.

This man coming to Pilate asked for the body of Jesus;

This happened on the Day of Preparation [for the Passover Festival], as the Sabbath day was about to begin [i.e., shortly before

And it came to pass, as they were in the greatest perplexity concerning this matter, then behold, two men stood by them in refulgent garments:

and turning away from the tomb they told all this to the eleven, and to all the rest.