And it happened that when he returned [after] receiving the kingdom, he ordered these slaves to whom he had given the money to be summoned to him, so that he could know what they had gained by trading.

So the first arrived, saying, 'Sir, your mina has made ten minas more!'

So he said to him, 'Well done, my good slave! Because you have proven dependable in a very small business, be governor of ten cities!'

So he said to this one also, 'And you be over five cities.'

"Then the other servant came and said, "Sir, look! Here's your coin. I've kept it in a cloth for safekeeping

For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.

And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:

Then why did you not [at the very least] put my money in a bank? Then on my return, I would have collected it with interest.’

So he said to those standing there, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has 10 minas.’

And they say to him, Lord, he has ten pounds.

For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.

But bring those enemies of mine here [i.e., the citizens. See verse 14], who did not want me to rule over them, and kill them in front of me.'"

And when Jesus had said this, He went on ahead [of His disciples. See Matt. 21:1] up to Jerusalem.

saying, “Go into the village ahead of you; there, as you enter, you will find a [donkey’s] colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here.

And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.

So those who were sent left and found the colt just as He had told them.

So they said, 'The Lord has need of it.'

So, they brought the colt to Jesus and spread their clothing on it, [then] placed Jesus on it [i.e., held the animal still as Jesus mounted it, since it had never been ridden before. See verse 30].

So He rode on, while they carpeted the road with their garments.

And He already drawing nigh to the descension of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God with a loud voice for all those miracles which they saw; shouting,

saying, "Blessed be the king who comes in the Lord's name! Peace in heaven and glory in the High places!"

And he answering said to them, I say unto you, If these shall be silent, the stones will cry out.

And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it,

Saying, If you, even you, had knowledge today, of the things which give peace! but you are not able to see them.

And will make you level with the earth, and your children with you; and there will not be one stone resting on another in you, because you did not see that it was your day of mercy.

Saying as he did so: "Scripture says--'My House shall be a House of Prayer'; but you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"

Jesus continued to teach each day in the Temple Courts; but the Chief Priests and Teachers of the Law were eager to take his life, and so also were the leading men.

Yet they could not see what to do, for the people all hung upon his words.

And they spake to him, saying, Say to us, by what authority doest thou these? or who is he having given thee this authority?

"was John's baptism of Heavenly or of human origin?"

And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?

But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.

So they replied that they did not know from where it came.

and Jesus said to them, 'Neither do I say to you by what authority I do these things.'

Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and leased it to tenant farmers, and went on a journey for a long time [to another country].

And at the proper time he sent a slave to the tenant farmers, so that they would give him [some] of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenant farmers sent him away empty-handed [after] beating [him].

So he sent another slave. They beat this one too, treated him outrageously, and sent him away empty-handed.

So he sent still a third. They even wounded this one, and threw him out.

Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.

But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?

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.

But Jesus looked at them and said, "Then what does it mean that is written [Psa. 118:22], 'The building block rejected by the builders [is] the same [one] that was made the principal stone by which the entire building was aligned?'

At this the Scribes and the High Priests wanted to lay hands on Him, then and there; only they were afraid of the people. For they saw that in this parable He had referred to them.

And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.

And they asked him saying, Teacher, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, and acceptest no man's person, but teachest with truth the way of God:

But He saw through their knavery and replied,

Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar's.

And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's.

They were not able to seize on anything He said in the presence of the people; and being unnerved at His reply, they were silent.

And there came to him certain of the Sadducees, they that say that there is no resurrection;

Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man's brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

And so, too, did all seven--dying without children.

In the resurrection therefore, which one’s wife will she be? For all seven had married her.”

So Jesus said to them, "The people of this age marry and are given in marriage.

Nor can they die anymore, because they are like the angels and, since they share in the resurrection, are God's children.

But even Moses showed that dead people would be raised in the incident about the bush [Ex. 3:6], where he called the Lord, 'Abraham's God, and Isaac's God, and Jacob's God.'

So, He is not God to those who are dead, but [He is] God to those who are alive, for to God, all people are alive."

And certain of the scribes answering said, 'Teacher, thou didst say well;'

And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David's son?

For David himself said in the book of Psalms [Psa. 110:1], 'The Lord [i.e., God] said to my [i.e., David's] Lord [i.e., Jesus], sit at my right side

So David calls Him (the Son) ‘Lord,’ and how then is He David’s son?”

They devour widows’ houses and say long prayers just for show. These will receive greater punishment.”

And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.

And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.

And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:

Then, as someone [i.e., of His disciples. See Mark 13:1], spoke of how the Temple was decorated with beautiful stones and objects dedicated as gifts, Jesus said,

"[As for] these [things] that you see--days will come in which not [one] stone will be left on [another] stone that will not be thrown down!"

“Teacher,” they asked Him, “so when will these things be? And what will be the sign when these things are about to take place?”

And he said, See that ye be not led astray, for many shall come in my name, saying, I am he, and the time is drawn nigh: go ye not therefore after them.

And when ye shall hear of wars, and seditions, be not alarm'd. for these must first happen: but the end will not be so soon.

Then he went on to say to them, "Nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.

So take care not to be troubled before the time comes, about what answers you will give:

For I will give you words and wisdom, so that not one of those who are against you will be able to get the better of you, or to put you in the wrong.

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.

And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

because these are days of vengeance, [so that] all the things that are written can be fulfilled.

And they shall fall by the sword's edge. And shall be led away captive into all nations. And Jerusalem shall be trodden down by the nations until the times of the nations is fulfilled.

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

And he spake a simile to them: 'See the fig-tree, and all the trees,

When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.

So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

Although the sky and the earth will pass away [See II Pet. 3:10], my words will not pass away [i.e., they will certainly come true].

And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

for'so'shall it come upon all them that dwell on the face of all the earth.

So be alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place and to take your stand in the presence of the Son of Man."

So [throughout] the days he was teaching in the temple [courts], and [throughout] the nights he was going out [and] spending the night on the hill that is called [the Mount] of Olives.

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].

So the high priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put him to death, because they were afraid of the crowd.

So he went off and discussed with the high priests and the Temple police how he could betray Jesus to them.

And they were very pleased, so agreed to give him money.

So he consented, and began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus to them [at a time when He was] separated from the crowd [because the people might riot or stop them from seizing Him].

So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us, so that we may eat it.”

So they said to him, "Where do you want us to prepare [it]?"

And he said to them, When you go into the town you will see a man coming to you with a vessel of water; go after him into the house into which he goes.

And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?