"You generation of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. "When the time of fruit drew near, he sent his slaves to the vine-dressers seized to get his fruit.

"Listen to another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, made a fence round it, dug a wine-tank in it, and built a strong lodge; then let the place to vine-dressers, and went abroad.

When vintage-time approached, he sent his servants to the vine-dressers to receive his share of the grapes;

but the vine-dressers seized the servants, and one they cruelly beat, one they killed, one they pelted with stones.

"But the vine-dressers, when they saw the son, said to one another, "'Here is the heir: come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.'

When then the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-dressers?"

"He will put the wretches to a wretched death," was the reply, "and will entrust the vineyard to other vine-dressers who will render the produce to him at the vintage season."