Thematic Bible: Lease

"Hearken another similitude. There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and made a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a strange country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, to receive the fruits of it, and the husbandmen caught his servants, and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. read more.
Again, he sent other servants more than the first, and they served them likewise. But last of all, he sent unto them his own son, saying, 'They will fear my son.' But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir: come on, let us kill him, and let us take his inheritance, to ourselves.' And they caught him, and thrust him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the Lord of the vineyard cometh, what will he do with those husbandmen?" They said unto him, He will cruelly destroy those evil persons; and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall deliver him the fruit at times convenient.

And he began to speak unto them in similitudes. "A certain man planted a vineyard, and compassed it with a hedge, and ordained a winepress, and built a tower in it, and let it out to hire unto husbandmen, and went into a strange country. And when the time was come, he sent to the tenants a servant that he might receive of the tenants of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him and beat him and sent him again empty. read more.
And moreover he sent unto them another servant, and at him they cast stones and brake his head, and sent him again all too reviled. And again he sent another, and him they killed: and many others, beating some, and killing some. "Yet had he one son whom he loved tenderly, him also sent he at the last unto them, saying, 'They will fear my son.' But the tenants said amongst themselves, 'This is the heir: come, let us kill him and the inheritance shall be ours.' And they took him and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What shall then the Lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the tenants, and let out the vineyard to others.

Then began he to put forth to the people this similitude, "A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to farmers, and went himself into a strange country for a great season. And when the time was come, he sent a servant to his tenants, that they should give him of the fruits of the vineyard. And the tenants did beat him: and sent him away empty. And again he ceased not thereby but sent yet another servant. And they did beat him, and foul entreated him also, and sent him away empty. read more.
Moreover, he sent the third, too: And him they wounded, and cast him out. Then said the Lord of the vineyard, 'What shall I do? I will send my dear son, him peradventure they will reverence, when they see him.' But when the farmers saw him, they thought in themselves, saying, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.' And they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. Now what shall the Lord of the vineyard do unto them? He will come and destroy those farmers, and will let out his vineyard to others." When they heard that, they said, "God forbid."