1He then began to tell them stories: "A man planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a pit for the wine press, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to some farmers and went away to another country.
2At harvest time, he sent a servant to the farmers to collect his share of the fruit from the vineyard.
3But they grabbed the servant, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.
4Again, he sent another servant to them. They hit him on the head and treated him disgracefully, then sent him away.
5He sent yet another servant, and they killed him. He sent many other servants; some they beat, others they killed.
6Finally, he had one more person to send: his own dear son. He sent him to them last, thinking, 'They will surely respect my son.'
7But those farmers said to each other, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'
8So they took him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.
9What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those farmers, and give the vineyard to others.
10Haven’t you even read this Scripture: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the most important stone.’
11‘The Lord did this, and it is wonderful in our eyes’?”
12They tried to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd. They realized he had told the story against them, so they left him and went away.
13Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to trap him with his own words.
14When they came, they said to him, “Teacher, we know you are honest and don’t care what anyone thinks, because you don’t show favoritism but truly teach God’s way. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?
15Should we pay, or shouldn't we?” But Jesus knew their trickery, so he said to them, “Why are you trying to test me? Bring me a coin so I can see it.”
16They brought him one. He asked them, “Whose picture and inscription are on this?” They told him, “Caesar’s.”
17Jesus answered them, “Give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” They were amazed at him.
18Then some Sadducees, who say that people do not rise from the dead, came to him and asked him,
19“Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, his brother should marry the widow and have children for his brother.
20There were seven brothers. The first one married, and died without leaving any children.
21The second one married her, and died, leaving no children. The third did the same;
22and all seven married her and left no children. Last of all, the woman also died.
23So, in the resurrection, when they rise from the dead, whose wife will she be? For all seven had her as a wife.”
24Jesus answered them, “Isn’t this why you are wrong—because you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God?
25When people rise from the dead, they will not marry or be given in marriage; instead, they will be like the angels in heaven.
26But concerning the dead being raised—haven’t you read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?
27He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken.”
28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them arguing. He realized that Jesus had answered them well, so he asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?”
29Jesus answered, “The most important one is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one:
30‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the most important commandment.
31The second is similar: ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these two.”
32The religious scholar said to him, “Teacher, you have spoken well and truly. God is one, and there is no other God but him.
33To love him with all your heart, all your understanding, all your soul, and all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
34When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he told him, “You are not far from God’s Kingdom.” After that, no one dared to ask him any more questions.
35As Jesus was teaching in the temple, he asked, “Why do the religious scholars say that the Messiah is the son of David?
36For David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right side until I put your enemies under your feet.”’
37So, David himself calls the Messiah ‘Lord.’ How then can the Messiah be his son?” The common people were happy to listen to him.
38In his teaching, Jesus said, “Beware of the religious scholars! They like to walk around in long robes, and they love to be greeted respectfully in the marketplaces,
39and to have the best seats in the synagogues, and the most important places at banquets.
40They cheat widows out of their homes, and they make long prayers just to show off. They will receive a much harsher judgment.”
41Jesus sat down opposite the temple treasury and watched as the crowd put money into the offering box. Many rich people put in large amounts.
42Then a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, which were worth only a fraction of a penny.
43He called his disciples over and said to them, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are putting money into the treasury.
44For they all gave out of their wealth, but she, in her poverty, gave everything she had to live on.”