11. Again, he sent another servant. But they beat him also, and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.
12. Once again, he sent a third. And they wounded him also and drove himout.
13. “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Perhaps they will respect him when they see him.’
14. “But when the vinedressers saw him, they debated among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’
15. So they drove him out of the vineyard and killed him.“What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?
16. He will come and kill these vinedressers and will give the vineyard to others.”When they heard this, they said, “May it not be so!”
17. He looked at them and said, “What then is this that is written: ‘The stone which the builders rejectedhas become the cornerstone’?
18. Whoever falls on that stone will be broken. But he on whom it falls will be crushed to powder.”
19. The chief priests and the scribes tried to lay their hands on Him that same hour, but they feared the people. For they perceived that He had told this parable against them.
20. They watched Him and sent out spies who pretended to be righteous men, that they might seize Him in His words to hand Him over to the power and authority of the governor.
21. So they asked Him, “Teacher, we know that You speak and teach rightly. And You do not show partiality, but You truly teach the way of God.
22. Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”
23. He perceived their craftiness and said to them, “Why do you test Me?