10 long time. And at the season, he sent a ser vant to the husbandmen, that they should give him the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. 11 Then he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and treated him shamefully, and sent 12 him away empty. Then he sent the third and 13 they wounded him also, and cast him out. Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: perhaps they 14 will reverence him when they see him. But when the husbandmen saw him, they said to one another, This is the heir: come, let us 15 kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What now will the lord of the vineyard 16 do unto them? He will come and destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, 17 Let it not be so. And he looked on them and said, What is this then that is written? The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? 18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 19 And at that time the chief priests and scribes attempted to seize him; (but they feared the people) for they perceived that he had spoken 20 this parable against them. And they watched him, and sent forth spies who should appear to be good men, that they might avail themselves of his discourse, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor. 7 21 And they asked him, saying, We know that thou speakest and teachest rightly, neither dost accept the person of any, but teachest the way 22 of God truly: is it lawful for us to give trib23 ute unto Cæsar, or no?* But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why do 24 ye tempt me? Shew me a penny. Whose im age and superscription hath it? They answer25 ed and said, Cæsar's. And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar's, and unto God the things which 26 are God's. And they could not take hold of his words before the people :‡ and they wondered at his answer, and were silent. 27 Then some of the Sadducees (who deny that there is any resurrection) came and interrogat28 ed him, saying, Rabbi, 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 children to his brother. 29 Now there were seven brethren: and the first 30 took a wife, and died without children. And the second took her to wife, and he died child31 less. And the third took her; and in like manner the seventh also: and they left no 32 children, and died. Last of all the woman 33 died also. Now, in the resurrection, whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife. * A more insidious or mischievous question could not have been proposed. † Give all proper honor and deference to Cæsar, your emperor-but not the authority and homage which are due only to God. They could not pervert these words. 34 And Jesus answering, said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in 35 marriage. But they who shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given 36 in marriage. Neither can they die any more : for they are like the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resur37 rection. Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth Jehovah, the God of Abraham, and the God of 38 Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. 39 Then some of the scribes said, Master, thou 40 hast spoken well. And after that they durst not 41 ask him any question at all. Then he said unto them, Why is it said, that Christ should be 42 the son of David? And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, the LORD said unto my 43 Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make 44 thine enemies thy footstool ?* Now David calleth him Lord, how is he then his son? 45 Then in the audience of all the people, he 46 said unto his disciples, Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts; 47 who devour widows' houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation. * See Acts xi. 30. 36. CHAP. XXI. 1 AND looking up, he saw the rich men cast2 ing their gifts into the treasury. And he saw 3 also a poor widow casting in two mites. And he said, I assure you that this poor widow hath 4 cast in more than they all. For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God but she of her penury hath cast in all 5 the living she had. And as some were speaking of the temple, that it was adorned with goodly stones, and gifts, he 6 said, As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown 7 down. And they said unto him, Master, when shall these things be? And what the sign when these things are to be fulfilled? 8 And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: For many will come in my name, saying, I am he,* and this time is near; but go not 9 after them. And when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first take place: but the end† is 10 not immediately. Then he said unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom 11 against kingdom: And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines and pestilences; and fearful sights, and great signs shall 12 be from heaven. But before all these events, they will lay their hands on you, and persecute *That is, the Messiah, or Christ. That is, the destruction of Jerusalem. you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, bringing you before kings and ru13 lers for my name's sake. And all this shall take 14 place for a testimony to you. Resolve there- fore with yourselves, not to pre-meditate what 15 ye shall answer. For I will give you words and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not 16 be able to gainsay, nor resist. And ye will be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends and some of you they 17 will cause to be put to death. And ye will be 18 hated of all men for my name's sake. But there 19 shall not an hair of your head perish. In your 20 patience possess ye your souls.* And when ye shall see Jerusalem encompassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is 21 near. Then let them who are in Judea flee to to the mountains; and let them who are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them who 22 are in the country enter into it. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which 23 are written may be fulfilled. But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days: for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people. 24 And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations : and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.t *Or by your patience ye shall preserve your lives. + It seems from this verse, that after Christianity is propagated, and prevails among most gentile nations, the Jews shall be restored to Judea. This is the opinion of many persons. |