Luke 20:5-13

⁵They talked about it among themselves: “If we say it was from heaven, he'll ask, ‘Then why didn't you believe him?’

⁶And if we say it was just human, everybody will stone us for they're sure John was a prophet.”

⁷So they answered, “We don't know where it came from.”

⁸Jesus replied, “Then I won't tell you by whose authority I do what I do.”

⁹Then he began to tell the people a story: “Once there was a man who planted a vineyard, leased it to some farmers, and went to live in another country for a long while.

¹⁰At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenant farmers to collect his share of the crop, but the farmers beat the servant and sent him away with nothing.

¹¹So the owner sent another servant, but they beat him too and treated him shamefully, and sent him away with nothing.

¹²So he sent a third servant, but they wounded him and threw him out.

¹³The owner of the vineyard asked himself, ‘What shall I do? I know, I'll send my son whom I love. Perhaps they will respect him.’