Luke 20-21
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Authority of Jesus Questioned
20 One day as he was teaching the people in the temple and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the scribes came with the elders(A) 2 and said to him, “Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?”(B) 3 He answered them, “I will also ask you a question, and you tell me: 4 Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” 5 They discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us, for they are convinced that John was a prophet.”(C) 7 So they answered that they did not know where it came from. 8 Then Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
9 He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and leased it to tenants and went away for a long time.(D) 10 When the season came, he sent a slave to the tenants in order that they might give him his share of the produce of the vineyard, but the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 Next he sent another slave; that one also they beat and insulted and sent away empty-handed. 12 And he sent still a third; this one also they wounded and threw out. 13 Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 But when the tenants saw him, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Heaven forbid!”(E) 17 But he looked at them and said, “What then does this text mean:
18 “Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.”(G) 19 When the scribes and chief priests realized that he had told this parable against them, they wanted to lay hands on him at that very hour, but they feared the people.(H)
The Question about Paying Tribute
20 So they watched him and sent spies who pretended to be honest, in order to trap him by what he said and then to hand him over to the jurisdiction and authority of the governor. 21 So they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and you show deference to no one but teach the way of God in accordance with truth.(I) 22 Is it lawful for us to pay tribute to Caesar or not?” 23 But he perceived their craftiness and said to them, 24 “Show me a denarius. Whose head and whose title does it bear?” They said, “Caesar’s.” 25 He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s.”(J) 26 And they were not able in the presence of the people to trap him by what he said, and being amazed by his answer they became silent.
The Question about the Resurrection
27 Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him(K) 28 and asked him a question: “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies leaving a wife but no children, the man[b] shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother.(L) 29 Now there were seven brothers; the first married a woman and died childless; 30 then the second[c] 31 and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. 32 Finally the woman also died. 33 In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.”
34 Jesus said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage, 35 but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. 36 Indeed, they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.(M) 37 And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.(N) 38 Now he is God not of the dead but of the living, for to him all of them are alive.”(O) 39 Then some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you have spoken well.” 40 For they no longer dared to ask him another question.(P)
The Question about David’s Son
41 Then he said to them, “How can they say that the Messiah[d] is David’s son? 42 For David himself says in the book of Psalms,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand(Q)
43 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ’
44 “David thus calls him Lord, so how can he be his son?”
Jesus Denounces the Scribes
45 In the hearing of all the people he said to the disciples, 46 “Beware of the scribes who like to walk around in long robes and who love respectful greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets.(R) 47 They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
The Widow’s Offering
21 He looked up and saw rich people putting their gifts into the treasury;(S) 2 he also saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins.(T) 3 He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them, 4 for all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.”
The Destruction of the Temple Foretold
5 When some were speaking about the temple, how it was adorned with beautiful stones and gifts dedicated to God, he said,(U) 6 “As for these things that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon another; all will be thrown down.”(V)
Signs and Persecutions
7 They asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?” 8 And he said, “Beware that you are not led astray, for many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’[e] and, ‘The time is near!’[f] Do not go after them.(W)
9 “When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified, for these things must take place first, but the end will not follow immediately.” 10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom;(X) 11 there will be great earthquakes and in various places famines and plagues, and there will be dreadful portents and great signs from heaven.
12 “But before all this occurs, they will arrest you and persecute you; they will hand you over to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors because of my name.(Y) 13 This will give you an opportunity to testify.(Z) 14 So make up your minds not to prepare your defense in advance,(AA) 15 for I will give you words[g] and a wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to withstand or contradict.(AB) 16 You will be betrayed even by parents and siblings, by relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death.(AC) 17 You will be hated by all because of my name.(AD) 18 But not a hair of your head will perish.(AE) 19 By your endurance you will gain your souls.(AF)
The Destruction of Jerusalem Foretold
20 “When you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation has come near.[h](AG) 21 Then those in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those inside the city must leave it, and those out in the country must not enter it,(AH) 22 for these are days of vengeance, as a fulfillment of all that is written.(AI) 23 Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great distress on the earth and wrath against this people; 24 they will fall by the edge of the sword and be taken away as captives among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations, until the times of the nations are fulfilled.(AJ)
The Coming of the Son of Man
25 “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves.(AK) 26 People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 27 Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory.(AL) 28 Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”[i](AM)
The Lesson of the Fig Tree
29 Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; 30 as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. 31 So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near.(AN) 32 Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.(AO)
Exhortation to Watch
34 “Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life and that day does not catch you unexpectedly,(AP) 35 like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place and to stand before the Son of Man.”(AQ)
37 Every day he was teaching in the temple, and at night he would go out and spend the night on the Mount of Olives, as it was called.(AR) 38 And all the people would get up early in the morning to listen to him in the temple.
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.