and asked him, "By what right are you doing these things, and who gave
you this right?" Jesus answered, "I will ask you a question; answer me,
and I will tell you by what right I do such things. What about John's
baptism? Was it from God or from men? Answer me." They argued among
themselves, saying, "If we answer, 'From God,' he will ask, 'Why then
did you not believe in him?' But if we say, 'From men'"--they were
afraid of the people, for the people believed that John was truly a
prophet. So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." He said to them,
"Then I will not tell you by what right I do these things.

"But give me your opinion. A man who had two sons went to one of them
and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard to-day.' And the young man
answered, 'I will not'; but afterward changed his mind and went. Then
the man went with the same request to the other son, who said, 'I will
go, sir'; but he did not go. Which of the two did as his father wished?"
They answered, "The first." Jesus said to them, "I tell you that
tax-gatherers and sinners will enter the Kingdom of God before you; for
John showed you the way to an upright life, and you did not believe him.
But the tax-gatherers and sinners believed him; and even when you saw,
you would not say that you were wrong and believe in him.

"Listen to this: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, and set
a hedge around it, dug a pit for the wine-press, and built a
watch-tower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country.
At vintage time he sent his servants to the tenants to collect the
fruits of the vineyard, but they took the servants and flogged one,
stoned another, and killed another. Then he sent other servants, more
than at first, but they did the same to these. Finally he sent his son,
saying to himself, 'They will respect my son.' But the tenants said to
one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and get his
inheritance.' So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. Now,
when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to these tenants?"
They said, "He will destroy the wretches and lease the vineyard to
others who will give him the fruits in their season."

Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the scriptures:

"'The stone which the builders rejected
Has been made the chief corner-stone;
This is the Lord's doing,
And marvellous in our sight.'"

When the high priests and the