Luke 20

1 One day [on one of those days, during that week] as Jesus was teaching [instructing, guiding] the people [a group of individuals, a nation] in the temple [a sacred place, the Temple in Jerusalem] courts [the surrounding areas, the courtyard] and proclaiming [announcing, speaking] the gospel [good news, the message of salvation], the chief priests [spiritual leaders, those who served God] and scribes [scholars, teachers of the law], together [with, in association] with the elders [respected leaders, older men], came up [approached, stood near] to Him. word study 2 “Tell us,” they said, “by what [sort of, kind of] authority [power, freedom to act] are You doing [making, performing] these things, and who [which one, what person] gave [granted, bestowed] You this [specific, particular] authority [right, permission]?” word study 3 “I [also, in turn] will also ask [pose a question, inquire of] you [directly, personally] a question [one thing, a matter],” Jesus [the Messiah, Christ] replied [answered, responded]. “Tell [inform, answer] Me [personally, directly]: word study 4 John’s [the Baptist, a prophet] baptism [ceremonial act of washing or immersion]—was it from [out of, originating in] heaven [the sky and God’s home], or [as an alternative] from [out of, derived from] men [human beings, mortal creatures]?” word study 5 They deliberated [reasoned and discussed] among themselves and said, “If we say, ‘From heaven [the spiritual realm, God’s dwelling place],’ He will ask, ‘Why did you not [completely, utterly] believe [trust, have faith in] him [the one speaking, Jesus]?’ word study 6 But if [in the event that, under these circumstances] we say, ‘From men [human beings, mortal origin],’ all [every single one, the entire crowd] the people [a group of individuals, a nation] will stone [cast stones at, punish by stoning] us, for [because, since] they are convinced [fully persuaded, have been persuaded] that John [the Baptist, a prophet of God] was a prophet [one who speaks forth God’s message, a messenger of God].” word study 7 So they answered [that they could not tell, made no reply] that they did not know [were unaware, had no idea] where [whence, from what source] it was from [originated, came]. word study 8 And Jesus [Joshua, God is salvation] replied, “Neither [nor, not at all] will I tell you [make known to you, reveal to you] by what [which, what sort of] authority [power, freedom to act] I am doing [accomplishing, performing] these things [deeds, works].” word study 9 Then [at that time, next] He proceeded to tell [speak, share] the people [a group of individuals, a nation] this parable [a story that teaches a moral lesson]: “A man [a human being, an individual] planted [set in the earth to grow] a vineyard [a place where grapes are grown], rented [leased, let out] it out to some tenants [farmers, husbandmen], and went away [traveled to a foreign land, departed] for a long time [a period of many years, a season]. word study 10 At harvest time [the season of harvest], he sent [dispatched, commissioned] a servant [slave, bondman] to the tenants [farmers, husbandmen] to collect [gather, receive] his share [portion, due] of the fruit [produce, crop] of the vineyard [the land, the garden]. But the tenants [farmers, those who worked the land] beat [struck, scourged] the servant [slave, the one sent] and sent [dismissed, turned away] him away [from their presence] empty-handed [without anything, with nothing]. word study 11 So he sent [added to] another [different, distinct] servant [slave, bondservant], but they beat [flayed, scourged] him and treated [entreated, handled] him shamefully [with dishonor, disrespect], sending [dispatching, sending away] him away [out, forth] empty-handed [without anything, vacant]. word study 12 Then [at that time, next] he sent [dispatched, commissioned] a third [the next in sequence, another], but they wounded [inflicted harm, injured] him and threw [expelled, cast out] him out [from the vineyard, away]. word study 13 ‘What shall I do?’ [what course of action should I take] asked the owner [lord, master] of the vineyard [a place where grapes are grown]. ‘I will send my beloved [dearly loved] son [child, heir]. Perhaps [it may be, possibly] they will respect [reverence, honor] him [this one, my representative].’ word study 14 But when the tenants [farmers, workers of the land] saw the son [the heir, the one who will inherit], they discussed [reasoned, thought carefully] it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir [the one who will receive the inheritance]. Let us kill him [destroy him, take his life], and the inheritance [the property, the possession] will be ours [ours to possess, ours to control].’ word study 15 So they threw [cast, drove] him out of the vineyard [a place where grapes are grown] and killed [destroyed, took the life of] him. What then [therefore, as a consequence] will the owner [lord, master] of the vineyard [a place where grapes are grown] do to them [these workers, those who have rejected him]? word study 16 He will come [to arrive or go] and kill [destroy completely] those tenants [husbandmen, farmers], and will give [bestow or grant] the vineyard [a place for growing grapes] to others [different ones].” And when the people heard [listened and understood] this, they said, “May such a thing [God forbid] never happen [not be, lest it come to pass]!” word study 17 But Jesus looked directly [with intense gaze, beheld] at them and said, “Then what is the meaning [significance, interpretation] of that which is written [recorded, inscribed]: ‘The stone [rock, foundation] the builders [constructors, architects] rejected [disapproved, refused] has become [been made, transformed into] the cornerstone’ ? word study 18 Everyone [all people, every individual] who falls [to collapse, stumble] on this stone [a literal rock, a figurative stumbling block] will be broken [shattered, crushed] to pieces [into fragments, as dust], but he on whom it falls [comes down, is laid] will be crushed [ground to powder, scattered like dust].” word study 19 When the scribes [scholars and teachers of the law] and chief priests [high-ranking Jewish leaders] realized that Jesus had spoken this parable [a story that teaches a moral lesson] against them, they sought [tried to find a way] to arrest [seize and take into custody] Him that very hour [at that specific moment]. But they were afraid [filled with fear and reverence] of the people [the crowd, the multitude]. word study 20 So they watched Him closely [with careful observation, to catch Him in the act] and sent spies [secret agents, pretending to be righteous] who pretended to be sincere [just, fair, and innocent]. They were hoping to catch Him in His words [take hold of His speech, to trap Him in something He said] in order to hand Him over to the rule [authority, power, and control] and authority [freedom to act, the power of judgment] of the governor [the ruler, a high-ranking official]. word study 21 “Teacher [Master, Instructor],” they inquired, “we know [are certain, have come to understand] that You speak [say, proclaim] and teach [instruct, guide] correctly [rightly, in accordance with truth]. You show [demonstrate, exhibit] no partiality [favoritism, prejudice], but teach [instruct, impart] the way [path, road] of God [the one true Deity] in accordance with [in harmony with, based on] the truth [reality, authenticity]. word study 22 Is it lawful [permissible] for us [we, ourselves] to pay [give, render] taxes [tribute] to Caesar [the Roman emperor, ruling power] or [as an alternative] not [no, by no means]?” word study 23 But Jesus [perceiving their intentions] saw through their duplicity [craftiness, cunning] and said [spoke, uttered words] to them [toward, in the direction of], word study 24 “Show [exhibit, prove] Me a denarius [a Roman coin, a day’s wage]. Whose [which one’s] image [likeness] and inscription [written message] are on it?” “Caesar’s [the Roman emperor’s],” they answered [responded]. word study 25 So Jesus told them, “Give [render, pay back] to Caesar [the Roman emperor, ruling power] what is Caesar’s [belonging to the state, worldly authority], and to God [the one true deity, Creator] what is God’s [belonging to the divine, spiritual realm].” word study 26 And they were unable [completely powerless] to trap Him in His words [declarations, utterances] before the people [a crowd, a multitude]; and amazed [marvelling, filled with wonder] at His answer [response, reply], they fell silent [held their peace, were still]. word study 27 Then [at that time, afterwards] some [certain, a group] of the Sadducees [who deny the afterlife, a Jewish sect], who say [claim, affirm] there is no [none, not any] resurrection [standing up again from death, rising again], came [approached, drew near] to question [ask, seek information from] Him [Jesus, the Messiah]. word study 28 “Teacher [instructor, rabbi],” they said, “Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] wrote for us that if a man’s brother [male sibling, fellow believer] dies [passes away, stops living] and leaves a wife [woman, spouse] but no children [offspring, descendants], the man is to marry [take as wife, wed] his brother’s widow [the deceased brother’s wife] and raise up [lift up, produce] offspring [seed, descendants] for him [on his behalf, in his place]. word study 29 Now there were seven brothers [male siblings, fellow believers]. The first one married [took, received as his own] a wife [woman, spouse], but died [passed away, ceased to live] childless [without offspring, barren]. word study 30 Then [next, afterwards] the second [brother, in sequence] word study 31 and the third married the widow, and in the same way [likewise, similarly] all seven died, leaving [abandoning, having no remaining] no [none, not any] children [offspring, descendants]. word study 32 And last [finally, afterward] of all [everything, every person], the woman [wife, female] died [passed away, came to her end] [also, too]. word study 33 So then [therefore, in consequence], in the resurrection [standing up again from death], whose wife [which man’s wife] will she be? For all seven [a complete number] were married [had her as wife] to her [this woman].” word study 34 Jesus [the Greek name for Joshua, meaning God is salvation] answered, “The sons [children, descendants] of this age [a long period of time, an era] marry [to wed, to take a spouse] and are given in marriage [to be united with a spouse, to be joined in matrimony]. word study 35 But those who are considered [deemed entirely deserving] worthy to share in the age [a long period of time, eternity] to come and in the resurrection [a standing up again from death] from the dead will neither marry [to wed, be joined] nor be given in marriage [to be married off, united]. word study 36 In fact, they can no longer die [stop living, pass away], because they are [equal to, resemble] like the angels [messengers of God]. And since they are [children of, partakers in] sons of the [standing up again from death, restoration to life] resurrection, they are [having God’s nature, belonging to Him] sons of God. word study 37 Even Moses [the Hebrew lawgiver] demonstrates that the dead [those who have passed away, lifeless] are raised [brought back to life, resurrected], in the passage [account, story] about the burning bush [thorn bush, miraculous flame]. For he calls the Lord [the God of Israel, supreme authority] ‘the God [Elohim, divine ruler] of Abraham [the father of faith], the God of Isaac [the son of promise], and the God of Jacob [the father of the Israelites].’ word study 38 He is not the God [of the spiritually lifeless] of the dead [those who have passed away, lifeless], but of the living [those who have spiritual life, are alive to Him], for to Him [as their Lord and Savior] all [every person, everything] are alive [living, having life].” word study 39 Some [certain, one] of the scribes [scholars, teachers of the law] answered [responded, replied], “Teacher [instructor, rabbi], You have spoken [said, uttered] well [rightly, with moral excellence]!” word study 40 And they did [no longer, not anymore] not dare [be bold, have courage] to question [seek information, ask] Him [Jesus, the Messiah] any [none, not one] further [additional, more]. word study 41 Then [at that moment, next] Jesus declared [said, spoke], “How [in what way, why] can it be said [they say, people claim] that the Christ [the Messiah, Anointed One] is [exists as, is known as] the Son [offspring, descendant] of David [King David, Israel’s leader]? word study 42 For David [the king of Israel, a man after God’s heart] himself says [declares, testifies] in the book [scroll, sacred writings] of Psalms: ‘The Lord [God, the divine Master] said to my Lord [the Messiah, the Anointed One], “Sit [be seated, take your rightful place] at My right hand [the position of power, honor, and authority] word study 43 until [at the point when, till the time] I make Your enemies [those who are against you, foes] a footstool [a rest for the feet, a symbol of subjection] for Your feet [the feet of the Messiah, a position of triumph].”’ word study 44 Thus David [the king of Israel, a man after God’s heart] calls Him [as his Master] ‘Lord [a title of respect and authority].’ So how [in what way, possibly] can He be David’s [physical or earthly] son [a descendant or offspring]?” word study 45 In the hearing [in the presence, while all were listening] of all [every single one, the entire crowd] the people [a multitude, a nation], Jesus [the Messiah, the Savior] said [spoke, declared] to His disciples [His followers, learners], word study 46 “Beware [be cautious, watch out] of the scribes [scholars of the law]. They like to walk [live, conduct themselves] around in long robes [dignified garments, stately attire], and they love [have a strong affection for] the greetings [salutations, respectful acknowledgments] in the marketplaces [public areas, gathering places], the chief seats [positions of honor, seats of prominence] in the synagogues [gatherings, assemblies], and the places of honor [positions of respect, seats of distinction] at banquets [feasts, dinner parties]. word study 47 They defraud [cheat, swindle] widows [women who have lost their husbands] of their houses [homes, property], and for a show [pretense, outward appearance] make lengthy [long, distant] prayers [to pray, worship]. These men [those who do such things] will receive [take, accept] greater [excessive, superior] condemnation [judgment, decision against].” word study