1Then Mt 21:33-46; Lk 20:9-19 He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard, Gn 9:20 put a fence around it, dug out a pit for a winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went away.

4Again he sent another slave to them, and they Other mss add threw stones and hit him on the head and treated him shamefully. Other mss add and sent him off

9“Therefore, what will the owner Or lord Col 3:22 of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers and give the vineyard to others.

10Haven’t you read this Scripture: Mt 26:54; 2Pt 1:20

11This came from the Lord Col 4:1; Jd 5

12Because they knew He had said this parable against them, they were looking for a way to arrest Him, but they were afraid of the crowd. So they left Him and went away.

13Then Mt 22:15-22; Lk 20:20-26 they sent some of the Pharisees Mk 7:3 and the Herodians Mk 3:6 to Him to trap Him by what He said. Lit trap Him in (a) word Lk 11:54

14When they came, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know You are truthful and defer to no one, for You don’t show partiality Lit don’t look on the face of men ; that is, on the outward appearance Dt 1:17 but teach truthfully the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes Mt 17:25 to Caesar or not?

15Should we pay, or should we not pay? ”

16So they brought one. “Whose image Rv 13:14 and inscription Mk 15:26; Lk 23:38 is this? ” He asked them.

17Then Jesus told them, “Give back to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Rm 13:7 And they were amazed Rv 17:6 at Him.

18Some Mt 22:23-33; Lk 20:27-40 Sadducees, Ac 23:6 who say there is no resurrection, Ac 1:22 came to Him and questioned Him:

19“Teacher, Mk 4:38; Eph 4:11 Moses Ps 77:20; Mt 8:4; Heb 3:2 wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaves his wife behind, and leaves no child, Lk 1:7 his brother should take the wife Mt 1:6 and produce offspring for his brother. Gn 38:8; Dt 25:5-10 Gn 38:8; Dt 25:5

20There were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and dying, left no offspring.

21The second also took her, and he died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise.

22So the seven Other mss add had taken her and left no offspring. Last of all, the woman died too.

23In the resurrection, when they rise, Other mss omit when they rise whose wife will she be, since the seven had married her? ” Lit the seven had her as a wife

24Jesus told them, “Are you not deceived because you don’t know the Scriptures Mt 26:54; 2Pt 1:20 or the power Lk 1:35; 6:19 of God? 2Co 13:4; Rv 11:17

26Now concerning the dead being raised — haven’t you read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the burning bush, how God spoke to him: I Ex 3:6,15-16 am the God of Abraham Gl 3:6 and the God of Isaac Jms 2:21 and the God of Jacob? Mt 1:2; Lk 1:33 Ex 3:6,15-16

28One Mt 22:34-40 of the scribes Mt 2:4 approached. When he heard them debating and saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked Him, “Which command is the most important of all? ” Lit Which command is first of all?

29“This is the most important,” Other mss add of all the commands Jesus answered:

30Love Lk 6:35 the Lord your God Dt 6:5; Lk 10:27 with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, 1Jn 5:20 and with all your strength. Other mss add This is the first commandment. Dt 6:4-5; Jos 22:5 Dt 6:4-5; Jos 22:5

31“The second is: Love your neighbor Lk 10:29 as yourself. Lv 19:18; 1Jn 4:21 Lv 19:18 There is no other command Mk 7:8 greater than these.”

32Then the scribe said to Him, “You are right, Teacher! You have correctly said that He is One, and there is no one Rm 3:30 else except Him. Dt 4:35,39; 6:4; Is 37:20; 43:10; 44:6; 45:21

33And to love Lk 6:35 Him with all your heart, with all your understanding, Other mss add with all your soul and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself, is far more important than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 1Sm 15:22; Ps 51:16; Hs 6:6; Am 5:22; Mc 6:6-8

34When Jesus saw that he answered intelligently, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Mk 1:15 And no one dared Lk 20:40 to question Him any longer.

35So Mt 22:41-46; Lk 20:41-44 Jesus asked this question as He taught in the temple complex, Ac 21:26 “How can the scribes Mt 2:4 say that the Messiah Mt 1:17; Eph 5:2 is the Son of David? 2Ch 1:1; Mt 1:1; Rm 1:3

36David Lk 1:27 himself says by the Holy Spirit: Jn 1:33; Ac 19:21

38He Mt 23:1-36; Lk 20:45-47 also said in His teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who want to go around in long robes, Rv 7:14 and who want greetings in the marketplaces, Mk 6:56

41Sitting Lk 21:1-4 across from the temple treasury, Jn 8:20 He watched how the crowd dropped money into the treasury. Many rich Gn 24:35; Rv 2:9 people were putting in large sums.

42And a poor Mk 14:7 widow came and dropped in two tiny coins worth very little. Lit dropped in two lepta, which is a quadrans ; the lepton was the smallest and least valuable Gk coin in use. The quadrans, 1/64 of a daily wage, was the smallest Roman coin.

43Summoning His disciples, Mt 9:10; Mk 10:10; Lk 6:1; Jn 6:3; Ac 6:1 He said to them, “I assure you: Ps 72:19; Rv 22:21 This poor widow has put in more than all those giving to the temple treasury. Jn 8:20

44For they all gave out of their surplus, 1Co 15:58 but she out of her poverty Php 4:11 has put in everything she possessed Lk 15:12 — all she had to live on.” 1Jn 3:17