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It happened on one of those days, as he was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the Good News, that the priests and scribes came to him with the elders.

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They asked him, “Tell us: by what authority do you do these things? Or who is giving you this authority?”

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He answered them, “I also will ask you one question. Tell me:

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the baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men?”

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They reasoned with themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why didn’t you believe him?’

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But if we say, ‘From men,’ all the people will stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.”

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They answered that they didn’t know where it was from.

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Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

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He began to tell the people this parable. “A man planted a vineyard, and rented it out to some farmers, and went into another country for a long time.

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At the proper season, he sent a servant to the farmers to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers beat him, and sent him away empty.

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He sent yet another servant, and they also beat him, and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.

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He sent yet a third, and they also wounded him, and threw him out.

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The lord of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. It may be that seeing him, they will respect him.’

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“But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’

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They threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them?

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He will come and destroy these farmers, and will give the vineyard to others.” When they heard it, they said, “May it never be!”

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But he looked at them, and said, “Then what is this that is written, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the chief cornerstone?’

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Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but it will crush whomever it falls on to dust.”

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The chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him that very hour, but they feared the people–for they knew he had spoken this parable against them.

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They watched him, and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.

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They asked him, “Teacher, we know that you say and teach what is right, and aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God.

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Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

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But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test me?

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Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription are on it?” They answered, “Caesar’s.”

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He said to them, “Then give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

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They weren’t able to trap him in his words before the people. They marveled at his answer, and were silent.

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Some of the Sadducees came to him, those who deny that there is a resurrection.

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They asked him, “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies having a wife, and he is childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up children for his brother.

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There were therefore seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died childless.

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The second took her as wife, and he died childless.

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The third took her, and likewise the seven all left no children, and died.

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Afterward the woman also died.

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Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them will she be? For the seven had her as a wife.”

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Jesus said to them, “The children of this age marry, and are given in marriage.

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But those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage.

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For they can’t die any more, for they are like the angels, and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.

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But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed at the bush, when he called the Lord ‘The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’

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Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all are alive to him.”

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Some of the scribes answered, “Teacher, you speak well.”

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They didn’t dare to ask him any more questions.

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He said to them, “Why do they say that the Christ is David’s son?

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David himself says in the book of Psalms, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand,

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until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet.”‘

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“David therefore calls him Lord, so how is he his son?”

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In the hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples,

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“Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts;

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who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: these will receive greater condemnation.”

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He looked up, and saw the rich people who were putting their gifts into the treasury.

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He saw a certain poor widow casting in two small brass coins.

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He said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow put in more than all of them,

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for all these put in gifts for God from their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, put in all that she had to live on.”

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As some were talking about the temple and how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts, he said,

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“As for these things which you see, the days will come, in which there will not be left here one stone on another that will not be thrown down.”

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They asked him, “Teacher, so when will these things be? What is the sign that these things are about to happen?”

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He said, “Watch out that you don’t get led astray, for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is at hand.’ Therefore don’t follow them.

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When you hear of wars and disturbances, don’t be terrified, for these things must happen first, but the end won’t come immediately.”

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Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

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There will be great earthquakes, famines, and plagues in various places. There will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

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But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you up to synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for my name’s sake.

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It will turn out as a testimony for you.

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Settle it therefore in your hearts not to meditate beforehand how to answer,

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for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to withstand or to contradict.

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You will be handed over even by parents, brothers, relatives, and friends. They will cause some of you to be put to death.

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You will be hated by all men for my name’s sake.

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And not a hair of your head will perish.

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“By your endurance you will win your lives.

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“But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is at hand.

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Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who are in the midst of her depart. Let those who are in the country not enter therein.

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For these are days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

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Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who nurse infants in those days! For there will be great distress in the land, and wrath to this people.

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They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled down by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

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There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars; and on the earth anxiety of nations, in perplexity for the roaring of the sea and the waves;

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men fainting for fear, and for expectation of the things which are coming on the world: for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

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Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

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But when these things begin to happen, look up, and lift up your heads, because your redemption is near.”

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He told them a parable. “See the fig tree, and all the trees.

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When they are already budding, you see it and know by your own selves that the summer is already near.

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Even so you also, when you see these things happening, know that the Kingdom of God is near.

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Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things are accomplished.

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Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will by no means pass away.

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“So be careful, or your hearts will be loaded down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that day will come on you suddenly.

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For it will come like a snare on all those who dwell on the surface of all the earth.

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Therefore be watchful all the time, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

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Every day Jesus was teaching in the temple, and every night he would go out and spend the night on the mountain that is called Olivet.

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All the people came early in the morning to him in the temple to hear him.

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Now the feast of unleavened bread, which is called the Passover, drew near.

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The chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death, for they feared the people.

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Satan entered into Judas, who was surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered with the twelve.

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He went away, and talked with the chief priests and captains about how he might deliver him to them.

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They were glad, and agreed to give him money.

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He consented, and sought an opportunity to deliver him to them in the absence of the multitude.

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The day of unleavened bread came, on which the Passover must be sacrificed.

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He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.”

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They said to him, “Where do you want us to prepare?”

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He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered into the city, a man carrying a pitcher of water will meet you. Follow him into the house which he enters.

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Tell the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”‘

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He will show you a large, furnished upper room. Make preparations there.”

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They went, found things as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

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When the hour had come, he sat down with the twelve apostles.

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He said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,