The parable of the wicked tenants. The parable of the vineyard workers. The tax to be given to Caesar. The Sadducees’ error about the resurrection. The greatest commandment. David acknowledges the Messiah as his Lord. Christ warns the people about the scribes. The poor widow who gives two small coins.

1 And He began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a winepress, built a tower, and entrusted it to tenant farmers, and went to a foreign country. 2 When the time came, he sent a servant to the tenants, so that he might receive from the tenants his share of the vineyard’s fruit. 3 The tenant farmers seized him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 4 He again sent another servant, but they crushed his head and sent him away in disgrace. 5 And again he sent another, and they killed him too. And he sent many others: some they beat, and some they killed. 6 He had one beloved son. At last he sent him to them, saying, ‘Perhaps they will show respect for my son.’ 7 But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 8 Seizing him, they killed him and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 So what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come, kill the tenants, and give the vineyard into the hands of others. 10 Have you not read that word of the Holy Scripture: ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. 11 This came from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes.” 12 And they wanted to seize Him, but they were afraid of the crowd, because they understood that He spoke the parable about them. And leaving Him, they went away. 13 And they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to trap Him with words. 14 They came and, with deceit, questioned Jesus: “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and You do not seek to please anyone, because You show no partiality among people, but in truth You teach the way of God. So tell us, is it lawful to pay tax to Caesar, or not? Should we pay, or should we not pay?” 15 But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why are you testing Me, hypocrites? Bring Me a denarius, so that I may see it.” 16 They brought it. And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?” They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” 17 Jesus answered and said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” And they were astonished at that answer. 18 And the Sadducees, who say that there is no resurrection, came to Him and questioned Him, saying, 19 “Teacher, Moses wrote for us, ‘If someone’s brother dies and leaves a wife behind, but leaves no child, his brother should marry his wife and provide offspring for his brother’ (Deut. 25:5). 20 There were seven brothers. The first took a wife and died, leaving no offspring. 21 The second took her and died, leaving no offspring. and the third likewise. 22 All seven took her and left no offspring. In the end, after all of them, the woman also died. 23 Now, in the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be among them, since all seven had her as a wife?” 24 Jesus answered and said to them, “Is it not for this reason that you are mistaken, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God?” 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven. 26 And concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’ (Exodus 3:6). 27 But God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Therefore you are greatly mistaken.” 28 One of the scribes came up and was listening to their dispute. When he saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked Him and said, “Which commandment is the greatest?” 29 Jesus said to him, “The greatest commandment of all is: ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God is the one and only Lord.’ 30 And, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength’ (Deut. 6:4–5). This is the chief commandment. 31 The second is like this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’ (Lev. 19:18). There is no commandment greater than these.” 32 The scribe said to Him, “Well, Teacher, You have spoken truthfully that God is one, and besides Him there is no other.” 33 And to love Him with all the heart, with all the mind, with all the soul, and with all the strength, and also to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is greater than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, He said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And no one dared to question Him anymore. 35 As Jesus was teaching in the temple, He said, “How is it that the scribes say that the Christ is David’s Son? 36 For David himself says by the Holy Spirit, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand until I put Your enemies as a footstool for Your feet.”’ (Ps. 110:1). 37 So if David himself calls Him Lord, how can He be his son?” And a great crowd was listening to Him with delight. 38 And in His teaching He was saying to them, “Beware of the scribes, who love to walk around in long robes, and to receive respectful greetings in the marketplaces. 39 to take the first seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at dinners. 40 They ostentatiously make their prayers long, yet they devour widows’ houses. They will receive a very severe condemnation.” 41 Jesus, standing opposite the treasury box, was watching how the crowd was putting money into the treasury box. Many rich people put in large sums. 42 And a poor widow came and threw in two lepta, which make a quadrans. 43 And calling His disciples, He said to them, “Truly I tell you that this poor widow put in more than all those who put money into the treasury. 44 For they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in everything she had, her whole livelihood.”