1 Then a He began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a place for the wine vat and built a tower. And he leased it to 1 vinedressers and went into a far country. 2 "Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers. 3 "And they took him and beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 4 "Again he sent them another servant, 2 and at him they threw stones, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. 5 "And again he sent another, and him they killed; and many others, b beating some and killing some. 6 "Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 7 "But those 3 vinedressers said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' 8 "So they took him and c killed him and cast him out of the vineyard. 9 "Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others.
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"Have you not even read this Scripture:
d 'The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
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This was the LORD's doing,
And it is marvelous in our eyes'? " 4
12 e And they sought to lay hands on Him, but feared the multitude, for they knew He had spoken the parable against them. So they left Him and went away.