Study Desk

"Listen to another parable. ^(C1)There was a ^(F1)landowner who ^(C2)PLANTED A ^(C3)VINEYARD AND PUT A ^(F2)FENCE AROUND IT, AND DUG A WINE PRESS IN IT, AND BUILT A TOWER, and he leased it to ^(F3)vine-growers and ^(C4)went on a journey.

"And when the ^(F1)harvest time approached, he ^(C1)sent his slaves to the vine-growers to receive his fruit.

"And the vine-growers took his slaves and beat one, killed another, and stoned another.

"Again, he ^(C1)sent other slaves, more than the first; and they did the same things to them.

"But afterward he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'

"But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir; come, let's kill him and take possession of his inheritance!'

"And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

"Therefore, when the ^(F1)owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-growers?"

They ^(*)said to Him, "He will bring those wretches to a wretched end and ^(C1)lease the vineyard to other vine-growers, who will pay him the fruit in the proper seasons."

Jesus ^(*)said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures, '^(C1)A STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS HAS BECOME THE ^(F1)CHIEF CORNERSTONE; THIS CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD, AND IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES'?

"Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a ^(F1)people producing its fruit.

"And ^(C1)the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and on whomever it falls, it will crush him."