A Question about Jesus' Authority
(Matthew 21.23-27Mark 11.27-33)1 One day, Jesus was teaching in the temple and telling the good news. So the chief priests, the teachers, and the nation's leaders 2 asked him, “What right do you have to do these things? Who gave you this authority?”
3 Jesus replied, “I want to ask you a question. 4 Who gave John the right to baptize? Was it God in heaven or merely some human being?”
5 They talked this over and said to each other, “We can't say God gave John this right. Jesus will ask us why we didn't believe John. 6 And we can't say it was merely some human who gave John the right to baptize. The crowd will stone us to death, because they think John was a prophet.”
7 So they told Jesus, “We don't know who gave John the right to baptize.”
8 Jesus replied, “Then I won't tell you who gave me the right to do what I do.”
Renters of a Vineyard
(Matthew 21.33-46Mark 12.1-12)9 Jesus told the people this story:
A man once planted a vineyard and rented it out. Then he left the country for a long time. 10 When it was time to harvest the crop, he sent a servant to ask the renters for his share of the grapes. But they beat up the servant and sent him away without anything. 11 So the owner sent another servant. The renters also beat him up. They insulted him terribly and sent him away without a thing. 12 The owner sent a third servant. He was also beaten terribly and thrown out of the vineyard.
13 The owner then said to himself, “What am I going to do? I know what. I'll send my son, the one I love so much. They will surely respect him!”
14 When the renters saw the owner's son, they said to one another, “Someday he will own the vineyard. Let's kill him! Then we can have it all for ourselves.” 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.
Jesus asked, “What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do? 16 I'll tell you what. He will come and kill those renters and let someone else have his vineyard.”
When the people heard this, they said, “This must never happen!”
17 But Jesus looked straight at them and said, “Then what do the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘The stone the builders tossed aside is now the most important stone of all’? 18 Anyone who stumbles over this stone will get hurt, and anyone it falls on will be smashed to pieces.”
19 The chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses knew that Jesus was talking about them when he was telling this story. They wanted to arrest him right then, but they were afraid of the people.
Paying Taxes
(Matthew 22.15-22Mark 12.13-17)20 Jesus' enemies kept watching him closely, because they wanted to hand him over to the Roman governor. So they sent some men who pretended to be good. But they were really spies trying to catch Jesus saying something wrong. 21 The spies said to him, “Teacher, we know you teach the truth about what God wants people to do. And you treat everyone with the same respect, no matter who they are. 22 Tell us, should we pay taxes to the Emperor or not?”
23 Jesus knew they were trying to trick him. So he told them, 24 “Show me a coin.” Then he asked, “Whose picture and name are on it?”
“The Emperor's,” they answered.
25 Then he told them, “Give the Emperor what belongs to him and give God what belongs to God.” 26 Jesus' enemies could not catch him saying anything wrong there in front of the people. They were amazed at his answer and kept quiet.
Life in the Future World
(Matthew 22.23-33Mark 12.18-27)27 The Sadducees did not believe that people would rise to life after death. So some of them came to Jesus 28 and said:
Teacher, Moses wrote that if a married man dies and has no children, his brother should marry the widow. Their first son would then be thought of as the son of the dead brother.
29 There were once seven brothers. The first one married, but died without having any children. 30 The second one married his brother's widow, and he also died without having any children. 31 The same thing happened to the third one. Finally, all seven brothers married this woman and died without having any children. 32 At last the woman died. 33 When God raises people from death, whose wife will this woman be? All seven brothers had married her.
34 Jesus answered:
The people in this world get married. 35 But in the future world no one who is worthy to rise from death will either marry 36 or die. They will be like the angels and will be God's children, because they have been raised to life.
37 In the story about the burning bush, Moses clearly shows that people will live again. He said, “The Lord is the God worshiped by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.” 38 So the Lord isn't the God of the dead, but of the living. This means that everyone is alive as far as God is concerned.
39 Some of the teachers of the Law of Moses said, “Teacher, you have given a good answer!” 40 From then on, no one dared to ask Jesus any questions.
About David's Son
(Matthew 22.41-46Mark 12.35-37)41 Jesus asked, “Why do people say that the Messiah will be the son of King David? 42 In the book of Psalms, David himself says,
‘The Lord said to my Lord,
Sit at my right side
43 until I make your enemies
into a footstool for you.’
44 David spoke of the Messiah as his Lord, so how can the Messiah be his son?”
Jesus and the Teachers of the Law of Moses
(Matthew 23.1-36Mark 12.38-40Luke 11.37-54)45 While everyone was listening to Jesus, he said to his disciples:
46 Guard against the teachers of the Law of Moses! They love to walk around in long robes, and they like to be greeted in the market. They want the front seats in the synagogues and the best seats at banquets. 47 But they cheat widows out of their homes and then pray long prayers just to show off. These teachers will be punished most of all.
Jēzus pilnvaras apšaubīšana
(Mt 21:23–27Mk 11:27–33)1 Kādu dienu, kad viņš templī mācīja ļaudis un sludināja evaņģēliju, pie viņa piestājās virspriesteri un rakstu mācītāji kopā ar vecajiem 2 un, uzrunādami viņu, sacīja: “Saki mums, kā varā tu to dari? Kas tev ir devis tādu varu?” 3 Viņš tiem atbildēja: “Arī es jums ko jautāšu, sakiet man: 4 vai Jāņa kristība bija no debesīm vai no cilvēkiem?” 5 Tie savā starpā sāka spriest: “Ja sacīsim: no debesīm, – viņš teiks: kādēļ tad jūs viņam neticējāt? 6 Bet, ja teiksim: no cilvēkiem, – visa tauta mūs nomētās akmeņiem, jo tā ir pārliecināta, ka Jānis ir pravietis.” 7 Un viņi atbildēja, ka nezinot, no kurienes. 8 Jēzus tiem sacīja: “Tad arī es jums neteikšu, kā varā es to daru.”
Līdzība par ļaunajiem vīnkopjiem
(Mt 21:33–46Mk 12:1–12)9 Bet ļaudīm viņš sāka stāstīt šādu līdzību: “Kāds cilvēks iestādīja vīnadārzu un, nodevis to vīnkopjiem, aizceļoja uz ilgāku laiku. 10 Noteiktā laikā viņš sūtīja savu kalpu pie vīnkopjiem, lai viņi tam dotu no vīnadārza augļiem, bet vīnkopji to piekāva un aizsūtīja tukšā atpakaļ. 11 Viņš sūtīja vēl otru kalpu, bet arī šo piekāvuši un pazemojuši tie aizsūtīja tukšā atpakaļ. 12 Tad viņš sūtīja vēl trešo, bet tie arī šo, smagi savainojuši, izmeta ārā. 13 Tad vīnadārza saimnieks sacīja: ko lai es daru? Es sūtīšu savu mīļoto dēlu, varbūt to viņi ņems vērā. 14 Bet vīnkopji, viņu ieraudzījuši, savā starpā sprieda: šis ir mantinieks, nonāvēsim viņu, un mantojums būs mūsu! 15 Un viņi to izmeta no vīnadārza un nonāvēja. Ko nu vīnadārza saimnieks ar tiem darīs? 16 Viņš nāks un šos vīnkopjus pazudinās, un dos vīnadārzu citiem.” Kad klausītāji to dzirdēja, tie sacīja: “Tas nedrīkst notikt.” 17 Jēzus, tos uzlūkodams, sacīja: “Kā tad jāsaprot rakstītais: akmens, ko nama cēlāji atmetuši, ir kļuvis par stūrakmeni? 18 Ikviens, kas kritīs pār šo akmeni, sašķīdīs, bet, uz kuru tas kritīs, to tas satrieks putekļos.” 19 Rakstu mācītāji un virspriesteri tajā brīdī gribēja viņu sagūstīt, bet viņi baidījās no tautas. Tie saprata, ka šo līdzību viņš bija stāstījis par viņiem.
Par nodevu maksāšanu cēzaram
(Mt 22:15–22Mk 12:13–17)20 Tie viņu novēroja un nosūtīja savus izlūkus, kas izlikās par taisnīgiem, lai pieķertu viņu kādā vārdā un varētu viņu nodot pārvaldnieka varai un tiesai. 21 Un tie viņam jautāja: “Skolotāj, mēs zinām, ka tu runā taisnīgi un nevērtē cilvēku pēc ārienes, bet runā un māci patiesībā Dieva ceļu. 22 Vai ir atļauts cēzaram dot nodevas vai ne?” 23 Pamanījis viņu viltību, viņš tiem sacīja: 24 “Parādiet man vienu denāriju! Kā attēls un uzraksts ir uz tā?” Tie sacīja: “Cēzara.” 25 Viņš tiem teica: “Tad dodiet cēzaram, kas cēzaram pieder, un Dievam, kas Dievam pieder.” 26 Un tie nespēja viņu pieķert vārdos tautas priekšā un, nobrīnījušies par viņa atbildi, apklusa.
Saduķeji izjautā Jēzu par augšāmcelšanos
(Mt 22:23–33Mk 12:18–27)27 Tad pienāca kādi saduķeji – tie noliedz augšāmcelšanos – un viņam jautāja: 28 “Skolotāj, Mozus mums rakstīja: ja kādam nomirst brālis, kam ir sieva, bet nav bērnu, tad lai viņš ņem sev brāļa sievu un dod savam brālim pēcnācējus. – 29 Bija septiņi brāļi, un pirmais, apņēmis sievu, nomira, būdams bez bērniem; 30-31 arī otrais un trešais apprecēja viņu, tāpat pārējie līdz pat septītajam, un visi nomira, neatstādami bērnus. 32 Beigās nomira arī sieva. 33 Kuram no tiem viņa būs sieva augšāmcelšanā? Viņa taču bija sieva visiem septiņiem.” 34 Jēzus viņiem sacīja: “Šī laikmeta dēli precas un tiek precēti; 35 bet tie, kas būs cienīgi sasniegt to laikmetu un augšāmcelšanos no mirušajiem, nedz precēsies, nedz tiks precēti. 36 Tie vairs nevar nomirt, jo ir līdzīgi eņģeļiem un ir Dieva dēli, būdami augšāmcelšanās dēli. 37 Bet, ka mirušie celsies augšām, to arī Mozus ir rādījis stāstā par ērkšķu krūmu, kur Kungu sauc par Ābrahāma Dievu, Īzaka Dievu un Jēkaba Dievu. 38 Dievs nav mirušo, bet dzīvo Dievs, jo viņam visi ir dzīvi.” 39 Tad kādi rakstu mācītāji sacīja: “Skolotāj, tu labi pateici.” 40 Un neviens vairs neuzdrošinājās viņam ko jautāt. 41 Bet viņš tiem teica: “Kādēļ saka par Kristu, ka viņš ir Dāvida dēls? 42 Jo pats Dāvids psalmu grāmatā saka: Kungs sacīja manam Kungam: sēdies man pie labās rokas, 43 līdz es tavus ienaidniekus nolieku tev par kājsolu zem tavām kājām. 44 Tātad Dāvids sauc viņu par Kungu; kā tad viņš var būt tā dēls?” 45 Visai tautai dzirdot, viņš sacīja saviem mācekļiem: 46 “Sargieties no rakstu mācītājiem, kas grib staigāt garos tērpos un labprāt saņemt sveicienus tirgus laukumos, un ieņemt goda vietas sinagogās un mielastos. 47 Viņi aprij atraitņu namus un, lai izrādītos, ilgi lūdz Dievu – tie saņems bargāku sodu!”