THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE 20

1 And it came to pass that on one of those days as he taught the people in the temple and preached the gospel the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders

2 And spake unto him saying Tell us by what authority doest thou these things or who is he that gave thee this authority

3 And he answered and said unto them I will also ask you one thing and answer me

4 The baptism of John was it from heaven or of men

5 And they reasoned with themselves saying If we shall say From heaven he will say Why then believed ye him not

6 But and if we say Of men all the people will stone us for they be persuaded that John was a prophet

7 And they answered that they could not tell whence it was

8 And Jesus said unto them Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things

9 Then began he to speak to the people this parable A certain man planted a vineyard and let it forth to husbandmen and went into a far country for a long time

10 And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard but the husbandmen beat him and sent him away empty

11 And again he sent another servant and they beat him also and entreated him shamefully and sent him away empty

12 And again he sent a third and they wounded him also and cast him out

13 Then said the lord of the vineyard What shall I do I will send my beloved son it may be they will reverence him when they see him

14 But when the husbandmen saw him they reasoned among themselves saying This is the heir come let us kill him that the inheritance may be ours

15 So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them

16 He shall come and destroy these husbandmen and shall give the vineyard to others And when they heard it they said God forbid

17 And he beheld them and said What is this then that is written The stone which the builders rejected the same is become the head of the corner

18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken but on whomsoever it shall fall it will grind him to powder

19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him and they feared the people for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them

20 And they watched him and sent forth spies which should feign themselves just men that they might take hold of his words that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor

21 And they asked him saying Master we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly neither acceptest thou the person of any but teachest the way of God truly

22 Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Cæsar or no

23 But he perceived their craftiness and said unto them Why tempt ye me

24 Shew me a penny Whose image and superscription hath it They answered and said æsar’s

25 And he said unto them Render therefore unto Cæsar the things whi h be æsar’s and unto God the things which e God’s

26 And they could not take hold of his words before the people and they marvelled at his answer and held their peace

27 Then came to him certain of the Sadducees which deny that there is any resurrection and they asked him

28 Saying Master Moses wrote unto us If any man’s brother die having a wife and he die without children that his brother should take his wife and raise up seed unto his brother

29 There were therefore seven brethren and the first took a wife and died without children

30 And the second took her to wife and he died childless

31 And the third took her and in like manner the seven also and they left no children and died

32 Last of all the woman died also

33 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she for seven had her to wife

34 And Jesus answering said unto them The children of this world marry and are given in marriage

35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world and the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage

36 Neither can they die any more for they are equal unto the angels and are the children of God being the children of the resurrection

37 Now that the dead are raised even Moses shewed at the bush when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob

38 For he is not a God of the dead but of the living for all live unto him

39 Then certain of the scribes answering said Master thou hast well said

40 And after that they durst not ask him any question at all

41 And he said unto them How say they that Christ is David’s son

42 And David himself saith in the book of Psalms The LORD said unto my Lord Sit thou on my right hand

43 Till I make thine enemies thy footstool

44 David therefore calleth him Lord how is he then his son

45 Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples

46 Beware of the scribes which desire to walk in long robes and love greetings in the markets and the highest seats in the synagogues and the chief rooms at feasts

47 Which devour idows’ houses and for a shew make long prayers the same shall receive greater damnation