21 33 'Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard: he put a wall round it, hewed out a winepress, and built a watch-tower; then he let it out to vine-growers and went abroad. 21 34 When the vintage season approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect the produce due to him. 21 35 But they took his servants and thrashed one, killed another, and stoned a third. 21 36 Again, he sent other servants, this time a larger number; and they did the same to them. 21 37 At last he sent to them his son. "They will respect my son", he said. 21 38 But when they saw the son the tenants said to one another, "This is the heir; come on, let us kill him, and get his inheritance." 21 39 And they took him, flung him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 21 40 When the owner of the vineyard comes, how do you think he will deal with those tenants?' 21 41 'He will bring those bad men to a bad end', they answered, 'and hand the vineyard over to other tenants, who will let him have his share of the crop when the season comes.'
21 42 Then Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read in the scriptures: "The stone which the builders rejected has become the main corner-stone. This is the Lord's doing, and it is wonderful in our eyes"?
21 43 [ Ps.118.22-23. ] Therefore, I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and given to a nation that yields the proper fruit.'" 21 44 Some witnesses add: (44) Any man who falls on this stone will be dashed to pieces; and if it falls on a man he will be crushed by it.
21 45 When the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they saw that he was referring to them; 21 46 they wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the people, who looked on Jesus as a prophet.