Chapter 15
And as Jesus was now drawing nigh unto Jerusalem, even at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen; saying, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
And some of the Pharisees from the multitude said unto him, Teacher, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said, I tell you that, if these shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out.
And when Jesus drew nigh unto Jerusalem, he saw the city and wept over it, saying,
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killeth the prophets, and stoneth them that are sent unto her! how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
If thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things which belong unto peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, when thine enemies shall cast up a bank about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall dash thee to the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
And when Jesus was come into Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, Who is this? And the multitudes said, This is the prophet, Jesus, from Nazareth, of Galilee.
And he entered into Jerusalem, into the temple; and when he had looked round about upon all things, it being now eventide, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.
And on the morrow they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus entered into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and them that bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold the doves; and he would not suffer that any man should carry a vessel through the temple.
And Jesus taught, and said unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations? but ye have made it a den of robbers.
And Jesus was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people sought to destroy him, for they feared him. And they could not find what they might do; for the people all hung upon him, listening. For all the multitude was astonished at his teaching. And every evening he went forth out of the city to Bethany, and lodged there.
And they come again to Jerusalem: and as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders; and they said unto him, Tell us: By what authority doest thou these things? or who gave thee this authority?
And Jesus said unto them, I will ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or from men? answer me.
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him? But if we shall say, From men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.
And they answered Jesus and say, We know not. And Jesus saith unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.
And Jesus began to speak unto them in parables:
A man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work today in the vineyard. And he answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented himself, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not.
What think ye? Whether of the twain did the will of his father? They say, The first.
Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and harlots believed him: and ye, when ye saw it, did not even repent yourselves afterward, that ye might believe him.
Hear another parable: There was a man that was a householder, which planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a pit for the winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country. And at the season of the fruits he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruits of the vineyard. And they took him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and him they wounded in the head, and handled shamefully, and sent him away empty. And he sent another; and him they killed: and many others; beating some, and killing some. And the owner of the vineyard said, What shall I do? I will send my son: it may be they will reverence him. But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned one with another, saying, This is the heir: let us kill him and take his inheritance. And they cast him forth out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore will the owner of the vineyard do unto them? He will come and destroy those husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.
And Jesus spake again a parable unto them, saying, A certain king made a marriage feast for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the marriage feast: and they would not come. Again he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them that are bidden, Behold, I have made ready my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come to the marriage feast. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they that were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore unto the partings of the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage feast. And those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found: and the wedding was filled with guests.
And when the chief priests and the scribes and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spake the parables against them. And when they sought to lay hold on him in that very hour, they feared the multitudes, because they took Jesus for a prophet.
And they watched Jesus, and sent forth spies, which feigned themselves to be righteous, that they might take hold of his speech, so as to deliver him up to the rule and to the authority of the governor.
And when they were come, they say unto him, Teacher, we know that thou art true, and sayest and teachest rightly, and carest not for anyone: for thou regardest not the person of men, but of a truth teachest the way of God. Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? Shall we give, or shall we not give?
But Jesus perceived their craftiness, and said, Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a denarius. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.
And they were not able to take hold of the saying before the people: and they marveled at his answer, and held their peace.
And there came to Jesus certain of the Sadducees, they which say that there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying, Teacher, Moses wrote unto us, that if a man’s brother die, having a wife, and he be childless, his brother should take the wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. There were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died childless; and the second; and the third took her; and likewise the seven also left no children, and died. Afterward the woman also died. In the resurrection whose wife of them shall she be? for the seven had her to wife.
Jesus said unto them, Is it not for this cause that ye err, that ye know not the scriptures, nor the power of God? The sons of this world marry, and are given in marriage: but they that are accounted worthy to attain to that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage: for neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
But that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him. Ye do greatly err.
And when the multitudes heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.
And the scribes and the Pharisees bring a woman taken in adultery; and having set her in the midst, they say unto him, Teacher, this woman hath been taken in adultery, in the very act. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such: what then sayest thou of her?
And this they said, trying him, that they might have whereof to accuse him.
But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground. But when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground. And they, when they heard it, went out one by one, beginning from the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the midst. And Jesus lifted up himself, and said unto her, Woman, where are they? did no man condemn thee? And she said, No man, Master. And Jesus said, Neither do I condemn thee: go thy way; from henceforth sin no more.
And one of the scribes came, and heard them questioning together, and knowing that Jesus had answered them well, asked him a question: Teacher, what commandment is the first of all?
Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. The second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as yourself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
And the scribe said unto Jesus, Of a truth, Teacher, thou hast well said that he is one; and there is none other but he: and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God.
And no man after than durst ask Jesus any question.