Luke – Gospel 20 – Give to Ceasar What Is Ceasar’s

On one of these days, when Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, joined by the councilors, confronted him, 2 And addressing him, said: “Tell us what authority you have to do these things. Who is it that has given you this authority?”

3 “I, too,” said Jesus in reply, “will ask you one question. Give me an answer to it. 4 It is about John’s baptism—was it of divine or of human origin?”

5 But they began arguing together: “If we say ‘divine,’ he will say ‘Why did not you believe him?’ 6 But, if we say ‘human,’ the people will all stone us, for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know its origin. 8 “Then I,” said Jesus, “refuse to tell you what authority I have to do these things.”

9 Then Jesus began to tell the people this parable; “A man once planted a vineyard, and then rented it out to tenants, and went abroad for a long while. 10 At the proper time he sent a servant to the tenants, that they should give him a share of the produce of the vineyard. The tenants, however, beat him and sent him away empty-handed.”

11 “The owner afterwards sent another servant; but the tenants beat and insulted this man too, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 He sent a third; but they wounded this man also, and threw him outside. 13 ‘What shall I do?’ said the owner of the vineyard. ‘I will send my son, who is very dear to me. Perhaps they will respect him.’”

14 “But, on seeing him, the tenants consulted with one another. ‘Here is the heir!’ they said. ‘Let us kill him, and then the inheritance will become ours.’ 15 So they threw him outside the vineyard and killed him. Now what will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and put those tenants to death, and will rent the vineyard to others.”

“Heaven forbid!” they exclaimed when they heard it. 17 But Jesus looked at them and said: “What then is the meaning of this passage: ‘The very stone which the builders despised has now itself become the corner-stone.’ 18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be dashed to pieces, while anyone on whom it falls—it will scatter them like dust.”

19 After this, the teachers of the law and the chief priest were eager to lay hands on Jesus then and there, but they were afraid of the people; for they saw that it was at them that he had aimed this parable. 20 Having watched their opportunity, they afterwards sent some spies, who pretended to be good men, to catch Jesus in the course of conversation, and so enable them to give him up to the governor’s jurisdiction and authority.

21 These men asked Jesus a question. They said: “Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and that you do not take any account of a man’s position, but teach the way of God honestly; 22 Are we right in paying tribute to Caesar or not?”

23 Seeing through their deceitfulness, Jesus said to them: 24 “Show me a coin. Whose head and title are on it?” 25 “The Emperor’s,” they said; and Jesus replied: “Well then, pay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and to God what belongs to God.” 26 They could not lay hold of this answer before the people; and, in their wonder at his reply, they held their tongues.

27 Presently there came up some Sadducees, who maintained that there is no resurrection. Their question was this: 28 “Teacher, Moses laid down for us in his writings that: ‘Should a man’s married brother die, and should he be childless, the man should take the widow as his wife, and raise up a family for his brother.’”

29 “Well, there were once seven brothers; of whom the eldest, after taking a wife, died childless. 30 The second and third brothers both took her as their wife; 31 And so, too, did all seven—dying without children. 32 The woman herself was the last to die. 33 About the woman, then—at the resurrection, whose wife is she to be, all seven brothers having had her as their wife?”

34 “The men and women of this world,” said Jesus, “marry and are given in marriage; 35 But, for those who are thought worthy to attain to that other world and the resurrection from the dead, there is no marrying or being married, 36 Nor indeed can they die again, for they are like angels and, having shared in the resurrection, they are children of God.”

37 “As to the fact that the dead rise, even Moses indicated that, in the passage about the bush, when he calls the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 Now he is not God of dead men, but of living. For all live unto him.”

39 “Well said, Teacher!” exclaimed some of the teachers of the law, 40 For they did not venture to question him any further. 41 But Jesus said to them: “How is it that people say that the Christ is to be David’s son? 42 For David, in the Book of Psalms, says himself: ‘The Lord said to my lord: “Sit at my right hand, 43 Until I put thy enemies as a stool for thy feet.”‘ 44 David, then, calls him ‘lord,’ so how is he David’s son?”

45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to the disciples: 46 “Be on your guard against the teachers of the law, who delight to walk about in long robes, and like to be greeted in the streets with respect, and to have the best seats in the synagogues, and places of honor at dinner. 47 These are the men who rob widows of their houses, and make a pretense of saying long prayers. Their sentence will be all the heavier.”

To read the next chapter of the Book of Luke, please go to The Gospel of Luke – 21.

This Online New Testament Gospel of Luke is excerpted from the book The Living Hour: The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life (with New Century Gospels). Including over 200 bookmarked citations from the canonical Gospels, this Progressive Christian book appeals to the Unitarian spirit at the heart of all faiths.

Challenge your perceptions on the Gospel of Christ, Jesus’s parables, and the Kingdom of God by purchasing The Lord’s Prayer book today. Produced by LivingHour.org, a Thailand-based small press dedicated to publishing unique Learning Easy Thai Language Books, as well as works on progressive spirituality.

Luke – Gospel 21 – Win Yourself Life!

Looking up, Jesus saw the rich people putting their gifts into the chests for the temple offerings. 2 He saw, too, a widow in poor circumstances putting two farthings into them. 3 On this he said: “I tell you that this poor widow has put in more than all the others; 4 For everyone else here put in something from what they had to spare, while she, in her need, has put in all she had to live upon.”

5 When some of them spoke about the temple being decorated with beautiful stones and offerings, Jesus said: 6 “As for these things that you are looking at, a time is coming when not one stone will be left upon another here, which will not be thrown down.”

7 So the disciples questioned Jesus: “But, Teacher, when will this be? And what sign will there be when this is near?” 8 And Jesus said: “See that you are not led astray; for many will take my name, and come saying ‘I am He,’ and ‘The time is close at hand.’ Do not follow them. 9 And, when you hear of wars and disturbances, do not be terrified, for these things must occur first; but the end will not be at once.”

10 Then he said to them: “‘Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom,’ 11 And there will be great earth-quakes, and plagues, and famines in various places, and there will be terrible appearances and signs in the heavens. 12 Before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you, and they will betray you to synagogues and put you in prison, bringing you before kings and governors for the sake of my name. 13 Then will be your opportunity of testifying for me.”

14 “Make up your minds, therefore, not to prepare your defense; 15 For I will myself give you words, and a wisdom which all your opponents together will be unable to resist or defy. 16 You will be betrayed even by your parents, and brothers, and relations, and friends, and they will cause some of you to be put to death, 17 And you will be hated by everyone on account of my name. 18 Yet not a single hair of your heads shall be lost! 19 By your endurance you shall win yourselves life.”

20 “As soon, however, as you see Jerusalem surrounded by armed camps, then you may know that the hour of her desecration is at hand. 21 Then those of you who are in Judea must take refuge in the mountains; those who are in Jerusalem must leave at once; and those who are in the country places must not go into it. 22 For these are to be the days of vengeance, when all that scripture says will be fulfilled.”

23 “Woe to the women that are with child, and for those that are nursing infants in those days! For there will be great suffering in the land, and anger against this people. 24 They will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be taken prisoners to every land, and ‘Jerusalem will be under the heel of the Gentiles,’ until their day is over—as it shall be.”

25 “There will be signs, too (in the sun, and moon, and stars), and on the earth despair among the nations, as they dismay at the roar of the sea and the surge. 26 People’s hearts will fail them through dread of what is coming upon the world; for ‘the forces of the heavens will be convulsed.’ 27 Then will be seen the ‘Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. 28 And, when these things begin to occur, look upwards and lift your heads, for your deliverance will be at hand.”

29 Then he taught them a lesson: “Look at the fig tree and all the other trees. 30 As soon as they shoot forth, you know, as you look at them, without being told, that summer is near. 31 And so may you, as soon as you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 32 I tell you that even the present generation will not pass away till all has taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.”

34 “Be on your guard else your minds should ever be dulled by debauches or drunkenness or the anxieties of life, and lest that day should come suddenly upon you, like a snare. 35 For come it will upon all who are living upon the face of the whole earth. 36 Be on the watch at all times, and pray that you may have strength to escape all that is destined to happen, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man.”

37 During the days, Jesus continued to teach in the temple courts, but he went out and spent the nights on the hill called the ‘Mount of Olives.’ 38 And all the people would get up early in the morning, and come to listen to him in the temple courts.

To read the next chapter of the Book of Luke, please go toThe Gospel of Luke – 22.

This Online New Testament Gospel of Luke is excerpted from the book The Living Hour: The Lord’s Prayer for Daily Life (with New Century Gospels). Including over 200 bookmarked citations from the canonical Gospels, this Progressive Christian book appeals to the Unitarian spirit at the heart of all faiths.

Challenge your perceptions on the Gospel of Christ, Jesus’s parables, and the Kingdom of God by purchasing The Lord’s Prayer book today. Produced by LivingHour.org, a Thailand-based small press dedicated to publishing unique Learning Easy Thai Language Books, as well as works on progressive spirituality.