The Parable of the Two Sons

^28 (A)“What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in ^(B)the vineyard today.’ ²⁹ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he ^(C)changed his mind and went. ³⁰ And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. ³¹ Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, ^(D)the tax collectors and ^(E)the prostitutes go into ^(F)the kingdom of God before you. ³² For John came to you ^(G)in the way of righteousness, and ^(H)you did not believe him, but ^(I)the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward ^(J)change your minds and believe him.

The Parable of the Tenants

^33 (K)“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted ^(L)a vineyard ^(M)and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and ^(N)leased it to tenants, and ^(O)went into another country. ³⁴ When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants^[a] to the tenants ^(P)to get his fruit. ^35 (Q)And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and ^(R)stoned another. ^36 (S)Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. ³⁷ Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ³⁸ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ^(T)‘This is the heir. Come, ^(U)let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ ³⁹ And they took him and ^(V)threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. ^40 (W)When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” ⁴¹ They said to him, ^(X)“He will put those wretches to a miserable death and ^(Y)let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

⁴² Jesus said to them, ^(Z)“Have you never read in the Scriptures:

⁴³ Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God ^(AB)will be taken away from you and given to a people ^(AC)producing its fruits. ⁴⁴ And ^(AD)the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and ^(AE)when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.”^[c]

⁴⁵ When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he was speaking about them. ⁴⁶ And ^(AF)although they were seeking to arrest him, ^(AG)they feared the crowds, because they held him to be ^(AH)a prophet.

The Parable of the Talents

^14 (A)“For ^(B)it will be like a man ^(C)going on a journey, who called his servants^[a] and entrusted to them his property. ¹⁵ To one he gave five ^(D)talents,^[b] to another two, to another one, ^(E)to each according to his ability. Then he ^(F)went away. ¹⁶ He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. ¹⁷ So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. ¹⁸ But he who had received the one talent went and ^(G)dug in the ground and hid his master's money. ¹⁹ Now ^(H)after a long time the master of those servants came and ^(I)settled accounts with them. ²⁰ And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ ²¹ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and ^(J)faithful servant.^{[c] (K)}You have been faithful over a little; ^(L)I will set you over much. Enter into ^(M)the joy of your master.’ ²² And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ ²³ His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ ²⁴ He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be ^(N)a hard man, reaping ^(O)where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, ²⁵ so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, ^(P)you have what is yours.’ ²⁶ But his master answered him, ‘You ^(Q)wicked and ^(R)slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? ²⁷ Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. ²⁸ So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. ^29 (S)For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And ^(T)cast ^(U)the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place ^(V)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’