The Parable of the Vineyard Owner

9 Then he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to farmers, and left the country for a long time. 10 At harvest time he sent a servant to the farmers so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 So he proceeded to [fn]send another servant, but they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 Then he proceeded to send a third, but they wounded him as well and threw him out. 13 So the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my beloved son; perhaps [fn]when they see him they will have respect for him.’ 14 But when they saw him, the farmers discussed it [fn]among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. [fn]Come, let us kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.’ 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those farmers and give the vineyard to others.” When the people heard this, they said, “Certainly not!” 17 But Jesus looked at them and said, “What then is the meaning of this Scripture:

‘The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone’?

18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” 19 Then the [fn]chief priests and the scribes wanted to arrest him at that very hour, for they knew he [fn]had spoken this parable against them, but they were [fn]afraid.