Luke 20:14

THE MESSAGE

"But when the farmhands saw him coming, they quickly put their heads together. ‘This is our chance—this is the heir! Let's kill him and have it all to ourselves.' They killed him and threw him over the fence. "What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do? Right. He'll come and clean house. Then he'll assign the care of the vineyard to others." Those who were listening said, "Oh, no! He'd never do that!" But Jesus didn't back down. "Why, then, do you think this was written: That stone the masons threw out— It's now the cornerstone!? "Anyone falling over that stone will break every bone in his body; if the stone falls on anyone, it will be a total smashup." The religion scholars and high priests wanted to lynch him on the spot, but they were intimidated by public opinion. They knew the story was about them. Watching for a chance to get him, they sent spies who posed as honest inquirers, hoping to trick him into saying something that would get him in trouble with the law. So they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you're honest and straightforward when you teach, that you don't pander to anyone but teach the way of God accurately. Tell us: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" He knew they were laying for him and said, "Show me a coin. Now, this engraving, who does it look like and what does it say?" "Caesar," they said. Jesus said, "Then give Caesar what is his and give God what is his." Try as they might, they couldn't trap him into saying anything incriminating. His answer caught them off guard and left them speechless. Some Sadducees came up. This is the Jewish party that denies any possibility of resurrection. They asked, "Teacher, Moses wrote us that if a man dies and leaves a wife but no child, his brother is obligated to take the widow to wife and get her with child. Well, there once were seven brothers. The first took a wife. He died childless. The second married her and died, then the third, and eventually all seven had their turn, but no child. After all that, the wife died. That wife, now—in the resurrection whose wife is she? All seven married her." Jesus said, "Marriage is a major preoccupation here, but not there. Those who are included in the resurrection of the dead will no longer be concerned with marriage nor, of course, with death. They will have better things to think about, if you can believe it. All ecstasies and intimacies then will be with God. Even Moses exclaimed about resurrection at the burning bush, saying, ‘God: God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob!' God isn't the God of dead men, but of the living. To him all are alive." Some of the religion scholars said, "Teacher, that's a great answer!" For a while, anyway, no one dared put questions to him. Then he put a question to them: "How is it that they say that the Messiah is David's son? In the Book of Psalms, David clearly says, God said to my Master, "Sit here at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet." "David here designates the Messiah as ‘my Master'—so how can the Messiah also be his ‘son'?" With everybody listening, Jesus spoke to his disciples. "Watch out for the religion scholars. They love to walk around in academic gowns, preen in the radiance of public flattery, bask in prominent positions, sit at the head table at every church function. And all the time they are exploiting the weak and helpless. The longer their prayers, the worse they get. But they'll pay for it in the end."

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
“But when the tenant farmers saw him, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Let’s kill him, so that the inheritance will be ours.’

King James Version (1611)
But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselues, saying, This is ye heire, come, let vs kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

King James Version
But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

English Standard Version
But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.'

New American Standard Bible
"But when the vine-growers saw him, they discussed with one another, saying, 'This is the heir; let's kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.'

New Century Version
But when the farmers saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This son will inherit the vineyard. If we kill him, it will be ours.'

Amplified Bible
"But when the tenants saw him, they discussed it among themselves, saying, 'This [man] is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.'

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But when the vine-growers saw him, they reasoned with one another, saying, 'This is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.'

Legacy Standard Bible
But when the vine-growers saw him, they were reasoning with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.'

Berean Standard Bible
But when the tenants saw the son, they discussed it among themselves and said, 'This is the heir. Let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'

Contemporary English Version
When the renters saw the owner's son, they said to one another, "Someday he will own the vineyard. Let's kill him! Then we can have it all for ourselves."

Complete Jewish Bible
But when the tenants saw him, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir; let's kill him, so that the inheritance will be ours!'

Darby Translation
But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir; [come,] let us kill him, that the inheritance may become ours.

Easy-to-Read Version
When the farmers saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the owner's son. This vineyard will be his. If we kill him, it will be ours.'

Geneva Bible (1587)
But when the husbandmen sawe him, they reasoned with themselues, saying, This is the heire: come, let vs kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

George Lamsa Translation
But when the laborers saw him, they reasoned with themselves, saying, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.

Good News Translation
But when the tenants saw him, they said to one another, ‘This is the owner's son. Let's kill him, and his property will be ours!'

Lexham English Bible
But when the tenant farmers saw him, they began to reason with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him so that the inheritance will become ours!'

Literal Translation
And having seen him, the vinedressers reasoned with themselves, saying, This is the heir. Come let us kill him so that the inheritance may become ours.

American Standard Version
But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned one with another, saying, This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

Bible in Basic English
But when the workmen saw him, they said to one another, This is he who will one day be the owner of the property: let us put him to death and the heritage will be ours.

Hebrew Names Version
"But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.'

International Standard Version
But when the farmers saw him, they talked it over among themselves and said, 'This is the heir. Let's kill him so that the inheritance will be ours!'

Etheridge Translation
But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.

Murdock Translation
But when the cultivators saw him, they reasoned with themselves, and said: This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
But when the husbande men sawe him, they reasoned within them selues, saying: This is the heyre, come, let vs kyll hym, that the inheritaunce may be ours.

English Revised Version
But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned one with another, saying, This is the heir: let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

World English Bible
"But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.'

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
But the husbandmen seeing him, reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

Weymouth's New Testament
"But when the vine-dressers saw him, they discussed the matter with one another, and said, "`This is the heir: let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And whanne the tilieris sayn hym, thei thouyten with ynne hem silf, and seiden, This is the eire, sle we hym, that the eritage be oure.

Update Bible Version
But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned one with another, saying, This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

Webster's Bible Translation
But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

New English Translation
But when the tenants saw him, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir; let's kill him so the inheritance will be ours!'

New King James Version
But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, "This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.'

New Living Translation
"But when the tenant farmers saw his son, they said to each other, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Let's kill him and get the estate for ourselves!'

New Life Bible
The farmers saw the son. They said to themselves, ‘This is the one who will get everything when the owner dies. Let us kill him, and we will get everything.'

New Revised Standard
But when the tenants saw him, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir; let us kill him so that the inheritance may be ours.'

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But he husbandmen, seeing him, began to deliberate one with another, saying - This, is, the heir: Let us slay him, that, ours, may be, the inheritance.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Whom, when the husbandmen saw, they thought within themselves, saying: This is the heir. Let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.

Revised Standard Version
But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.'

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
But when the fermers sawe him they thought in them selves sayinge: this is the heyre come let vs kyll him that the inheritaunce maye be oures.

Young's Literal Translation
and having seen him, the husbandmen reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir; come, we may kill him, that the inheritance may become ours;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But whan the hussbande men sawe the sonne, they thought in the selues, and sayde: This is the heyre, come, let vs kyll him, yt the inheritaunce maye be oures.

Mace New Testament (1729)
but when the husbandmen saw him, they said to one another, this is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be our own.

Simplified Cowboy Version
"But when the outlaw cowboys saw the ranch owner's son coming up, they said to each other, 'Alright boys! Here's the chance we've been waiting on. We'll kill the rancher's only son and then there will be no one to inherit the ranch, and it will be ours!'

Contextual Overview

⁹Jesus told another story to the people: "A man planted a vineyard. He handed it over to farmhands and went off on a trip. He was gone a long time. In time he sent a servant back to the farmhands to collect the profits, but they beat him up and sent him off empty-handed. He decided to try again and sent another servant. That one they beat black-and-blue, and sent him off empty-handed. He tried a third time. They worked that servant over from head to foot and dumped him in the street. ¹³ "Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘I know what I'll do: I'll send my beloved son. They're bound to respect my son.' ¹⁴"But when the farmhands saw him coming, they quickly put their heads together. ‘This is our chance—this is the heir! Let's kill him and have it all to ourselves.' They killed him and threw him over the fence. "What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do? Right. He'll come and clean house. Then he'll assign the care of the vineyard to others." Those who were listening said, "Oh, no! He'd never do that!" But Jesus didn't back down. "Why, then, do you think this was written: That stone the masons threw out— It's now the cornerstone!? "Anyone falling over that stone will break every bone in his body; if the stone falls on anyone, it will be a total smashup." The religion scholars and high priests wanted to lynch him on the spot, but they were intimidated by public opinion. They knew the story was about them. Watching for a chance to get him, they sent spies who posed as honest inquirers, hoping to trick him into saying something that would get him in trouble with the law. So they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you're honest and straightforward when you teach, that you don't pander to anyone but teach the way of God accurately. Tell us: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" He knew they were laying for him and said, "Show me a coin. Now, this engraving, who does it look like and what does it say?" "Caesar," they said. Jesus said, "Then give Caesar what is his and give God what is his." Try as they might, they couldn't trap him into saying anything incriminating. His answer caught them off guard and left them speechless. Some Sadducees came up. This is the Jewish party that denies any possibility of resurrection. They asked, "Teacher, Moses wrote us that if a man dies and leaves a wife but no child, his brother is obligated to take the widow to wife and get her with child. Well, there once were seven brothers. The first took a wife. He died childless. The second married her and died, then the third, and eventually all seven had their turn, but no child. After all that, the wife died. That wife, now—in the resurrection whose wife is she? All seven married her." Jesus said, "Marriage is a major preoccupation here, but not there. Those who are included in the resurrection of the dead will no longer be concerned with marriage nor, of course, with death. They will have better things to think about, if you can believe it. All ecstasies and intimacies then will be with God. Even Moses exclaimed about resurrection at the burning bush, saying, ‘God: God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob!' God isn't the God of dead men, but of the living. To him all are alive." Some of the religion scholars said, "Teacher, that's a great answer!" For a while, anyway, no one dared put questions to him. Then he put a question to them: "How is it that they say that the Messiah is David's son? In the Book of Psalms, David clearly says, God said to my Master, "Sit here at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet." "David here designates the Messiah as ‘my Master'—so how can the Messiah also be his ‘son'?" With everybody listening, Jesus spoke to his disciples. "Watch out for the religion scholars. They love to walk around in academic gowns, preen in the radiance of public flattery, bask in prominent positions, sit at the head table at every church function. And all the time they are exploiting the weak and helpless. The longer their prayers, the worse they get. But they'll pay for it in the end." ¹⁶ One day he was teaching the people in the Temple, proclaiming the Message. The high priests, religion scholars, and leaders confronted him and demanded, "Show us your credentials. Who authorized you to speak and act like this?" Jesus answered, "First, let me ask you a question: About the baptism of John—who authorized it, heaven or humans?" They were on the spot, and knew it. They pulled back into a huddle and whispered, "If we say ‘heaven,' he'll ask us why we didn't believe him; if we say ‘humans,' the people will tear us limb from limb, convinced as they are that John was God's prophet." They agreed to concede that round to Jesus and said they didn't know. Jesus said, "Then neither will I answer your question." Jesus told another story to the people: "A man planted a vineyard. He handed it over to farmhands and went off on a trip. He was gone a long time. In time he sent a servant back to the farmhands to collect the profits, but they beat him up and sent him off empty-handed. He decided to try again and sent another servant. That one they beat black-and-blue, and sent him off empty-handed. He tried a third time. They worked that servant over from head to foot and dumped him in the street. "Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘I know what I'll do: I'll send my beloved son. They're bound to respect my son.' "But when the farmhands saw him coming, they quickly put their heads together. ‘This is our chance—this is the heir! Let's kill him and have it all to ourselves.' They killed him and threw him over the fence. "What do you think the owner of the vineyard will do? Right. He'll come and clean house. Then he'll assign the care of the vineyard to others." Those who were listening said, "Oh, no! He'd never do that!" ¹⁷But Jesus didn't back down. "Why, then, do you think this was written: That stone the masons threw out— It's now the cornerstone!? "Anyone falling over that stone will break every bone in his body; if the stone falls on anyone, it will be a total smashup." ¹⁹ The religion scholars and high priests wanted to lynch him on the spot, but they were intimidated by public opinion. They knew the story was about them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

reasoned: Luke 20:5, Matthew 16:7, Matthew 21:25

the heir: Psalms 2:1-6, Psalms 2:8, Psalms 89:27, Matthew 2:2-16, Romans 8:17, Hebrews 1:2

let: Luke 20:19, Luke 19:47, Luke 22:2, Genesis 37:18-20, Matthew 27:21-25, John 11:47-50, Acts 2:23, Acts 3:15

Reciprocal: Matthew 21:38 - This

Cross-References

Genesis 12:16
Because of her, Abram got along very well: he accumulated sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, men and women servants, and camels. But God hit Pharaoh hard because of Abram's wife Sarai; everybody in the palace got seriously sick.

Genesis 20:11
Abraham said, "I just assumed that there was no fear of God in this place and that they'd kill me to get my wife. Besides, the truth is that she is my half sister; she's my father's daughter but not my mother's. When God sent me out as a wanderer from my father's home, I told her, ‘Do me a favor; wherever we go, tell people that I'm your brother.'"

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But when the husbandmen saw him,.... In human nature, heard him preach, and observed the miracles done by him:

they reasoned among themselves; as the Scribes and Pharisees, and elders of the people often did:

saying, this is the heir; the heir of God, being his Son; and so the Ethiopic version; "this Son is his heir", or the heir of the vineyard; being, by appointment, heir of all things, and by his descent from David heir to the kingdom of Israel;

come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. The Arabic and Persic versions render it, "and his inheritance shall be ours": the nation, city, temple, and all the emoluments and benefits thereof. The word "come" is left out in the Alexandrian copy, and in the Gothic and Vulgate Latin versions.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this parable explained in the notes at Matthew 21:33-45.