11. So the man sent another servant. They beat that one and treated him badly. They also sent him away with nothing.
12. The man sent a third servant. The renters wounded him and threw him out.
13. "Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What should I do? I have a son, and I love him. I will send him. Maybe they will respect him.'
14. "But when the renters saw the son, they talked the matter over. 'This is the one who will receive all the owner's property someday,' they said. 'Let's kill him. Then everything will be ours.'
15. So they threw him out of the vineyard. And they killed him. "What will the owner of the vineyard do to the renters?
16. He will come and kill them. He will give the vineyard to others." When the people heard this, they said, "We hope this never happens!"
17. Jesus looked right at them and said, "Here is something I want you to explain the meaning of. It is written, " 'The stone the builders didn't accept has become the most important stone of all.' (Psalm 118:22)
18. Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces. But the stone will crush anyone it falls on."
19. The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest Jesus at once. They knew he had told that story against them. But they were afraid of the people.
20. The religious leaders sent spies to keep a close watch on Jesus. The spies pretended to be honest. They hoped they could trap Jesus with something he would say. Then they could hand him over to the power and authority of the governor.
21. So the spies questioned Jesus. "Teacher," they said, "we know that you speak and teach what is right. We know you don't favor one person over another. You teach the way of God truthfully.
22. Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"