2. They demanded, “By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?”
3. “Let me ask you a question first,” he replied.
4. “Did John’s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?”
5. They talked it over among themselves. “If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John.
6. But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us because they are convinced John was a prophet.”
7. So they finally replied that they didn’t know.
8. And Jesus responded, “Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things.”
9. Now Jesus turned to the people again and told them this story: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for several years.
10. At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed.
11. So the owner sent another servant, but they also insulted him, beat him up, and sent him away empty-handed.