Part 17

011:019 When evening came on, Jesus and His disciples used to leave the city.

011:020 In the early morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig-tree withered to the roots;

011:021 and Peter, recollecting, said to Him, "Look, Rabbi, the fig-tree which you cursed is withered up."

011:022 Jesus said to them, "Have faith in God.

011:023 In solemn truth I tell you that if any one shall say to this mountain, 'Remove, and hurl thyself into the sea,' and has no doubt about it in his heart, but stedfastly believes that what he says will happen, it shall be granted him.

011:024 That is why I tell you, as to whatever you pray and make request for, if you believe that you have received it it shall be yours.

011:025 But whenever you stand praying, if you have a grievance against any one, forgive it, so that your Father in Heaven may also forgive you your offences."

011:026 []

011:027 They came again to Jerusalem; and as He was walking in the Temple, the High Priests, Scribes and Elders came to Him

011:028 and asked, "By what authority are you doing these things? and who gave you authority to do them?"

011:029 "And I will put a question to you," replied Jesus; "answer me, and then I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

011:030 John's Baptism--was it of Heavenly or of human origin? Answer me."

011:031 So they debated the matter with one another. "Suppose we say, 'Heavenly,'" they argued, "he will ask, 'Why then did you not believe him?'

011:032 Or should we say, 'human?'" They were afraid of the people; for all agreed in holding John to have been really a Prophet.

011:033 So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." "Nor do I tell you," said Jesus, "by what authority I do these things."

012:001 Then He began to speak to them in figurative language. "There was once a man," He said, "who planted a vineyard, fenced it round, dug a pit for the wine-tank, and built a strong lodge. Then he let the place to vine-dressers and went abroad.

012:002 At vintage-time he sent one of his servants to receive from the vine-dressers a share of the grapes.

012:003 But they seized him, beat him cruelly and sent him away empty-handed.

012:004 Again he sent to them another servant: and as for him, they wounded him in the head and treated him shamefully.

012:005 Yet a third he sent, and him they killed. And he sent many besides, and them also they ill-treated, beating some and killing others.

012:006 He had still one left whom he could send, a dearly-loved son: him last of all he sent, saying, "'They will treat my son with respect.'

012:007 "But those men--the vine-dressers--said to one another, "'Here is the heir: come, let us kill him, and then the property will one day be ours.'

012:008 "So they took him and killed him, and flung his body outside the vineyard.

012:009 What, therefore, will the owner of the vineyard do?" "He will come and put the vine-dressers to death," they said; "and will give the vineyard to others."

012:010 "Have you not read even this passage," He added, "'The stone which the builders rejected has become the Cornerstone:

012:011 this Cornerstone came from the Lord, and is wonderful in our esteem?'"

012:012 And they kept looking out for an opportunity to seize Him, but were afraid of the people; for they saw that in this parable He had referred to *them*. So they left Him and went away.

012:013 Their next step was to send to Him some of the Pharisees and of Herod's partisans to entrap Him in conversation.