Part 26

021:014 And the blind and the lame came to Him in the Temple, and He cured them.

021:015 But when the High Priests and the Scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done and the children who were crying aloud in the Temple, "God save the Son of David," they were filled with indignation.

021:016 "Do you hear," they asked Him, "what these children are saying?" "Yes," He replied; "have you never read, `Out of the mouths of infants and of babes at the breast Thou hast brought forth the praise which is due'?"

021:017 So He left them and went out of the city to Bethany and passed the night there.

021:018 Early in the morning as He was on His way to return to the city He was hungry,

021:019 and seeing a fig-tree on the road-side He went up to it, but found nothing on it but leaves. "On you," He said, "no fruit shall ever again grow." And immediately the fig-tree withered away.

021:020 When the disciples saw it they exclaimed in astonishment, "How instantaneously the fig-tree has withered away!"

021:021 "I solemnly tell you," said Jesus, "that if you have an unwavering faith, you shall not only perform such a miracle as this of the fig-tree, but that even if you say to this mountain, `Be thou lifted up and hurled into the sea,' it shall be done;

021:022 and everything, whatever it be, that you ask for in your prayers, if you have faith, you shall obtain."

021:023 He entered the Temple; and while He was teaching, the High Priests and the Elders of the people came to Him and asked Him, "By what authority are you doing these things? and who gave you this authority?"

021:024 "And I also have a question to ask *you*," replied Jesus, "and if you answer me, I in turn will tell you by what authority I do these things.

021:025 John's Baptism, whence was it?--had it a heavenly or a human origin?" So they debated the matter among themselves. "If we say `a heavenly origin,'" they argued, "he will say, `Why then did you not believe him?'

021:026 and if we say `a human origin' we have the people to fear, for they all hold John to have been a Prophet."

021:027 So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." "Nor do I tell you," He replied, "by what authority I do these things."

021:028 "But give me your judgement. There was a man who had two sons. He came to the elder of them, and said, "`My son, go and work in the vineyard to-day.'

021:029 "`I will not,' he replied. "But afterwards he was sorry, and went.

021:030 He came to the second and spoke in the same manner. His answer was, "`I will go, Sir.' "But he did not go.

021:031 Which of the two did as his father desired?" "The first," they said. "I solemnly tell you,' replied Jesus, "that the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners are entering the Kingdom of God in front of you.

021:032 For John came to you observing all sorts of ritual, and you put no faith in him: the tax-gatherers and the notorious sinners did put faith in him, and you, though you saw this example set you, were not even afterwards sorry so as to believe him.

021:033 "Listen to another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, made a fence round it, dug a wine-tank in it, and built a strong lodge; then let the place to vine-dressers, and went abroad.

021:034 When vintage-time approached, he sent his servants to the vine-dressers to receive his share of the grapes;

021:035 but the vine-dressers seized the servants, and one they cruelly beat, one they killed, one they pelted with stones.

021:036 Again he sent another party of servants more numerous than the first; and these they treated in the same manner.

021:037 Later still he sent to them his son, saying, "`They will respect my son.'

021:038 "But the vine-dressers, when they saw the son, said to one another, "`Here is the heir: come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.'

021:039 "So they seized him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and killed him.

021:040 When then the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-dressers?"

021:041 "He will put the wretches to a wretched death," was the reply, "and will entrust the vineyard to other vine-dressers who will render the produce to him at the vintage season."