One day, as he taught the people and preached to them in the temple, the chief priests and scribes, with the elders, came up

And it came to pass, that on one of the days, as he was teaching the people in the temple, and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes, with the ancients, met together,

Et factum est in una dierum, docente illo populum in templo, et evangelizante, convenerunt principes sacerdotum, et scribæ cum senioribus,

and said to him, Tell us, What is the authority by which thou doest these things, and who gave thee this authority?

And spoke to him, saying: Tell us, by what authority dost thou these things? or, Who is he that hath given thee this authority?

et aiunt dicentes ad illum: Dic nobis in qua potestate hæc facis? aut quis est qui dedit tibi hanc potestatem?

Jesus answered them, I too have a question to ask; you must tell me this,

And Jesus answering, said to them: I will also ask you one thing. Answer me:

Respondens autem Jesus, dixit ad illos: Interrogabo vos et ego unum verbum. Respondete mihi:

Whence did John’s baptism come, from heaven or from men?

The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?

baptismus Joannis de cælo erat, an ex hominibus?

Whereupon they cast about in their minds; If we tell him it was from heaven, they said, he will ask, Then why did you not believe him?

But they thought within themselves, saying: If we shall say, From heaven: he will say: Why then did you not believe him?

At illi cogitabant intra se, dicentes: Quia si dixerimus: De cælo, dicet: Quare ergo non credidistis illi?

And if we say it was from men, all the people will be ready to stone us; they will have it that John was a prophet.

But if we say, Of men, the whole people will stone us: for they are persuaded that John was a prophet.

Si autem dixerimus: Ex hominibus, plebs universa lapidabit nos: certi sunt enim Joannem prophetam esse.

So they answered that they could not tell whence it came.

And they answered, that they knew not whence it was.

Et responderunt se nescire unde esset.

Jesus said to them, And you will not learn from me what is the authority by which I do these things.

And Jesus said to them: Neither do I tell thee by what authority I do these things.

Et Jesus ait illis: Neque ego dico vobis in qua potestate hæc facio.

And now he took occasion to tell the people this parable; There was a man who planted a vineyard, and let it out to some vine-dressers, while he went away to spend a long time abroad.

And he began to speak to the people this parable: A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it out to husbandmen: and he was abroad for a long time.

Cœpit autem dicere ad plebem parabolam hanc: Homo plantavit vineam, et locavit eam colonis: et ipse peregre fuit multis temporibus.

And when the season came, he sent one of his servants on an errand to the vine-dressers, bidding them pay him his share of the vineyard’s revenues. Whereupon the vine-dressers beat him, and sent him away empty-handed.

And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard. Who, beating him, sent him away empty.

Et in tempore misit ad cultores servum, ut de fructu vineæ darent illi. Qui cæsum dimiserunt eum inanem.

Then he sent another servant; and him too they sent away empty-handed, beating him first, and insulting him.

And again he sent another servant. But they beat him also, and treating him reproachfully, sent him away empty.

Et addidit alterum servum mittere. Illi autem hunc quoque cædentes, et afficientes contumelia, dimiserunt inanem.

Then he sent a third; and they drove him away wounded, like the others.

And again he sent the third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.

Et addidit tertium mittere: qui et illum vulnerantes ejecerunt.

So the owner of the vineyard said, What am I to do? I will send my well-beloved son, perhaps they will have reverence for him.

Then the lord of the vineyard said: What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be, when they see him, they will reverence him.

Dixit autem dominus vineæ: Quid faciam? Mittam filium meum dilectum: forsitan, cum hunc viderint, verebuntur.

But the vine-dressers, on seeing him, debated thus among themselves; This is the heir, let us kill him, so that his inheritance may pass into our hands.

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

Quem cum vidissent coloni, cogitaverunt intra se, dicentes: Hic est hæres, occidamus illum, ut nostra fiat hæreditas.

And they thrust him out of the vineyard and killed him. And now, what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

So casting him out of the vineyard, they killed him. What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do to them?

Et ejectum illum extra vineam, occiderunt. Quid ergo faciet illis dominus vineæ?

He will come and make an end of those vine-dressers, and give his vineyard to others. God forbid, they said, when they heard that.

He will come, and will destroy these husbandmen, and will give the vineyard to others. Which they hearing, said to him: God forbid.

veniet, et perdet colonos istos, et dabit vineam aliis. Quo audito, dixerunt illi: Absit.

But he fastened his eyes on them, and said, Why then, what is the meaning of those words which have been written, The very stone which the builders rejected has become the chief stone at the corner?

But he looking on them, said: What is this then that is written, The stone, which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?

Ille autem aspiciens eos, ait: Quid est ergo hoc quod scriptum est: Lapidem quem reprobaverunt ædificantes, hic factus est in caput anguli?

If ever a man falls against that stone, he will break his bones; if it falls upon him, it will grind him to powder.

Whosoever shall fall upon that stone, shall be bruised: and upon whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Omnis qui ceciderit super illum lapidem, conquassabitur: super quem autem ceciderit, comminuet illum.

At this, the chief priests and scribes would gladly have laid hands on him there and then, but they were afraid of the people. They saw clearly that this parable of his was aimed at them.

And the chief priests and the scribes sought to lay hands on him the same hour: but they feared the people, for they knew that he spoke this parable to them.

Et quærebant principes sacerdotum et scribæ mittere in illum manus illa hora, et timuerunt populum: cognoverunt enim quod ad ipsos dixerit similitudinem hanc.

And so, watching for their opportunity, they sent agents of their own, who pretended to be men of honest purpose, to fasten on his words; then they would hand him over to the supreme authority of the governor.

And being upon the watch, they sent spies, who should feign themselves just, that they might take hold of him in his words, that they might deliver him up to the authority and power of the governor.

Et observantes miserunt insidiatores, qui se justos simularent, ut caperent eum in sermone, ut traderent illum principatui, et potestati præsidis.

These put a question to him; Master, they said, we know that thou art direct in thy talk and thy teaching; thou makest no distinction between man and man, but teachest the way of God in all sincerity.

And they asked him, saying: Master, we know that thou speakest and teachest rightly: and thou dost not respect any person, but teachest the way of God in truth.

Et interrogaverunt eum, dicentes: Magister, scimus quia recte dicis et doces: et non accipis personam, sed viam Dei in veritate doces.

Is it right that we should pay tribute to Caesar, or not?

Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Cæsar, or no?

Licet nobis tributum dare Cæsari, an non?

And he, aware of their malice, said to them, Why do you thus put me to the test?

But he, considering their guile, said to them: Why tempt you me?

Considerans autem dolum illorum, dixit ad eos: Quid me tentatis?

Shew me a silver piece. Whose likeness, whose name does it bear inscribed on it? When they answered, Caesar’s,

Shew me a penny. Whose image and inscription hath it? They answering, said to him:,Cæsar’s.

ostendite mihi denarium. Cujus habet imaginem et inscriptionem? Respondentes dixerunt ei: Cæsaris.

he told them, Why then, give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.

And he said to them: Render therefore to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s: and to God the things that are God’s.

Et ait illis: Reddite ergo quæ sunt Cæsaris, Cæsari: et quæ sunt Dei, Deo.

And they said no more; they were full of admiration at his answer, finding no means of discrediting his words in the eyes of the people.

And they could not reprehend his word before the people: and wondering at his answer, they held their peace.

Et non potuerunt verbum ejus reprehendere coram plebe: et mirati in responso ejus, tacuerunt.

Then he was approached with a question by some of the Sadducees, men who deny the resurrection;

And there came to him some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is any resurrection, and they asked him,

Accesserunt autem quidam sadducæorum, qui negant esse resurrectionem, et interrogaverunt eum,

Master, they said, Moses prescribed for us, If a man has a married brother who dies without issue, the surviving brother must marry the widow, and beget children in the dead brother’s name.

Saying: Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man’s brother die, having a wife, and he leave no children, that his brother should take her to wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

dicentes: Magister, Moyses scripsit nobis: Si frater alicujus mortuus fuerit habens uxorem, et hic sine liberis fuerit, ut accipiat eam frater ejus uxorem, et suscitet semen fratri suo.

There were seven brethren, the first of whom married a wife, and died without issue.

There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.

Septem ergo fratres erant: et primus accepit uxorem, et mortuus est sine filiis.

So the next took her, and also died without issue,

And the next took her to wife, and he also died childless.

Et sequens accepit illam, et ipse mortuus est sine filio.

then the third, and so with all the seven; they left no children when they died,

And the third took her. And in like manner all the seven, and they left no children, and died.

Et tertius accepit illam. Similiter et omnes septem, et non reliquerunt semen, et mortui sunt.

and the woman herself died last of all.

Last of all the woman died also.

Novissime omnium mortua est et mulier.

And now, when the dead rise again, which of these will be her husband, since she was wife to all seven?

In the resurrection therefore, whose wife of them shall she be? For all the seven had her to wife.

In resurrectione ergo, cujus eorum erit uxor? siquidem septem habuerunt eam uxorem.

Jesus told them, The children of this world marry and are given in marriage;

And Jesus said to them: The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:

Et ait illis Jesus: Filii hujus sæculi nubunt, et traduntur ad nuptias:

but those who are found worthy to attain that other world, and resurrection from the dead, take neither wife nor husband;

But they that shall be accounted worthy of that world, and of the resurrection from the dead, shall neither be married, nor take wives.

illi vero qui digni habebuntur sæculo illo, et resurrectione ex mortuis, neque nubent, neque ducent uxores:

mortal no longer, they will be as the angels in heaven are, children of God, now that the resurrection has given them birth.

Neither can they die any more: for they are equal to the angels, and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

neque enim ultra mori potuerunt: æquales enim angelis sunt, et filii sunt Dei, cum sint filii resurrectionis.

But as for the dead rising again, Moses himself has told you of it in the passage about the burning bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.

Now that the dead rise again, Moses also shewed, at the bush, when he called the Lord, The God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob;

Quia vero resurgant mortui, et Moyses ostendit secus rubum, sicut dicit Dominum, Deum Abraham, et Deum Isaac, et Deum Jacob.

It is of living men, not of dead men, that he is the God; for him, all men are alive.

For he is not the God of the dead, but of the living: for all live to him.

Deus autem non est mortuorum, sed vivorum: omnes enim vivunt ei.

At this, some of the scribes answered, Master, thou hast spoken well;

And some of the scribes answering, said to him: Master, thou hast said well.

Respondentes autem quidam scribarum, dixerunt ei: Magister, bene dixisti.

no one dared to try him with further questions.

And after that they durst not ask him any more questions.

Et amplius non audebant eum quidquam interrogare.

Then he said to them, What do they mean by saying that Christ is the son of David?

But he said to them: How say they that Christ is the son of David?

Dixit autem ad illos: Quomodo dicunt Christum filium esse David?

Why, David himself says in the book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Master, sit on my right hand

And David himself saith in the book of Psalms: The Lord said to my Lord, sit thou on my right hand,

et ipse David dicit in libro Psalmorum: Dixit Dominus Domino meo: sede a dextris meis,

while I make thy enemies a footstool under thy feet.

Till I make thy enemies thy footstool.

donec ponam inimicos tuos scabellum pedum tuorum.

Thus David calls Christ his Master; how can he also be his son?

David then calleth him Lord: and how is he his son?

David ergo Dominum illum vocat: et quomodo filius ejus est?

And he said to his disciples, in the hearing of all the people:

And in the hearing of all the people, he said to his disciples:

Audiente autem omni populo, dixit discipulis suis:

Beware of the scribes, who enjoy walking in long robes, and love to have their hands kissed in the market-place, and to take the first seats in the synagogues, and the chief places at feasts;

Beware of the scribes, who desire to walk in long robes, and love salutations in the marketplace, and the first chairs in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts:

Attendite a scribis, qui volunt ambulare in stolis, et amant salutationes in foro, et primas cathedras in synagogis, et primos discubitus in conviviis,

who swallow up the property of widows, under cover of their long prayers; their sentence will be all the heavier for that.

Who devour the houses of widows, feigning long prayer. These shall receive greater damnation.

qui devorant domos viduarum, simulantes longam orationem: hi accipient damnationem majorem.