⁹

Then He began to tell the people this parable: "A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time.

¹⁰

Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that they might give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the vinedressers beat him and sent him away empty-handed.

¹¹

Again he sent another servant; and they beat him also, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed.

¹²

And again he sent a third; and they wounded him also and cast him out.

¹³

Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What shall I do? I will send my beloved son. Probably they will respect him when they see him.'

¹⁴

But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.'

¹⁵

So they cast him out of the vineyard and killed him. Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

¹⁶

He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it they said, "Certainly not!"

¹⁷

Then He looked at them and said, "What then is this that is written:'The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone'?

¹⁸

Whoever falls on that stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder.