Luke 20 Bible in Basic English
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 And it came about on one of those days, when he was teaching the people in the Temple and preaching the good news,
1 Καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν μιᾷ τῶν ἡμερῶν ἐκείνων διδάσκοντος αὐτοῦ τὸν λαὸν ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ καὶ εὐαγγελιζομένου ἐπέστησαν οἱ ἱερεῖς καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς σὺν τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις
2 That the chief priests and the scribes and the rulers of the people came to him and said, Make clear to us by what authority you do these things and who gave you this authority.
2 καὶ εἶπον πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγοντες· εἰπὲ ἡμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιεῖς, ἢ τίς ἐστιν ὁ δούς σοι τὴν ἐξουσίαν ταύτην;
3 And in answer he said to them, I will put a question to you, and do you give me an answer:
3 ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς· ἐρωτήσω ὑμᾶς κἀγὼ ἕνα λόγον, καὶ εἴπατέ μοι·
4 The baptism of John, was it from heaven or of men?
4 τὸ βάπτισμα Ἰωάννου ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἦν ἢ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων;
5 And they said among themselves, If we say, From heaven; he will say, Why did you not have faith in him?
5 οἱ δὲ συνελογίσαντο πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς λέγοντες ὅτι ἐὰν εἴπωμεν, ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, ἐρεῖ, διατί οὖν οὐκ ἐπιστεύσατε αὐτῷ;
6 But if we say, Of men; we will be stoned by the people, for they are certain that John was a prophet.
6 ἐὰν δὲ εἴπωμεν, ἐξ ἀνθρώπων, πᾶς ὁ λαὸς καταλιθάσει ἡμᾶς· πεπεισμένος γάρ ἐστιν Ἰωάννην προφήτην εἶναι.
7 And they made answer that they had no idea where it came from.
7 καὶ ἀπεκρίθησαν μὴ εἰδέναι πόθεν.
8 And Jesus said, And I will not make clear to you by what authority I do these things.
8 καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· οὐδὲ ἐγὼ λέγω ὑμῖν ἐν ποίᾳ ἐξουσίᾳ ταῦτα ποιῶ.
9 And he gave the people this story: A man made a vine-garden and gave the use of it to some field-workers and went into another country for a long time.
9 Ἤρξατο δὲ πρὸς τὸν λαὸν λέγειν τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην· ἄνθρωπός τις ἐφύτευσεν ἀμπελῶνα, καὶ ἐξέδοτο αὐτὸν γεωργοῖς καὶ ἀπεδήμησε χρόνους ἱκανούς.
10 And at the right time he sent a servant to the workers to get part of the fruit from the vines; but the workmen gave him blows and sent him away with nothing.
10 καὶ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ ἀπέστειλε πρὸς τοὺς γεωργοὺς δοῦλον ἵνα ἀπὸ τοῦ καρποῦ τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος δώσουσιν αὐτῷ· οἱ δὲ γεωργοὶ δείραντες αὐτὸν ἐξαπέστειλαν κενόν.
11 And he sent another servant, and they gave blows to him in the same way, and put shame on him, and sent him away with nothing.
11 καὶ προσέθετο αὐτοῖς πέμψαι ἕτερον δοῦλον. οἱ δὲ κἀκεῖνον δείραντες καὶ ἀτιμάσαντες ἐξαπέστειλαν κενόν.
12 And he sent a third, and they gave him wounds and put him out.
12 καὶ προσέθετο πέμψαι τρίτον. οἱ δὲ καὶ τοῦτον τραυματίσαντες ἐξέβαλον.
13 And the lord of the garden said, What am I to do? I will send my dearly loved son; they may give respect to him.
13 εἶπε δὲ ὁ κύριος τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος· τί ποιήσω; πέμψω τὸν υἱόν μου τὸν ἀγαπητόν· ἴσως τοῦτον ἰδόντες ἐντραπήσονται.
14 But when the workmen saw him, they said to one another, This is he who will one day be the owner of the property: let us put him to death and the heritage will be ours.
14 ἰδόντες δὲ αὐτὸν οἱ γεωργοὶ διελογίζοντο πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς λέγοντες· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ κληρονόμος· δεῦτε ἀποκτείνωμεν αὐτόν, ἵνα ἡμῶν γένηται ἡ κληρονομία.
15 And driving him out of the garden they put him to death. Now what will the lord do to these workmen?
15 καὶ ἐκβαλόντες αὐτὸν ἔξω τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος ἀπέκτειναν. τί οὖν ποιήσει αὐτοῖς ὁ κύριος τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος;
16 He will come and put them to destruction and give the garden to others. And when he said this, they said, May it not be so.
16 ἐλεύσεται καὶ ἀπολέσει τοὺς γεωργοὺς τούτους, καὶ δώσει τὸν ἀμπελῶνα ἄλλοις. ἀκούσαντες δὲ εἶπον· μὴ γένοιτο.
17 But he, looking on them, said, Is it not in the Writings, The stone which the builders put on one side, the same has become the chief stone of the building?
17 ὁ δὲ ἐμβλέψας αὐτοῖς εἶπε· τί οὖν ἐστι τὸ γεγραμμένον τοῦτο, λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες, οὗτος ἐγενήθη εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας;
18 Everyone falling on that stone will be broken, but the man on whom the stone comes down will be crushed to dust.
18 πᾶς ὁ πεσὼν ἐπ᾽ ἐκεῖνον τὸν λίθον συνθλασθήσεται· ἐφ᾽ ὃν δ᾽ ἂν πέσῃ, λικμήσει αὐτόν.
19 And the chief priests and the scribes made attempts to get their hands on him in that very hour; and they were in fear of the people, for they saw that he had made up this story against them.
19 Καὶ ἐζήτησαν οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς ἐπιβαλεῖν ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν τὰς χεῖρας ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ, καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν τὸν λαόν· ἔγνωσαν γὰρ ὅτι πρὸς αὐτοὺς τὰς παραβολὰς ἔλεγε.
20 And they kept watch on him, and sent out secret representatives, who were acting the part of good men, in order that they might get something from his words, on account of which they might give him up to the government and into the power of the ruler.
20 Καὶ παρατηρήσαντες ἀπέστειλαν ἐγκαθέτους, ὑποκρινομένους ἑαυτοὺς δικαίους εἶναι, ἵνα ἐπιλάβωνται αὐτοῦ λόγου εἰς τὸ παραδοῦναι αὐτὸν τῇ ἀρχῇ καὶ τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ τοῦ ἡγεμόνος.
21 And they put a question to him, saying, Master, we are certain that your teaching and your words are right, and that you have no respect for a man's position, but you are teaching the true way of God:
21 καὶ ἐπηρώτησαν αὐτὸν λέγοντες· διδάσκαλε, οἴδαμεν ὅτι ὀρθῶς λέγεις καὶ διδάσκεις, καὶ οὐ λαμβάνεις πρόσωπον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ἀληθείας τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ διδάσκεις·
22 Is it right for us to make payment of taxes to Caesar or not?
22 ἔξεστιν ἡμῖν Καίσαρι φόρον δοῦναι ἢ οὔ;
23 But he saw through their trick and said to them,
23 κατανοήσας δὲ αὐτῶν τὴν πανουργίαν εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς· τί με πειράζετε;
24 Let me see a penny. Whose image and name are on it? And they said, Caesar's.
24 δείξατέ μοι δηνάριον· τίνος ἔχει εἰκόνα καὶ ἐπιγραφήν; ἀποκριθέντες δὲ εἶπον· Καίσαρος.
25 And he said, Then give to Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and to God the things which are God's.
25 ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· ἀπόδοτε τοίνυν τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ.
26 And they were not able to get anything from these words before the people: but they were full of wonder at his answer, and said nothing.
26 καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσαν ἐπιλαβέσθαι αὐτοῦ ῥήματος ἐναντίον τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ θαυμάσαντες ἐπὶ τῇ ἀποκρίσει αὐτοῦ ἐσίγησαν.
27 And some of the Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no coming back from the dead; and they said to him,
27 Προσελθόντες δέ τινες τῶν Σαδδουκαίων, οἱ λέγοντες μὴ εἶναι ἀνάστασιν, ἐπηρώτησαν αὐτὸν
28 Master, Moses said that if a man's brother comes to his end, having a wife, but no children, his brother is to take the wife, and get a family for his brother.
28 λέγοντες· διδάσκαλε, Μωϋσῆς ἔγραψεν ἡμῖν, ἐάν τινος ἀδελφὸς ἀποθάνῃ ἔχων γυναῖκα, καὶ οὗτος ἄτεκνος ἀποθάνῃ, ἵνα λάβῃ ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ τὴν γυναῖκα καὶ ἐξαναστήσῃ σπέρμα τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ.
29 Now there were seven brothers, and the first had a wife and came to his end, having no children;
29 ἑπτὰ οὖν ἀδελφοὶ ἦσαν· καὶ ὁ πρῶτος λαβὼν γυναῖκα ἀπέθανεν ἄτεκνος·
30 And the second;
30 καὶ ἔλαβεν ὁ δεύτερος τὴν γυναῖκα, καὶ οὗτος ἀπέθανεν ἄτεκνος·
31 And the third took her; and in the same way, all the seven, without having any children, came to their end.
31 καὶ ὁ τρίτος ἔλαβεν αὐτὴν ὡσαύτως· ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ οἱ ἑπτά· οὐ κατέλιπον τέκνα, καὶ ἀπέθανον·
32 And last of all, the woman came to her end.
32 ὕστερον δὲ πάντων καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἀπέθανεν.
33 When they come back from the dead, whose wife will she be? for all the seven had her.
33 ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει οὖν τίνος αὐτῶν γίνεται γυνή; οἱ γὰρ ἑπτὰ ἔσχον αὐτὴν γυναῖκα.
34 And Jesus said to them, The sons of this world are married and have wives;
34 καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου γαμοῦσι καὶ ἐκγαμίζονται·
35 But those to whom is given the reward of the world to come, and to come back from the dead, have no wives, and are not married;
35 οἱ δὲ καταξιωθέντες τοῦ αἰῶνος ἐκείνου τυχεῖν καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τῆς ἐκ νεκρῶν οὔτε γαμοῦσιν οὔτε γαμίζονται·
36 And death has no more power over them, for they are equal to the angels, and are sons of God, being of those who will come back from the dead.
36 οὔτε γὰρ ἀποθανεῖν ἔτι δύνανται· ἰσάγγελοι γάρ εἰσι καὶ υἱοί εἰσι τοῦ Θεοῦ, τῆς ἀναστάσεως υἱοὶ ὄντες.
37 But even Moses made it clear that the dead come back to life, saying, in the story of the burning thorn-tree, The Lord, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.
37 ὅτι δὲ ἐγείρονται οἱ νεκροί, καὶ Μωϋσῆς ἐμήνυσεν ἐπὶ τῆς βάτου, ὡς λέγει Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν Ἀβραὰμ καὶ τὸν Θεὸν Ἰσαὰκ καὶ τὸν Θεὸν Ἰακώβ.
38 Now he is not the God of the dead but of the living: for all men are living to him.
38 Θεὸς δὲ οὐκ ἔστι νεκρῶν, ἀλλὰ ζώντων· πάντες γὰρ αὐτῷ ζῶσιν.
39 And some of the scribes, in answer to this, said, Master, you have said well.
39 ἀποκριθέντες δέ τινες τῶν γραμματέων εἶπον· διδάσκαλε, καλῶς εἶπας.
40 And they had fear of putting any more questions to him.
40 οὐκέτι δὲ ἐτόλμων ἐπερωτᾶν αὐτὸν οὐδέν.
41 And he said to them, Why do they say that the Christ is the son of David?
41 Εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς· πῶς λέγουσι τὸν Χριστὸν υἱὸν Δαυῒδ εἶναι;
42 For David himself says in the book of Psalms, The Lord said to my Lord, Take your seat at my right hand,
42 καὶ αὐτὸς Δαυῒδ λέγει ἐν βίβλῳ τῶν ψαλμῶν· εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου, κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου
43 Till I put under your feet all those who are against you.
43 ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου.
44 David then gives him the name of Lord, so how is it possible for him to be his son?
44 Δαυῒδ οὖν αὐτὸν Κύριον καλεῖ· καὶ πῶς υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἐστιν;
45 And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples,
45 Ἀκούοντος δὲ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ εἶπε τοῖς μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ·
46 Keep away from the scribes, whose pleasure it is to go about in long robes, and to have words of respect said to them in the market-places, and to take the chief seats in the Synagogues and the first places at feasts;
46 προσέχετε ἀπὸ τῶν γραμματέων τῶν θελόντων περιπατεῖν ἐν στολαῖς καὶ φιλούντων ἀσπασμοὺς ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς καὶ πρωτοκαθεδρίας ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς καὶ πρωτοκλισίας ἐν τοῖς δείπνοις,
47 Who take the property of widows and before the eyes of men make long prayers; they will get a greater punishment.
47 οἳ κατεσθίουσι τὰς οἰκίας τῶν χηρῶν καὶ προφάσει μακρὰ προσεύχονται· οὗτοι λήψονται περισσότερον κρῖμα.
Cross references (44)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Matthew 21:23–27; Luke 8:1; Acts 6:12; Luke 19:47–48; Acts 4:1
- 2 John 2:18; Acts 7:27; Matthew 21:23–27; Mark 11:28–33; Exodus 2:14
- 3 Colossians 4:6; Luke 22:68; Matthew 15:2–3
- 4 Matthew 11:7–19; Daniel 4:25–26; Luke 15:18; Matthew 17:11–12; John 1:19–28
- 5 Acts 13:25; John 1:34; John 5:33–35; John 1:30; John 3:36
- 6 Matthew 21:26; Matthew 11:9; Luke 1:76; Mark 12:12; John 10:41
- 7 Isaiah 41:28; Isaiah 42:19–20; John 3:19–20; Jeremiah 8:7–9; 2 Peter 3:3
- 8 Matthew 16:4; Matthew 21:27; Mark 11:33; Proverbs 26:4–5; Job 5:12–13
- 9 Matthew 21:33–46; Mark 12:1–12; Jeremiah 2:21; Isaiah 5:1–7; Psalm 80:8–14
- 10 Nehemiah 9:26; 2 Chronicles 36:15–16; Nehemiah 9:30; 2 Kings 17:13; Matthew 21:34–36
- 11 Acts 7:52; 1 Thessalonians 2:2; Matthew 23:30–37; Hebrews 11:36–37; Hosea 10:1
- 13 Matthew 3:17; John 3:16–17; John 1:34; 1 John 4:9–15; John 3:35–36
- 14 Hebrews 1:2; Romans 8:17; Psalm 2:1–6; Matthew 27:21–25; Matthew 2:2–16
- 15 Hebrews 13:12; Mark 12:6–9; Matthew 21:37–40
- 16 Luke 19:27; Acts 13:46; Matthew 21:41; Psalm 2:8–9; Matthew 22:7
- 17 Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 28:16; Acts 4:11; Matthew 21:42; 1 Peter 2:7–8
- 18 Isaiah 8:14–15; Daniel 2:44–45; Daniel 2:34–35; Zechariah 12:3; Matthew 21:44
- 19 Luke 19:47–48; Matthew 26:3–4; Luke 20:14; Matthew 21:45–46; Mark 12:12
- 20 Luke 11:54; Matthew 22:15–22; Psalm 81:15; Jeremiah 11:19; Luke 20:26
- 21 1 Thessalonians 2:4–5; Matthew 22:16; Matthew 26:49–50; 2 Corinthians 2:17; Psalm 55:21
- 22 Nehemiah 9:37; Matthew 22:17–21; Ezra 4:19–22; Acts 5:37; Deuteronomy 17:15
- 23 Luke 5:22; 1 Corinthians 3:19; Matthew 22:18; 1 Corinthians 10:9; Luke 11:16–17
- 24 Matthew 18:28; Luke 23:2; Acts 11:28; Luke 2:1; Philippians 4:22
- 25 Romans 13:6–7; 1 Peter 2:13–17; Mark 12:17; Acts 5:29; Matthew 17:27
- 26 Luke 20:20; Matthew 22:22; Matthew 22:12; Luke 20:39–40; Luke 13:17
- 27 Acts 4:1–2; 1 Corinthians 15:12; Mark 12:18–27; Matthew 22:23–33; Acts 23:6–8
- 28 Deuteronomy 25:5–10; Genesis 38:8; Genesis 38:11; Genesis 38:26; Ruth 1:11–12
- 29 Jeremiah 22:30; Leviticus 20:20
- 32 Ecclesiastes 9:5; Ecclesiastes 1:4; Judges 2:10; Hebrews 9:27
- 33 Matthew 22:24–28; Mark 12:19–23
- 34 Luke 16:8; Hebrews 13:4; Luke 17:27; 1 Corinthians 7:2–16; Ephesians 5:31
- 35 2 Thessalonians 1:5; Daniel 12:2–3; John 5:29; Matthew 12:32; Acts 24:15
- 36 Philippians 3:21; Revelation 21:4; Matthew 22:30; 1 Corinthians 15:42; Revelation 20:6
- 37 Exodus 3:2–6; Mark 12:26–27; Acts 7:30–32; Genesis 17:7; Genesis 32:9
- 38 John 11:25–26; Colossians 3:3–4; Romans 6:10–11; John 14:19; Romans 14:7–9
- 39 Mark 12:28–34; Matthew 22:34–40; Acts 23:9
- 40 Matthew 22:46; Mark 12:34; Proverbs 26:5
- 41 Mark 12:35–37; Jeremiah 23:5–6; Matthew 1:1; Isaiah 11:1–2; Matthew 22:41–45
- 42 Psalm 110:1; Acts 2:34–35; Hebrews 1:13; Mark 12:36–37; Matthew 22:43–45
- 43 Luke 19:27; Psalm 110:1; Revelation 19:14–21; Psalm 110:5–6; Psalm 2:1–9
- 44 Revelation 22:16; Luke 2:11; Matthew 1:23; Romans 9:5; Galatians 4:4
- 45 1 Timothy 5:20; Matthew 15:10; Matthew 23:1–2; Matthew 23:5–7; Mark 12:38–39
- 46 Mark 12:38–39; Luke 11:43; Luke 14:7; Luke 12:1; Matthew 16:6
- 47 Mark 12:40; James 3:1; Luke 12:1; Titus 1:16; Luke 12:47–48
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
… complete this most blessed city would have been as great though no one had sinned, as it is now that the grace of God gathers its citizens out of the multitude of sinners, so long as the children of this world generate and are generated. And therefore that marriage, worthy of the happiness of Paradise, should have had desirable fruit …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner; and every one that falleth upon it shall be broken." But Matthew, that they themselves delivered the sentence.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
But Enos means man in so restricted a sense, that Hebrew linguists tell us it cannot be applied to woman: it is the equivalent of the "child of the resurrection," when they neither marry nor are given in marriage. For there shall be no generation in that place to which regeneration shall have brought us.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 2 (1887)
"For in the resurrection," saith He, "they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as angels of God in Heaven." But Luke saith, "As Sons of God." If then they marry not, the question is vain.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
And the Lord says to them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things." And they were confounded by means of John; and in them were the words fulfilled, "I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 7 (1888)