Matthew 21:43-46

21:43 For this reason I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a people ¹  who will produce its fruit. 21:44 The one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, and the one on whom it falls will be crushed.” ²  21:45 When ³  the chief priests and the Pharisees ⁴  heard his parables, they realized that he was speaking about them. 21:46 They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, because the crowds ⁵  regarded him as a prophet.

[21:43]  ¹ tn Or “to a nation” (so KJV, NASB, NLT).

[21:44]  ² tc A few witnesses, especially of the Western text (D 33 it sy^s Or Eus^syr), do not contain 21:44. However, the verse is found in א B C L W Z (Θ) 0102 Ë^1,13 Ï lat sy^c,p,h co and should be included as authentic.

[21:45]  ³ tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[21:45]  ⁴ sn See the note on Pharisees in 3:7.

[21:46]  ⁵ tn Grk “they”; the referent (the crowds) has been specified in the translation for clarity. Both previous occurrences of “they” in this verse refer to the chief priests and the Pharisees.