But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to be king over us!’

But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be their king, bring them here and slaughter them in front of me!’”

saying, “If you had only known on this day, even you, the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.

Then he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and went on a journey for a long time.

Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What should I do? I will send my one dear son; perhaps they will respect him.’

But when the tenants saw him, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir; let’s kill him so the inheritance will be ours!’

He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.” When the people heard this, they said, “May this never happen!”

But those who are regarded as worthy to share in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage.

“As for these things that you are gazing at, the days will come when not one stone will be left on another. All will be torn down!”

And when you hear of wars and rebellions, do not be afraid. For these things must happen first, but the end will not come at once.”

“But be on your guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day close down upon you suddenly like a trap.

But stay alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that must happen, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

And in the same way he took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

For the Son of Man is to go just as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!”

So they began to question one another as to which of them it could possibly be who would do this.

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me. Yet not my will but yours be done.”

Then a slave girl, seeing him as he sat in the firelight, stared at him and said, “This man was with him too!”

And after about an hour still another insisted, “Certainly this man was with him, because he too is a Galilean.”

When he learned that he was from Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who also happened to be in Jerusalem at that time.

A third time he said to them, “Why? What wrong has he done? I have found him guilty of no crime deserving death. I will therefore flog him and release him.”