Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot, people were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building;

For a while he refused, but later on he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people,

And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says!

The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: extortionists, unrighteous people, adulterers – or even like this tax collector.

Now people were even bringing their babies to him for him to touch. But when the disciples saw it, they began to scold those who brought them.

But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was extremely wealthy.

Those who heard this said, “Then who can be saved?”

who will not receive many times more in this age – and in the age to come, eternal life.”

But the twelve understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what Jesus meant.

While the people were listening to these things, Jesus proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately.

And he summoned ten of his slaves, gave them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’

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.

When harvest time came, he sent a slave to the tenants so that they would give him his portion of the crop. However, the tenants beat his slave and sent him away empty-handed.

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!’

So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

Then they watched him carefully and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They wanted to take advantage of what he might say so that they could deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor.

Thus they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, and show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.

So Jesus said to them, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage.

“Beware of the experts in the law. They like walking around in long robes, and they love elaborate greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.

Therefore be resolved not to rehearse ahead of time how to make your defense.