Likewise, just as it was ¹  in the days of Lot, people ²  were eating, drinking, buying, selling, planting, building;

For ¹  a while he refused, but later on ²  he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor have regard for people, ³ 

And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! ¹ 

The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ¹  ‘God, I thank ²  you that I am not like other people: ³  extortionists, ⁴  unrighteous people, ⁵  adulterers – or even like this tax collector. ⁶ 

Now people ¹  were even bringing their babies ²  to him for him to touch. ³  But when the disciples saw it, they began to scold those who brought them. ⁴ 

But when the man ¹  heard this he became very sad, ²  for he was extremely wealthy.

Those who heard this said, “Then ¹  who can be saved?” ² 

who will not receive many times more ¹  in this age ²  – and in the age to come, eternal life.” ³ 

But ¹  the twelve ²  understood none of these things. This ³  saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp ⁴  what Jesus meant. ⁵ 

While the people were listening to these things, Jesus ¹  proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, ²  and because they thought ³  that the kingdom of God ⁴  was going to ⁵  appear immediately.

And he summoned ten of his slaves, ¹  gave them ten minas, ²  and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’

Then ¹  he began to tell the people this parable: “A man ²  planted a vineyard, ³  leased it to tenant farmers, ⁴  and went on a journey for a long time.

When harvest time came, he sent a slave ¹  to the tenants so that they would give ²  him his portion of the crop. ³  However, the tenants beat his slave ⁴  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 ¹  they threw him out of the vineyard and killed ²  him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

Then ¹  they watched him carefully and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. ²  They wanted to take advantage of what he might say ³  so that they could deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction ⁴  of the governor.

Thus ¹  they asked him, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, ²  and show no partiality, but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. ³ 

So ¹  Jesus said to them, “The people of this age ²  marry and are given in marriage.

“Beware ¹  of the experts in the law. ²  They ³  like walking around in long robes, and they love elaborate greetings ⁴  in the marketplaces and the best seats ⁵  in the synagogues ⁶  and the places of honor at banquets.

Therefore be resolved ¹  not to rehearse ²  ahead of time how to make your defense.