The Tenant Farmers (Mark)

¹He began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the wine press, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went into another country. ² When it was time, he sent a servant to the farmer to get from the farmer his share of the fruit of the vineyard. ³ They took him, beat him, and sent him away empty. ⁴ Again, he sent another servant to them; and they threw stones at him, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. ⁵ Again he sent another; and they killed him; and many others, beating some, and killing some. ⁶ Therefore still having one, his beloved son, he sent him last to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ ⁷ But those farmers said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ ⁸ They took him, killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. ⁹ What therefore will the lord of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the farmers, and will give the vineyard to others. ¹⁰ Haven’t you even read this Scripture: ‘The stone which the builders rejected, the same was made the head of the corner. ¹¹ This was from the Lord, it is marvelous in our eyes’?” ¹²They tried to seize him, but they feared the multitude; for they perceived that he spoke the parable against them. They left him, and went away.