The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

by John MacArthur

  8“So when evening had come, the owner of the vineyard said to his steward, ‘Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.’

  9“And when those came who were hired about the eleventh hour, they each received a denarius.

  10“But when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received each a denarius.

  11“And when they had received it, they 3complained against the landowner,

  12“saying, ‘These last men have worked only one hour, and you made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day.’

  13“But he answered one of them and said, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius?

  14‘Take what is yours and go your way. I wish to give to this last man the same as to you.

  15a‘Is it not lawful for me to do what I wish with my own things? Or bis your eye evil because I am good?’

  16c“So the last will be first, and the first last. dFor4 many are called, but few chosen.”

  Jesus a Third Time Predicts His Death and Resurrection

  (Mark 10:32–34; Luke 18:31–34)

  17eNow Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them,

  18f“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death,

  19g“and deliver Him to the Gentiles to hmock and to iscourge and to jcrucify. And the third day He will krise again.”

  Greatness Is Serving

  (Mark 10:35–45)

  20lThen the mother of mZebedee’s sons came to Him with her sons, kneeling down and asking something from Him.

  21And He said to her, “What do you wish?” She said to Him, “Grant that these two sons of mine nmay sit, one on Your right hand and the other on the left, in Your kingdom.”

  22But Jesus answered and said, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink othe cup that I am about to drink, 5and be baptized with pthe baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to Him, “We are able.”

  23So He said to them, q“You will indeed drink My cup, 6and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with; but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.”

  24rAnd when the ten heard it, they were greatly displeased with the two brothers.

  25But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them.

  26“Yet sit shall not be so among you; but twhoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.

  27u“And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—

  28v“just as the wSon of Man did not come to be served, xbut to serve, and yto give His life a ransom zfor many.”

  Two Blind Men Receive Their Sight

  (Mark 10:46–52; Luke 18:35–43)

  29aNow as they went out of Jericho, a great multitude followed Him.

  30And behold, btwo blind men sitting by the road, when they heard that Jesus was passing by, cried out, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, cSon of David!”

  31Then the multitude dwarned them that they should be quiet; but they cried out all the more, saying, “Have mercy on us, O Lord, Son of David!”

  32So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”

  33They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.”

  34So Jesus had ecompassion and touched their eyes. And immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed Him.

  Matthew 21

  The Triumphal Entry

  (Mark 11:1–10; Luke 19:28–40; John 12:12–19)

  1Now awhen they drew near Jerusalem, and came to 1Bethphage, at bthe Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples,

  2saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Loose them and bring them to Me.

  3“And if anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.”

  42All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

  5“Tellc the daughter of Zion,

  ‘ Behold, your King is coming to you,

  Lowly, and sitting on a donkey,

  A colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”

  6dSo the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them.

  7They brought the donkey and the colt, elaid their clothes on them, 3and set Him on them.

  8And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; fothers cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

  9Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:

  “Hosanna to the Son of David!

  g‘ Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’

  Hosanna in the highest!”

  10hAnd when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, “Who is this?”

  11So the multitudes said, “This is Jesus, ithe prophet from Nazareth of Galilee.”

  Jesus Cleanses the Temple

  (Mark 11:15–19; Luke 19:45–48; John 2:13–22)

  12jThen Jesus went into the temple 4of God and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the kmoney changers and the seats of those who sold doves.

  13And He said to them, “It is written, l‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a m‘den of thieves.’ ”

  14Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them.

  15But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the nSon of David!” they were 5indignant

  16and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?” And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read,

  o‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants

  You have perfected praise’?”

  17Then He left them and pwent out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.

  The Fig Tree Withered

  (Mark 11:12–14)

  18qNow in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry.

  19rAnd seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.

  The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree

  (Mark 11:20–24)

  20sAnd when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?”

  21So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, tif you have faith and udo not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, vbut also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.

  22“And wwhatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

  Jesus’ Authority Questioned

  (Mark 11:27–33; Luke 20:1–8)

  23xNow when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and ysaid, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?”

  24But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things:

  25“The zbaptism of aJohn—where was it from? From heaven or from men?” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

  26“But if we say, ‘From men,’ we bfear the multitude, cfor all count John as a prophet.”

  27So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority
I do these things.

  The Parable of the Two Sons

  28“But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go, work today in my dvineyard.’

  29“He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went.

  30“Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he did not go.

  31“Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said to Him, “The first.” Jesus said to them, e“Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you.

  32“For fJohn came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him; gbut tax collectors and harlots believed him; and when you saw it, you did not afterward 6relent and believe him.

  The Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers

  (Mark 12:1–12; Luke 20:9–19)

  33“Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner hwho planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and iwent into a far country.

  34“Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.

  35j“And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.

  36“Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.

  37“Then last of all he sent his kson to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’

  38“But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, l‘This is the heir. mCome, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’

  39n“So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.

  40“Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?”

  41oThey said to Him, p“He will destroy those wicked men miserably, qand lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will 7render to him the fruits in their seasons.”

  42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

  r‘The stone which the builders rejected

  Has become the chief cornerstone.

  This was the LORD’s doing,

  And it is marvelous in our eyes’?

  43“Therefore I say to you, sthe kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.

  44“And twhoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, uit will grind him to powder.”

  45Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they 8perceived that He was speaking of them.

  46But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they vfeared the multitudes, because wthey took Him for a prophet.

  Matthew 22

  The Parable of the Wedding Feast

  (Luke 14:15–24)

  1And Jesus answered aand spoke to them again by parables and said:

  2“The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son,

  3“and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.

  4“Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; bmy oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’

  5“But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business.

  6“And the rest seized his servants, treated them 1spitefully, and killed them.

  7“But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out chis armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

  8“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not dworthy.

  9‘Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’

  10“So those servants went out into the highways and egathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

  11“But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there fwho did not have on a wedding garment.

  12“So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was gspeechless.

  13“Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, 2take him away, and cast him hinto outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

  14i“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

  The Pharisees: Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes to Caesar?

  (Mark 12:13–17; Luke 20:20–26)

  15jThen the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk.

  16And they sent to Him their disciples with the kHerodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not 3regard the person of men.

  17“Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

  18But Jesus 4perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test Me, you hypocrites?

  19“Show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius. Christ’s Trials, Crucifixion, and Resurrection

  20And He said to them, “Whose image and inscription is this?”

  21They said to Him, “Caesar’s.” And He said to them, l“Render5 therefore to Caesar the things that are mCaesar’s, and to God the things that are nGod’s.”

  22When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.

  The Sadducees: What About the Resurrection?

  (Mark 12:18–27; Luke 20:27–40)

  23oThe same day the Sadducees, pwho say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him,

  24saying: “Teacher, qMoses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother.

  25“Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother.

  26“Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh.

  27“Last of all the woman died also.

  28“Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her.”

  29Jesus answered and said to them, “You are 6mistaken, rnot knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.

  30“For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but sare like angels 7of God in heaven.

  31“But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying,

  32t‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”

  33And when the multitudes heard this, uthey were astonished at His teaching.

  The Scribes: Which Is the First Commandment of All?

  (Mark 12:28–34; Luke 10:25–28)

  34vBut when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.

  35Then one of them, wa lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying,

  36“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

  37Jesus said to him, x“‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

  38“This is the first and great commandment.

  39“And the second is like it: y‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

  40z“On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

  Jesus: How Can David Call His Descendant Lord?

  (Mark 12:35–37; Luke 20:41–44)

  41aWhile the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

  42saying, “What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” They said to Him, “The bSon of David.”

  43He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying:

  44‘Thec LORD said to my Lord,

  “Sit at My right ha
nd,

  Till I make Your enemies Your footstool” ’?

  45“If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his Son?”

  46dAnd no one was able to answer Him a word, enor from that day on did anyone dare question Him anymore.

  Matthew 23

  Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees

  (Mark 12:38–40; Luke 20:45–47)

  1Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples,

  2saying: a“The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.

  3“Therefore whatever they tell you 1to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for bthey say, and do not do.

  4c“For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

  5“But all their works they do to dbe seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.

  6e“They love the 2best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues,

  7“greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, ‘Rabbi, Rabbi.’

  8f“But you, do not be called ‘Rabbi’; for One is your 3Teacher, 4the Christ, and you are all brethren.

  9“Do not call anyone on earth your father; gfor One is your Father, He who is in heaven.

  10“And do not be called teachers; for One is your Teacher, the Christ.

  11“But hhe who is greatest among you shall be your servant.

  12i“And whoever exalts himself will be 5humbled, and he who humbles himself will be 6exalted.

  13“But jwoe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

  147“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! kFor you devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation.

  15“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of 8hell as yourselves.

  16“Woe to you, lblind guides, who say, m‘Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing; but whoever swears by the gold of the temple, he is obliged to perform it.’