- And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.
- And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.
- And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.
- And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled.
- And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.
- Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.
- But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.
- And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
- What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.
- And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
- This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
- And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.
In vineyard walls, a tale retold,
Christ’s words like seeds of old unfold:
“The master sent his son in love,
Yet hearts of stone no mercy prove.
They seized the heir, the chosen one,
Rejection’s price, His life undone.
Now hear, what fate these men shall meet,
As justice sweeps them from their seat.”
A parable of love and loss,
A warning to the ones who cross
The Son of God, the holy plea:
Bear fruit or bear calamity.