12:1 Then 1 he began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. 2 He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then 3 he leased it to tenant farmers 4 and went on a journey. 12:2 At harvest time he sent a slave 5 to the tenants to collect from them 6 his portion of the crop. 7 12:3 But 8 those tenants 9 seized his slave, 10 beat him, 11 and sent him away empty-handed. 12 12:4 So 13 he sent another slave to them again. This one they struck on the head and treated outrageously. 12:5 He sent another, and that one they killed. This happened to many others, some of whom were beaten, others killed. 12:6 He had one left, his one dear son. 14 Finally he sent him to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ 12:7 But those tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and the inheritance will be ours!’ 12:8 So 15 they seized him, 16 killed him, and threw his body 17 out of the vineyard. 18 12:9 What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy 19 those tenants and give the vineyard to others. 20