The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
6 And he told this parable: “A man had a yfig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”
The Parable of the Wicked Tenants
9 iAnd he began to tell the people this parable: j“A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and kwent into another country for a long while. 10 When the time came, he sent a servant1 to the tenants, so that they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. lBut the tenants mbeat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 And he sent another servant. But they also beat and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 And he sent yet a third. This one also they wounded and cast out. 13 nThen the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my obeloved son; perhaps they will respect him.’ 14 But when the tenants saw him, they said to themselves, ‘This is the pheir. Let us qkill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.’ 15 And they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and destroy those tenants and rgive the vineyard to others.” When they heard this, they said, “Surely not!”
