Luke 13:7
New International Version
So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’

New Living Translation
Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’

English Standard Version
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?’

Berean Standard Bible
So he said to the keeper of the vineyard, ‘Look, for the past three years I have come to search for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Therefore cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’

Berean Literal Bible
And he said to the vinedresser, 'Behold, throughout these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and do not find any. Therefore cut it down! Why even should it use up the ground?'

King James Bible
Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

New King James Version
Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’

New American Standard Bible
And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Look! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’

NASB 1995
“And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’

NASB 1977
“And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’

Legacy Standard Bible
And he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘Behold, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?’

Amplified Bible
so he said to the vineyard-keeper, ‘For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and have found none. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground [depleting the soil and blocking the sunlight]?’

Christian Standard Bible
He told the vineyard worker, ‘Listen, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it even waste the soil? ’

Holman Christian Standard Bible
He told the vineyard worker, Listen, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it even waste the soil?’

American Standard Version
And he said unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground?

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he said to the cultivator, 'Behold, three years I have come seeking fruit in this fig tree, and I find none; cut it down; why is it taking up space?'

Contemporary English Version
So he said to the gardener, "For three years I have come looking for figs on this tree, and I haven't found any yet. Chop it down! Why should it take up space?"

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to the dresser of the vineyard: Behold, for these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it done therefore: why cumbereth it the ground?

English Revised Version
And he said unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground?

GOD'S WORD® Translation
He said to the gardener, 'For the last three years I've come to look for figs on this fig tree but haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up [good] soil?'

Good News Translation
So he said to his gardener, 'Look, for three years I have been coming here looking for figs on this fig tree, and I haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it go on using up the soil?'

International Standard Version
So he told the gardener, 'Look here! For three years I've been coming to look for fruit on this tree but I haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it waste the soil?'

Literal Standard Version
and he said to the vinedresser, Behold, three years I come seeking fruit in this fig tree, and do not find [it], cut it off, why does it also render the ground useless?

Majority Standard Bible
So he said to the keeper of the vineyard, ‘Look, for the past three years I have come to search for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Therefore cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’

New American Bible
he said to the gardener, ‘For three years now I have come in search of fruit on this fig tree but have found none. [So] cut it down. Why should it exhaust the soil?’

NET Bible
So he said to the worker who tended the vineyard, 'For three years now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and each time I inspect it I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue to deplete the soil?'

New Revised Standard Version
So he said to the gardener, ‘See here! For three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and still I find none. Cut it down! Why should it be wasting the soil?’

New Heart English Bible
He said to the vine dresser, 'Look, these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and found none. Cut it down. Why does it waste the soil?'

Webster's Bible Translation
Then said he to the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?

Weymouth New Testament
So he said to the gardener, "'See, this is the third year I have come to look for fruit on this fig-tree and cannot find any. Cut it down. Why should so much ground be actually wasted?'

World English Bible
He said to the vine dresser, ‘Behold, these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and found none. Cut it down! Why does it waste the soil?’

Young's Literal Translation
and he said unto the vine-dresser, Lo, three years I come seeking fruit in this fig-tree, and do not find, cut it off, why also the ground doth it render useless?

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree
6Then Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7So he said to the keeper of the vineyard, ‘Look, for the past three years I have come to search for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Therefore cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ 8‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone again this year, until I dig around it and fertilize it.…

Cross References
Daniel 4:14
He called out in a loud voice: 'Cut down the tree and chop off its branches; strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it, and the birds from its branches.

Matthew 3:10
The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

Matthew 7:19
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

Luke 3:9
The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."

Luke 13:8
Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone again this year, until I dig around it and fertilize it.


Treasury of Scripture

Then said he to the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why encumbers it the ground?

three.

Leviticus 19:23
And when ye shall come into the land, and shall have planted all manner of trees for food, then ye shall count the fruit thereof as uncircumcised: three years shall it be as uncircumcised unto you: it shall not be eaten of.

Leviticus 25:21
Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years.

Romans 2:4,5
Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? …

cut.

Luke 3:9
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Exodus 32:10
Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.

Daniel 4:14
He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches:

why.

Exodus 32:10
Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.

Matthew 3:9
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

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Actually Cut Dresser Fig Fig-Tree Find Found Fruit Gardener Ground I've Looking Seeking Soil Third Three Tree Vine Vinedresser Vineyard Waste Wasted
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Actually Cut Dresser Fig Fig-Tree Find Found Fruit Gardener Ground I've Looking Seeking Soil Third Three Tree Vine Vinedresser Vineyard Waste Wasted
Luke 13
1. Jesus preaches repentance upon the punishment of the Galilaeans and others.
6. The fruitless fig tree may not stand.
10. He heals the crooked woman;
18. shows the powerful working of the word, by the parable of the grain of mustard seed,
20. and of leaven;
22. exhorts to enter in at the strait gate;
31. and reproves Herod and Jerusalem.














(7) Why cumbereth it the ground?--The Greek verb means more than that the fig-tree was what we call a useless burden or incumbrance, and implies positive injury. It is commonly rendered by "bring to nought," or some like phrase. (In 1Corinthians 13:8 it is rendered "fail.") This would seem, indeed, to have been the old meaning of the English verb. Comp. Shakespeare's Julius C?sar, iii. 1:--

"Domestic fury, and fierce civil strife.

Shall cumber all the parts of Italy."

Verse 7. - Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none. Some expositors see in this period of three years an allusion to the storied past of Hebrew life, and in the number 3 discern the three marked epochs, each lasting several centuries, of the high priests, judges, and kings. This, however, is a very doubtful reference, owing to the impossibility of separating the first two periods of the rule of high priests and judges, as these interchange and overlap each other. Another school of interpreters sees a reference to the three years of the public ministry of Jesus. A better reference would be God's successive calls to Israel by the Law, the prophets, and by Christ. It is, however, safer, in this and m many of the Lord's parables, not to press every little detail which was necessary for the completion of the picture. Here the period of three years in which the Lord of the vineyard came seeking fruit, represents by the number 3 the symbol of complete-ness - a period of full opportunity given to the tree to have become fruitful and productive. Cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? better rendered, why doth it make the ground useless? It is an unproductive tree, and occupies the place which another and a fertile tree might fill.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
So
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

he said
εἶπεν (eipen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

to
πρὸς (pros)
Preposition
Strong's 4314: To, towards, with. A strengthened form of pro; a preposition of direction; forward to, i.e. Toward.

the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

keeper of the vineyard,
ἀμπελουργόν (ampelourgon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 289: A vine-dresser, gardener. From ampelos and ergon; a vine-worker, i.e. Pruner.

‘Look,
Ἰδοὺ (Idou)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 2400: See! Lo! Behold! Look! Second person singular imperative middle voice of eido; used as imperative lo!

for
ἀφ’ (aph’)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

the past
οὗ (hou)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739: Who, which, what, that.

three
τρία (tria)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 5140: Three. Or neuter tria a primary number; 'three'.

years
ἔτη (etē)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2094: A year. Apparently a primary word; a year.

I have come
ἔρχομαι (erchomai)
Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2064: To come, go.

to search for
ζητῶν (zētōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2212: To seek, search for, desire, require, demand. Of uncertain affinity; to seek; specially, to worship, or to plot.

fruit
καρπὸν (karpon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2590: Probably from the base of harpazo; fruit, literally or figuratively.

on
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

this
ταύτῃ (tautē)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

fig tree
συκῇ (sykē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 4808: A fig-tree. From sukon; a fig-tree.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

haven’t found [any].
εὑρίσκω (heuriskō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2147: A prolonged form of a primary heuro, which heureo is used for it in all the tenses except the present and imperfect to find.

Therefore
οὖν (oun)
Conjunction
Strong's 3767: Therefore, then. Apparently a primary word; certainly, or accordingly.

cut it down!
ἔκκοψον (ekkopson)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 1581: To cut out (off, away), remove, prevent. From ek and kopto; to exscind; figuratively, to frustrate.

Why
ἵνα‿ (hina)
Conjunction
Strong's 2443: In order that, so that. Probably from the same as the former part of heautou; in order that.

should it use up
καταργεῖ (katargei)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2673: From kata and argeo; to be entirely idle, literally or figuratively.

the
τὴν (tēn)
Article - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

soil?’
γῆν (gēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1093: Contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe.


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NT Gospels: Luke 13:7 He said to the vine dresser 'Behold (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 13:6
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