LUK 13:6-9

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

6And he was telling this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none. [13:7] And he said to the vinedresser, 'Look — for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down. Why should it keep making the ground useless?' [13:8] And he, answering, said, 'Lord, let it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put in manure. [13:9] And if it bears fruit in the coming year, good — but if not, you will cut it down.'"

In the world it was spoken into

In 1st-century Galilee, fig trees were a common agricultural staple, valued for their fruit and shade. Vineyards often included fig trees planted among the vines, as they shared similar soil and water needs. A fig tree’s failure to bear fruit after three years was significant, as it typically took three years for a fig tree to mature and produce fruit. The owner’s frustration reflects the economic pressure of agricultural life, where unproductive plants wasted valuable resources like water and soil nutrients. The vinedresser’s plea for patience and his plan to dig around the tree and add manure demonstrate practical agricultural knowledge, as manure was a common fertilizer. The parable would resonate with listeners familiar with the precariousness of farming and the tension between immediate productivity and long-term investment. It also reflects broader cultural themes of judgment, mercy, and the expectation of fruitful labor in a society deeply tied to the land.

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How other translations render this

LUK 13:6

KJV: He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
BSB: Then 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.
Koinōnos: And he was telling this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.

LUK 13:7

KJV: 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?
BSB: 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 havenʼt found any. Therefore cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
Koinōnos: And he said to the vinedresser, 'Look — for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down. Why should it keep making the ground useless?

LUK 13:8

KJV: And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
BSB: ‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone again this year, until I dig around it and fertilize it.
Koinōnos: And he, answering, said, 'Lord, let it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put in manure.

LUK 13:9

KJV: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
BSB: If it bears fruit next year, fine. But if not, you can cut it down.’”
Koinōnos: And if it bears fruit in the coming year, good — but if not, you will cut it down.'

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Translator's notes

LUK 13:6

He was speaking:The word translated 'He was speaking' indicates an ongoing action, suggesting that this was not a one-time statement but part of a larger discourse or teaching.

LUK 13:7

do cut down:The phrase 'do cut down' uses a word that implies a decisive and complete removal, often with the sense of preventing something from continuing or being effective.
ground:The word translated 'ground' here carries the sense of making something useless or idle, specifically in the context of cumbering or rendering the ground unproductive.

LUK 13:8

do leave:The word translated 'do leave' can also carry the meaning of letting go, permitting, or even forgiving, suggesting a broader range of actions than just physical departure.