Luke 13:7

New Century Version

So the man said to his gardener, ‘I have been looking for fruit on this tree for three years, but I never find any. Cut it down. Why should it waste the ground?'

Parallel Translations

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!

King James Version (1611)
Then said hee vnto the dresser of his Uineyard, Beholde, these three yeeres I come seeking fruit on this figtree, and finde none: cut it downe, why cumbreth it the ground?

King James Version
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?

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?'

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?'

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]?'

New American Standard Bible (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?'

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?'

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?'

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?"

Complete Jewish Bible
So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘Here, I've come looking for fruit on this fig tree for three years now without finding any. Cut it down — why let it go on using up the soil?'

Darby Translation
And he said to the vinedresser, Behold, [these] three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree and find none: cut it down; why does it also render the ground useless?

Easy-to-Read Version
He had a servant who took care of his garden. So he said to his servant, ‘I have been looking for fruit on this tree for three years, but I never find any. Cut it down! Why should it waste the ground?'

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then said he to the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, this three yeeres haue I come and sought fruite of this figge tree, and finde none: cut it downe: why keepeth it also the ground barren?

George Lamsa Translation
So he said to the laborer, Behold, for three years, I have been coming and seeking fruit on this fig tree, and found none; cut it down; why should it waste the ground?

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?'

Lexham English Bible
So he said to the gardener, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and did not find any. Cut it down! Why should it even exhaust the soil?'

Literal Translation
And he said to the vinedresser, Behold, three years I come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and found none. Cut it down, and why does it waste the ground?

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?

Bible in Basic English
And he said to the gardener, See, for three years I have been looking for fruit from this tree, and I have not had any: let it be cut down; why is it taking up space?

Hebrew Names Version
He said to the vine dresser, 'Behold, these three years I came seeking fruit on this fig tree, and found none. Cut it down. Why does it waste the soil?'

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

Etheridge Translation
And he said to the husbandman, Behold, three years come I seeking fruits from this fig-tree, but I have not found: cut it down; why maketh it the ground useless ?

Murdock Translation
And he said to the cultivator: Lo, these three years, I have come seeking fruits on this fig-tree, and I find none. Cut it down: why should it cumber the ground?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then sayde he to the dresser of his vineyarde: Beholde, this three yere I haue come & sought fruite in this figge tree, and finde none: cut it downe, why cumbreth it the grounde?

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?

World English Bible
He said to the vine dresser, 'Behold, these three years I came seeking fruit on this fig tree, and found none. Cut it down. Why does it waste the soil?'

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
A man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard; and he came, seeking fruit thereon and found none. Then said he to the keeper of the vineyard, Behold three years I come seeking fruit of this fig tree, and find aone: cut it down: why doth it also cumber the ground?

Weymouth's 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?'

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And he seide to the tilier of the vynyerd, Lo! thre yeeris ben, sithen Y come sekynge fruyt in this fige tre, and Y fynde noon; therfor kitte it doun, whereto ocupieth it the erthe?

Update Bible Version
And he said to the vinedresser, Look, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: therefore cut it down; why does it also cumber the ground?

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?

New English Translation
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 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 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.'

New Life Bible
He said to his servant, ‘See! For three years I have been coming here looking for fruit on this fig tree. I never find any. Cut it down. Why does it even waste the ground?'

New Revised Standard
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?'

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he said unto the vine-dresser - Lo! three years, I come, seeking fruit in this fig-tree, and find none. Cut it down! Why doth it make, even the round useless?

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 down therefore. Why cumbereth it the ground?

Revised Standard Version
And he said to the vinedresser, 'Lo, these three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down; why should it use up the ground?'

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
Then sayde he to ye dresser of his vyneyarde: Beholde this thre yeare have I come and sought frute in this fygge tree and fynde none: cut it doune: why combreth it the grounde?

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?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde he vnto the wynegardener: Beholde, This thre yeare longe haue I come euery yeare, and sought frute vpon this fygge tre, and fynde none: cut it downe, why hyndreth it the grounde?

Mace New Testament (1729)
then he said to the vine-dresser, you see, I have been looking these three years for fruit from this fig-tree, but find none: hew it down, why should it cumber my ground?

Simplified Cowboy Version
He told the top hand, 'For three years now I've let this cow stay on the ranch, but she hasn't calved yet. Ship her off. Why should she eat green grass and not give anything in return?'

Contextual Overview

⁶ Jesus told this story: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came looking for some fruit on the tree, but he found none. ⁷ So the man said to his gardener, ‘I have been looking for fruit on this tree for three years, but I never find any. Cut it down. Why should it waste the ground?' ⁸ But the servant answered, ‘Master, let the tree have one more year to produce fruit. Let me dig up the dirt around it and put on some fertilizer. ⁹ If the tree produces fruit next year, good. But if not, you can cut it down.'"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

three: Leviticus 19:23, Leviticus 25:21, Romans 2:4, Romans 2:5

cut: Luke 3:9, Exodus 32:10, Daniel 4:14, Matthew 3:10, Matthew 7:19, John 15:2, John 15:6

why: Exodus 32:10, Matthew 3:9

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 20:19 - thou shalt not Judges 9:11 - General Ecclesiastes 11:3 - if the tree Song of Solomon 2:13 - fig tree Song of Solomon 6:11 - to see the Isaiah 5:2 - he looked Ezekiel 24:13 - because Hosea 6:4 - what 2 Timothy 1:10 - abolished Hebrews 6:8 - beareth

Cross-References

Genesis 10:19
Their land reached from Sidon to Gerar as far as Gaza, and then to Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha.

Genesis 12:6
Abram traveled through that land as far as the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. The Canaanites were living in the land at that time.

Genesis 13:14
After Lot left, the Lord said to Abram, "Look all around you—to the north and south and east and west.

Genesis 13:15
All this land that you see I will give to you and your descendants forever.

Genesis 13:18
So Abram moved his tents and went to live near the great trees of Mamre at the city of Hebron. There he built an altar to the Lord .

Genesis 21:25
Then Abraham complained to Abimelech about Abimelech's servants who had seized a well of water.

Genesis 26:20
But the herdsmen of Gerar argued with them and said, "This water is ours." So Isaac named that well Argue because they argued with him.

Genesis 34:30
Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, "You have caused me a lot of trouble. Now the Canaanites and the Perizzites who live in the land will hate me. Since there are only a few of us, if they join together to attack us, my people and I will be destroyed."

Exodus 2:17
Some shepherds came and chased the girls away, but Moses defended the girls and watered their flock.

Nehemiah 5:9
Then I said, "What you are doing is not right. Don't you fear God? Don't let our foreign enemies shame us.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said he unto the dresser of the vineyard,.... If by the owner of the vineyard is meant God the Father, then by the dresser of the vineyard Jesus Christ is intended; but as he seems rather designed by the owner, the vinedresser, or "the gardeners", as the Persic version reads, in the plural number, may signify the ministers of the word, to whom Christ, who is Solomon's antitype, lets out his vineyard to dress and cultivate it, and to keep the fruit of it; see Song of Solomon 8:11,

behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none; or "behold, there are three years since I came"; so read the Vulgate Latin and Persic versions, and Beza's most ancient copy. Some think Christ here refers to the three years of his public ministry, which he had now gone through among the Jews with little success; but he seems rather to allude to the nature of fig trees, which, if fruitful, bear in three years time; for even

בנות שוח, "a sort of white figs", which are the longest before they bring forth fruit to perfection, yet their fruit is ripe in three years time. These trees bear fruit once in three years; they bear fruit indeed every year, but their fruit does not come to maturity till after three years i; and this may be the reason why this number is fixed upon; for if such fig trees do not bring forth ripe fruit in three years time, there is little reason to expect any from them: and thus it was time after time with the Jewish nation; and so it is with carnal professors: hence it follows,

cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground? or "that it may not cumber"; or "render the ground useless", as read the Arabic version, and one of Beza's copies; for unfruitful trees suck up the juices of the earth, and draw away nourishment from other trees that are near them, and so make the earth barren, and not only hurt other trees, but stand in the way and place of fruitful ones; and therefore it is best to cut them down. So barren professors, as were the Jews, are not only useless and unprofitable themselves, being fruitless, but make churches barren, and stand in the way of others, who are stumbled by them; they are grieving to God, to Christ, and to the blessed Spirit, and are troublesome and burdensome to churches, ministers, and true believers: and the cutting them down may regard the judgment of God upon the nation of the Jews, which Christ would not have his apostles and ministers interpose for the averting of; or the excommunication of such worthless and hurtful professors out of the churches by them.

i T. Hieros. Sheviith, fol. 35. 4. Jarchi, Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Demai, c. 1. sect. 1. & Sheviith, c. 5. sect. 1.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The dresser of his vineyard - The man whose duty it was to trim the vines and take care of his vineyard.

These three years - These words are not to be referred to the time which Christ had been preaching the gospel, as if he meant to specify the exact period. They mean, as applicable to the vineyard, that the owner had been “a long time” expecting fruit on the tree. For three successive years he had been disappointed. In his view it was long enough to show that the tree was barren and would yield no fruit, and that therefore it should be cut down.

Why cumbereth it the ground? - The word “cumber” here means to render “barren” or “sterile.” By taking up the juices of the earth, this useless tree rendered the ground sterile, and prevented the growth of the neighboring vines. It was not merely “useless,” but was doing mischief, which may be said of all sinners and all hypocritical professors of religion. Dr. Thomson (“The Land and the Book,” vol. i. p. 539) says of the barren fig-tree: “There are many such trees now; and if the ground is not properly cultivated, especially when the trees are young - as the one of the parable was, for only “three” years are mentioned they do not bear at all; and even when full grown they quickly fail, and wither away if neglected. Those who expect to gather good crops of well-flavored figs are particularly attentive to their culture - not only plow and dig about them frequently, and manure them plentifully, but they carefully gather out the stones from the orchards, contrary to their general slovenly habits.”

This parable is to be taken in connection with what goes before, and with our Saviour’s calling the Jewish nation to repentance. It was spoken to illustrate the dealings of God with them, and their own wickedness under all his kindness, and we may understand the different parts of the parable as designed to represent:

1. God, by the man who owned the vineyard.
2. The vineyard as the Jewish people.
3. The coming of the owner for fruit, the desire of God that they should produce good works.
4. The barrenness of the tree, the wickedness of the people.
5. The dresser was perhaps intended to denote the Saviour and the other messengers of God, pleading that God would spare the Jews, and save them from their enemies that stood ready to destroy them, as soon as God should permit.
6. His waiting denotes the delay of vengeance, to give them an opportunity of repentance. And,
7. The remark of the dresser that he might “then” cut it down, denotes the acquiescence of all in the belief that such a judgment would be just.

We may also remark that God treats sinners in this manner now; that he spares them long; that he gives them opportunities of repentance; that many live but to cumber the ground; that they are not only useless to the church, but pernicious to the world; that in due time, when they are fairly tried, they shall be cut down; and that the universe will bow to the awful decree of God, and say that their damnation is just.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 13:7. Behold these three years — From this circumstance in the parable, it may be reasonably concluded that Jesus had been, at the time of saying this, exercising his ministry for three years past; and, from what is said in Luke 13:8, of letting it alone this year also, it may be concluded likewise that this parable was spoken about a year before Christ's crucifixion; and, if both these conclusions are reasonable, we may thence infer that this parable was not spoken at the time which appears to be assigned to it, and that the whole time of Christ's public ministry was about four years. See Bishop Pearce. But it has already been remarked that St. Luke never studies chronological arrangement. See the Preface to this Gospel.

Why cumbereth it the ground? — Or, in other words, Why should the ground be also useless? The tree itself brings forth no fruit; let it be cut down that a more profitable one may be planted in its place. Cut it down. The Codex Bezae has added here, φερετην αξινην, Bring the axe and cut it down. If this reading be genuine, it is doubtless an allusion to Matthew 3:10: Now the axe lieth at the root of the trees. If the writer has added it on his own authority, he probably referred to the place above mentioned. See the note on the above text.

There is something very like this in the γεωπονικα, or De Re Rustica of the ancient Greek writers on agriculture. I refer to cap. 83 of lib. x., p. 773; edit. Niclas, entitled, Δενδρον ακαρπον καρποφορειν, How to make a barren tree fruitful. Having girded yourself, and tied up your garments, take a bipen or axe, and with an angry mind approach the tree as if about to cut it down. Then let some person come forward and deprecate the cutting down of the tree, making himself responsible for its future fertility. Then, seem to be appeased, and so spare the tree, and afterwards it will yield fruit in abundance. "Bean straw (manure of that material,) scattered about the roots of the tree, will make it fruitful." That a similar superstition prevailed among the Asiatics, Michaelis proves from the Cosmographer Ibn Alvardi, who prescribes the following as the mode to render a sterile palm tree fruitful: "The owner, armed with an axe, having an attendant with him, approaches the tree, and says, I must cut this tree down, because it is unfruitful. Let it alone, I beseech thee, says the other, and this year it will bring forth fruit. The owner immediately strikes it thrice with the back of his axe; but the other preventing him says, I beseech thee to spare it, and I will be answerable for its fertility. Then the tree becomes abundantly fruitful." Does not our Lord refer to such a custom?