The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

And he told this parable:(A) “A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none.(B) 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!(C) Why should it even waste the soil?’(D)

“But he replied to him, ‘Sir,[a] leave it this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.(E) Perhaps it will produce fruit next year, but if not, you can cut it down.’”

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Footnotes

  1. 13:8 Or Lord

Jesus told this parable: “A man owned a fig tree planted in his vineyard. He came looking for fruit on it and found none. He said to his gardener, ‘Look, I’ve come looking for fruit on this fig tree for the past three years, and I’ve never found any. Cut it down! Why should it continue depleting the soil’s nutrients?’ The gardener responded, ‘Lord, give it one more year, and I will dig around it and give it fertilizer. Maybe it will produce fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down.’”

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