The Barren Fig Tree

¹⁸ Early in the morning,^(A) as he was returning to the city, he was hungry. ¹⁹ Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, he went up to it and found nothing on it except leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” At once the fig tree withered.

²⁰ When the disciples saw it, they were amazed and said, “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?”

²¹ Jesus answered them, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you tell this mountain, ‘Be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ it will be done.^{(B) 22} And if you believe, you will receive^(C) whatever you ask for in prayer.”

The Barren Fig Tree Is Cursed

¹² The^(A) next day when they went out from Bethany, he was hungry. ¹³ Seeing in the distance a fig^(B) tree with leaves, he went to find out if there was anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season for figs. ¹⁴ He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit^(C) from you again!”^(D) And his disciples^(E) heard it.

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

⁶ 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) 7} 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)

⁸ “But he replied to him, ‘Sir,^[a] leave it this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.^{(E) 9} Perhaps it will produce fruit next year, but if not, you can cut it down.’”