But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.
Parallel translations
- WEB He answered, ‘Lord, leave it alone this year also, until I dig around it, and fertilize it.
- 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.
- NASB But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, leave it alone for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer;
- NLT “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The vine dresser pleads for one more year, offering to dig and fertilize the tree. It pictures God's patient mercy that grants further opportunity to repent.
Overview
The intercessor's request reflects the Lord's reluctance to judge and His willingness to do more to cultivate fruit. This extra year of care echoes God's longsuffering toward Israel and toward every soul. Yet the reprieve is for the purpose of producing fruit, not for indefinite delay, pointing ahead to Christ who patiently seeks fruit in His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Rom 10:1Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved.
- 2 Pet 3:9The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
- Joel 2:17Let the priests, the ministers of Yahweh, weep between the porch and the altar, and let them say, “Spare your people, Yahweh, and don’t give your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their God?’”
- Ps 106:23Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had Moses, his chosen, not stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, so that he wouldn’t destroy them.
- Jer 15:1Then Yahweh said to me, “Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind would not be toward this people. Cast them out of my sight, and let them go out!
- Josh 7:7–9Joshua said, “Alas, Lord Yahweh, why have you brought this people over the Jordan at all, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to cause us to perish? I wish that we had been content and lived beyond the Jordan!
- Exod 34:9He said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, Lord, please let the Lord go among us; although this is a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.”
- Rom 11:14if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them.
- Jer 14:7–9Though our iniquities testify against us, work for your name’s sake, Yahweh; for our rebellions are many. We have sinned against you.
- Jer 18:20Shall evil be recompensed for good? For they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
- Num 14:11–20Yahweh said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? and how long will they not believe in me, for all the signs which I have worked among them?
- Exod 32:11–13Moses begged Yahweh his God, and said, “Yahweh, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, that you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
- Jer 14:13–18Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, the prophets tell them, ‘You will not see the sword, neither shall you have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.’”
- Exod 32:30–32On the next day, Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. Now I will go up to Yahweh. Perhaps I shall make atonement for your sin.”
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 13:8 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.