But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
Parallel translations
- WEB “But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’
- BSB But when the tenants saw the son, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’
- NKJV But when the vinedressers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.’
- NASB But when the vine-growers saw him, they discussed with one another, saying, ‘This is the heir; let’s kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.’
- NLT “But when the tenant farmers saw his son, they said to each other, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’
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 tenants plot to kill the heir so the inheritance will be theirs. The parable foretells the leaders' murder of Jesus.
Overview
The tenants' scheming exposes the rebellious desire to seize what belongs to God by removing his Son. Their reasoning thinly veils the conspiracy of Israel's leaders to put Jesus to death. The verse lays bare the sinful heart that rejects God's rightful claim and rejects his Son.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 17
- Rom 8:17And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
- Heb 1:2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
- Acts 3:15And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
- Luke 19:47And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,
- Ps 2:1–6Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
- Matt 16:7And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
- Luke 20:5And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?
- Ps 89:27Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.
- Ps 2:8Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
- Matt 2:2–16Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.
- John 11:47–50Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.
- Matt 27:21–25The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas.
- Acts 2:23Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
- Matt 21:25The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him?
- Luke 22:2And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.
- Gen 37:18–20And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
- Luke 20:19And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 20:14 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.