Then He proceeded to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it out to some tenants, and went away for a long time.
Parallel translations
- WEB He began to tell the people this parable. “A man planted a vineyard, and rented it out to some farmers, and went into another country for a long time.
- KJV Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.
- ESV And he began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and let it out to tenants and went into another country for a long while.
- NKJV Then He began to tell the people this parable: “A certain man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went into a far country for a long time.
- NASB But He began to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard and leased it to vine-growers, and went on a journey for a long time.
- NLT Now Jesus turned to the people again and told them this story: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for several years.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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
Jesus tells of a man who planted a vineyard, leased it to farmers, and went away. The parable pictures God entrusting Israel to its leaders.
Overview
The vineyard is a familiar Old Testament image for Israel (Isaiah 5), and the tenants represent its leaders. The parable, addressed to the people but aimed at the authorities, traces Israel's history of rejecting God's messengers. It sets up a pointed indictment of those who would soon reject and kill God's Son.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Matt 21:33–46Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a tower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.
- Mark 12:1–12Then Jesus began to speak to them in parables: “A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a wine vat, and built a watchtower. Then he rented it out to some tenants and went away on a journey.
- Isa 5:1–7I will sing for my beloved a song of his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill.
- Jer 2:21I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before Me into a rotten, wild vine?
- Ps 80:8–14You uprooted a vine from Egypt; You drove out the nations and transplanted it.
- John 15:1–8“I am the true vine, and My Father is the keeper of the vineyard.
- Song 8:11–12Solomon had a vineyard in Baal-hamon. He leased it to the tenants. For its fruit, each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver.
- Matt 25:14For it is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions.
- Deut 17:8–15If a case is too difficult for you to judge, whether the controversy within your gates is regarding bloodshed, lawsuits, or assaults, you must go up to the place the LORD your God will choose.
- 1 Cor 3:6–9I planted the seed and Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.
- Deut 16:18You are to appoint judges and officials for your tribes in every town that the LORD your God is giving you. They are to judge the people with righteous judgment.
- Deut 1:15–18So I took the leaders of your tribes, wise and respected men, and appointed them as leaders over you—as commanders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens, and as officers for your tribes.
- Luke 19:12So He said, “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to lay claim to his kingship and then return.
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 20:9 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.