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.
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.
- BSB 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.
- 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 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 21:33–46Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
- Mark 12:1–12And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.
- Isa 5:1–7Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:
- Jer 2:21Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?
- Ps 80:8–14Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it.
- John 15:1–8I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
- Song 8:11–12Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; he let out the vineyard unto keepers; every one for the fruit thereof was to bring a thousand pieces of silver.
- Matt 25:14For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
- Deut 17:8–15If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise, and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy God shall choose;
- 1 Cor 3:6–9I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
- Deut 16:18Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, throughout thy tribes: and they shall judge the people with just judgment.
- Deut 1:15–18So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.
- Luke 19:12He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to 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.