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.
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.
- 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.
- 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 21:33–46“Hear another parable. There was a man who was a master of a household, who planted a vineyard, set a hedge about it, dug a wine press in it, built a tower, leased it out to farmers, and went into another country.
- Mark 12:1–12He began to speak to them in parables. “A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the wine press, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went into another country.
- Isa 5:1–7Let me sing for my well beloved a song of my beloved about his vineyard. My beloved had a vineyard on a very fruitful hill.
- Jer 2:21Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a pure and faithful seed. How then have you turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine to me?
- Ps 80:8–14You brought a vine out of Egypt. You drove out the nations, and planted it.
- John 15:1–8“I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer.
- Song 8:11–12Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon. He leased out the vineyard to keepers. Each was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for its fruit.
- Matt 25:14“For it is like a man, going into another country, who called his own servants, and entrusted his goods to them.
- Deut 17:8–15If there arises a matter too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within your gates; then you shall arise, and go up to the place which Yahweh your God chooses.
- 1 Cor 3:6–9I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase.
- Deut 16:18You shall make judges and officers in all your gates, which Yahweh your God gives you, according to your tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.
- Deut 1:15–18So I took the heads of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains of thousands, and captains of hundreds, and captains of fifties, and captains of tens, and officers, according to 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.