As they were walking back in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from its roots.
Parallel translations
- WEB As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away from the roots.
- KJV And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
- NKJV Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
- NASB As they were passing by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots up.
- NLT The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up.
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 next morning the disciples see that the cursed fig tree has withered from the roots.
Overview
The tree's complete withering, down to the roots, confirms the power and finality of Jesus' word of judgment. Mark frames the temple cleansing within the fig-tree account, so the withered tree pictures the judgment hanging over fruitless temple worship. Jesus' word proves effective and sure.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Matt 15:13But Jesus replied, “Every plant that My heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by its roots.
- Mark 11:14Then He said to the tree, “May no one ever eat of your fruit again.” And His disciples heard this statement.
- Matt 21:19–22Seeing a fig tree by the road, He went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. “May you never bear fruit again!” He said. And immediately the tree withered.
- John 15:6If anyone does not remain in Me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers. Such branches are gathered up, thrown into the fire, and burned.
- Matt 13:6But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
- Isa 40:24No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner have their stems taken root in the ground, than He blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like stubble.
- Job 20:5–7the triumph of the wicked has been brief and the joy of the godless momentary?
- Heb 6:8But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless, and its curse is imminent. In the end it will be burned.
- Jude 1:12These men are hidden reefs in your love feasts, shamelessly feasting with you but shepherding only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried along by the wind; fruitless trees in autumn, twice dead after being uprooted.
- Job 18:16–17The roots beneath him dry up, and the branches above him wither away.
- Isa 5:4What more could I have done for My vineyard than I already did for it? Why, when I expected sweet grapes, did it bring forth sour fruit?
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Christ at the center
Mark drives urgently to the cross, showing Jesus the Son of God as the suffering Servant who 'came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.'
How Mark 11:20 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.