Mark 12:1

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

He began to speak to them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, built a fence around it, dug a pit for the winepress, and constructed a tower. Then he leased it to farmers and went on a journey.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Καὶ ἤρξατο αὐτοῖς ἐν παραβολαῖς λέγεῖν. Ἀμπελῶνα ἐφύτευσεν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ περιέθηκεν φραγμόν, καὶ ὤρυξεν ὑπολήνιον, καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν πύργον, καὶ ἐξέδοτο αὐτὸν γεωργοῖς, καὶ ἀπεδήμησεν.

Transliteration

And he ērxato to-them in parabolais legein. Ampelōna ephyteusen anthrōpos, and periethēken phragmon, and ōryxen hypolēnion, and ōkodomēsen pyrgon, and exedoto it to-geōrgois, and apedēmēsen.

Grammar Details

• *ērxato*: aorist middle indicative, 3rd singular - began
• *parabolais*: dative plural feminine - parables
• *legein*: present active infinitive - to speak/say
• *Ampelōna*: accusative singular masculine - vineyard
• *ephyteusen*: aorist active indicative, 3rd singular - planted
• *anthrōpos*: nominative singular masculine - man/person
• *periethēken*: aorist active indicative, 3rd singular - placed around
• *phragmon*: accusative singular masculine - fence/hedge
• *ōryxen*: aorist active indicative, 3rd singular - dug
• *hypolēnion*: accusative singular neuter - wine vat/pit under the winepress
• *ōkodomēsen*: aorist active indicative, 3rd singular - built
• *pyrgon*: accusative singular masculine - tower
• *exedoto*: aorist middle indicative, 3rd singular - gave out/leased
• *geōrgois*: dative plural masculine - farmers/vinedressers
• *apedēmēsen*: aorist active indicative, 3rd singular - went away/traveled abroad

Word Meanings

• *ērxato*: began/started
• *parabolais*: parables/analogies/comparisons
• *legein*: to speak/to say/to tell
• *ampelōna*: vineyard/vine-field
• *ephyteusen*: planted/established
• *anthrōpos*: man/human/person
• *periethēken*: placed around/set around/surrounded with
• *phragmon*: fence/hedge/wall
• *ōryxen*: dug/excavated
• *hypolēnion*: wine vat/pit under the winepress
• *ōkodomēsen*: built/constructed
• *pyrgon*: tower/watchtower
• *exedoto*: leased/rented out/gave out
• *geōrgois*: farmers/vinedressers/agricultural workers
• *apedēmēsen*: went away/traveled abroad/left the country

Other Translations

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  And 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.

• KJV1611 – Modern English

  And he began to speak to them in parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge around it, and dug a place for the winepress, and built a tower, and leased it to farmers, and went into a far country.

• King James Version 1611 (Original)

  And 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.

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he began to speak unto them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a pit for the winepress, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country.

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  And 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.

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  And he beganne to speake vnto them in similitudes. A certayne man planted a vineyarde and copased it with an hedge and ordeyned a wyne presse and bylt a toure in yt. And let yt out to hyre vnto husbandme and went into a straunge countre.

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  And he beganne to speake vnto them by parables: A certayne ma planted a vynyarde, and made a hedge aboute it, and dygged a wynne presse, and buylded a tower, and let it out vnto hussbande men, and wente in to a straunge countre.

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  And he began to speake vnto them in parables, A certaine man planted a vineyard, and copassed it with an hedge, & digged a pit for the winepresse, and built a tower in it, & let it out to husbandmen, & went into a strange countrey.

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  And he beganne to speake vnto them by parables. A certayne man planted a vineyarde, and compassed it about with an hedge, and ordeyned a wynepresse, and built a towre, and let it out vnto husbande men: and went into a straunge countrey.

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ¶ And 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.›

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  He began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the winepress, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went into another country.

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  And he began to speak to them in similes: `A man planted a vineyard, and put a hedge around, and digged an under-winevat, and built a tower, and gave it out to husbandmen, and went abroad;

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he began to speak unto them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a pit for the winepress, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country.

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he began to speak unto them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a pit for the winepress, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country.

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And he gave them teaching in the form of stories. A man had a vine-garden planted, and put a wall about it, and made a place for crushing out the wine, and put up a tower, and let it out to field-workers, and went into another country.

• World English Bible (2000)

  He began to speak to them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a pit for the winepress, built a tower, rented it out to a farmer, and went into another country.

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  The Parable of the Tenants Then he began to speak to them in parables:“A man planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went on a journey.

Referenced Verses

• Isa 5:1-4 : 1 Let me sing now for my beloved a song of my beloved about his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill. 2 He dug it and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a tower in its center and also carved out a winepress in it. He hoped it would produce good grapes, but it yielded only wild ones. 3 Now then, you inhabitants of Jerusalem and people of Judah, judge between me and my vineyard. 4 What more could I have done for my vineyard than I have already done? Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes, did it yield only wild ones?
• Ps 80:8-9 : 8 God of Hosts, restore us! Make your face shine upon us so that we may be saved. 9 You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. 10 You cleared the ground for it; it took root and filled the land. 11 The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches. 12 It sent out its branches to the sea and its shoots to the River. 13 Why have you broken down its walls so that all who pass by pick its fruit? 14 Boars from the forest ravage it, and creatures of the field feed on it. 15 God of Hosts, return! Look down from heaven and see; take care of this vine. 16 The root your right hand has planted, the son you have raised up for yourself.
• Matt 25:14 : 14 For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his own servants and entrusted his belongings to them.
• Mark 4:2 : 2 He taught them many things in parables, and in his teaching, he told them:
• Mark 4:11-13 : 11 He answered them, "The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those outside, everything is spoken in parables. 12 "So that, 'Though they see, they may see and not perceive; and though they hear, they may hear and not understand; otherwise they might turn back and be forgiven.' 13 He said to them, "Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?
• Mark 4:33-34 : 33 With many such parables, he spoke the word to them, as much as they were able to understand. 34 He did not speak to them without a parable. But privately, he explained everything to his disciples.
• Mark 13:34 : 34 It is like a man going on a journey, who leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their task, and tells the doorkeeper to stay alert.
• Song 8:11-12 : 11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baal Hamon. He entrusted the vineyard to caretakers; each one was to bring a thousand pieces of silver for its fruit. 12 My vineyard, which belongs to me, is before me. The thousand pieces of silver are for you, Solomon, and two hundred are for those who tend its fruit.
• Luke 8:10 : 10 And He said, "The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to others, I speak in parables so that, ‘Though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’
• Luke 13:6-9 : 6 Then he told this parable: 'A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it but found none.' 7 He said to the gardener, 'For three years I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?' 8 'Sir,' the gardener replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.' 9 If it bears fruit next year, fine! But if not, then cut it down.'
• Luke 15:13 : 13 Not long after, the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in reckless living.
• Luke 19:12 : 12 So he said, "A nobleman traveled to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself and then return.
• Luke 20:9-9 : 9 Then he began to tell the people this parable: 'A man planted a vineyard, leased it to some farmers, and went away for a long time. 10 At harvest time, he sent a servant to the farmers so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 He proceeded to send another servant, but they also beat him, treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 Then he sent a third one, but they wounded him also and threw him out. 13 Then the owner of the vineyard said, 'What should I do? I will send my beloved son. Perhaps they will respect him.' 14 But when the farmers saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, 'This is the heir. Let’s kill him so that the inheritance will be ours.' 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?' 16 He will come and destroy those farmers and give the vineyard to others. When they heard this, they said, 'May it never happen!' 17 But Jesus looked at them and said, 'Then what is this that is written: "The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone"?' 18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it falls, it will crush them.' 19 The chief priests and the scribes sought to arrest him right then, but they feared the people because they knew he had spoken this parable against them.
• Luke 22:9 : 9 "Where do you want us to prepare it?" they asked him.
• John 15:1-8 : 1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you unless you remain in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and show yourselves to be my disciples.
• Acts 7:38 : 38 This is the one who was in the assembly in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; he received living words to pass on to us.
• Acts 7:46-47 : 46 David found favor in God’s sight and asked to provide a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. 47 But it was Solomon who built Him a house.
• Rom 3:1-2 : 1 What advantage is there, then, in being a Jew? Or what benefit is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! First of all, they were entrusted with the very words of God.
• Rom 9:4-5 : 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, came Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.
• Rom 11:17-24 : 17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among them and have come to share in the rich root of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. If you do boast, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 Then you will say, 'Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.' 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you either. 22 Consider then the kindness and severity of God: severity to those who fell but kindness to you, provided you continue in His kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23 And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut off from a wild olive tree and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more easily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
• Mark 12:1-9 : 1 He began to speak to them in parables. A man planted a vineyard, built a fence around it, dug a pit for the winepress, and constructed a tower. Then he leased it to farmers and went on a journey. 2 At the appointed time, he sent a servant to the farmers to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 But they seized him, beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again, he sent another servant to them. They stoned him, wounded him in the head, and sent him away dishonored. 5 He sent yet another, and they killed him. He sent many others as well; some they beat, and others they killed. 6 Finally, he had one left: a beloved son. He sent him last of all, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 7 But those farmers said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.' 8 So they took him, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. 9 What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those farmers, and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not read this Scripture: 'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.'? 11 'This came from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes.' 12 They sought to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because they understood that he had spoken the parable against them. So they left him and went away.
• Ps 147:19-20 : 19 He declares His word to Jacob, His statutes and judgments to Israel. 20 He has not done this for any other nation; they do not know His judgments. Hallelujah!
• Neh 9:13-14 : 13 You came down on Mount Sinai and spoke to them from heaven. You gave them upright judgments, true laws, good statutes, and commandments. 14 You made Your holy Sabbath known to them, and You gave them commandments, statutes, and laws through Your servant Moses.
• Ps 78:68-69 : 68 But He chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion, which He loved. 69 He built His sanctuary like the heights, like the earth that He established forever.
• Isa 7:23 : 23 On that day in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels, there will be only briers and thorns.
• Jer 2:21 : 21 I planted you as a choice vine, from the very best seed. How then have you turned into wild, degenerate branches of a foreign vine for me?
• Ezek 20:11-12 : 11 I gave them my statutes and made known to them my ordinances, by which a person who obeys them will live. 12 Also, I gave them my Sabbaths as a sign between me and them, so they would know that I am the LORD who makes them holy.
• Ezek 20:18-20 : 18 I said to their children in the wilderness, 'Do not follow the statutes of your fathers, do not observe their ordinances, and do not defile yourselves with their idols. 19 'I am the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, keep my ordinances, and obey them. 20 Sanctify my Sabbaths, and they will be a sign between me and you so that you may know that I am the LORD your God.'
• Matt 13:10-15 : 10 Then the disciples approached him and asked, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" 11 Jesus replied, "The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven have been given to you to know, but not to them. 12 For whoever has, more will be given to them, and they will have abundance. But whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken away from them. 13 That is why I speak to them in parables, because although they see, they do not see; and although they hear, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: 'You will indeed hear but never understand; you will indeed see but never perceive.' 15 For the heart of this people has grown dull; they can barely hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, turn back to me, and I would heal them.
• Matt 13:34-35 : 34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not say anything to them without using a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 'I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.'
• Matt 21:28-22:14 : 28 What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go work today in the vineyard.' 29 The son replied, 'I don’t want to.' But later, he changed his mind and went. 30 The man then went to the second son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father? They said, 'The first.' Jesus said to them, 'Truly I tell you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.' 32 For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him. But the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him. And even when you saw it, you did not later change your minds and believe him. 33 Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a winepress in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went away. 34 When the time came to harvest the fruit, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit. 35 But the tenants seized his servants. They beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. 36 Again, he sent other servants, more than the first group, but they treated them the same way. 37 Finally, he sent his son to them. 'They will respect my son,' he said. 38 But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance!' 39 So they seized him, threw him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenant farmers? 41 They said to him, 'He will bring those wretches to a miserable end and lease the vineyard to other farmers who will give him the fruit at the proper times.' 42 Jesus said to them, 'Have you never read in the Scriptures: The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This came from the Lord and is wonderful in our eyes? 43 Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruit. 44 Whoever falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but on whomever it falls, it will crush him to powder. 45 When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they knew he was speaking about them. 46 Although they were looking for a way to arrest him, they were afraid of the crowds, because the people regarded him as a prophet. 1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to call those who had been invited to the wedding, but they refused to come. 4 Again, he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited: Look, I have prepared my banquet; my oxen and fattened animals have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.' 5 But they paid no attention and went away, one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those invited were not worthy.' 9 Go therefore to the main roads, and invite everyone you find to the wedding feast. 10 So those servants went out into the roads and gathered all they found, both good and bad. The wedding hall was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 12 He said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless. 13 Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him out into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14 For many are invited, but few are chosen.