Mark 12:1

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.›

📖 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

Referenced Verses

• Isa 5:1-4 : 1 ¶ Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill: 2 And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. 3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 4 What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?
• Ps 80:8-9 : 8 ¶ Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. 9 Thou preparedst [room] before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. 10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof [were like] the goodly cedars. 11 She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river. 12 Why hast thou [then] broken down her hedges, so that all they which pass by the way do pluck her? 13 The boar out of the wood doth waste it, and the wild beast of the field doth devour it. 14 Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; 15 And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch [that] thou madest strong for thyself. 16 [It is] burned with fire, [it is] cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance.
• Matt 25:14 : 14 ¶ ‹For› [the kingdom of heaven is] ‹as a man travelling into a far country,› [who] ‹called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.›
• Mark 4:2 : 2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,
• Mark 4:11-13 : 11 And he said unto them, ‹Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all› [these] ‹things are done in parables:› 12 ‹That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and› [their] ‹sins should be forgiven them.› 13 And he said unto them, ‹Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?›
• Mark 4:33-34 : 33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear [it]. 34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
• Mark 13:34 : 34 [For the Son of man is] ‹as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.›
• Song 8:11-12 : 11 Solomon 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. 12 My vineyard, which [is] mine, [is] before me: thou, O Solomon, [must have] a thousand, and those that keep the fruit thereof two hundred.
• Luke 8:10 : 10 And he said, ‹Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.›
• Luke 13:6-9 : 6 ¶ He spake also this parable; ‹A certain› [man] ‹had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.› 7 ‹Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?› 8 ‹And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung› [it]: 9 ‹And if it bear fruit,› [well]: ‹and if not,› [then] ‹after that thou shalt cut it down.›
• Luke 15:13 : 13 ‹And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.›
• Luke 19:12 : 12 He said therefore, ‹A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.›
• Luke 20:9-9 : 9 ¶ 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.› 10 ‹And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent› [him] ‹away empty.› 11 ‹And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated› [him] ‹shamefully, and sent› [him] away ‹empty.› 12 ‹And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast› [him] ‹out›. 13 ‹Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence› [him] ‹when they see him.› 14 ‹But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.› 15 ‹So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed› [him]. ‹What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?› 16 ‹He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others.› And when they heard [it], they said, God forbid. 17 And he beheld them, and said, ‹What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?› 18 ‹Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.› 19 And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.
• Luke 22:9 : 9 And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?
• John 15:1-8 : 1 ¶ ‹I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.› 2 ‹Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every› [branch] ‹that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.› 3 ‹Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.› 4 ‹Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.› 5 ‹I am the vine, ye› [are] ‹the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.› 6 ‹If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast› [them] ‹into the fire, and they are burned.› 7 ‹If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.› 8 ‹Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.›
• Acts 7:38 : 38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and [with] our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us:
• Acts 7:46-47 : 46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob. 47 But Solomon built him an house.
• Rom 3:1-2 : 1 ¶ What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit [is there] of circumcision? 2 Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.
• Rom 9:4-5 : 4 Who are Israelites; to whom [pertaineth] the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service [of God], and the promises; 5 Whose [are] the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ [came], who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
• Rom 11:17-24 : 17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God spared not the natural branches, [take heed] lest he also spare not thee. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in [his] goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural [branches], be graffed into their own olive tree?
• Mark 12:1-9 : 1 ¶ 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.› 2 ‹And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.› 3 ‹And they caught› [him], ‹and beat him, and sent› [him] ‹away empty.› 4 ‹And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded› [him] ‹in the head, and sent› [him] ‹away shamefully handled.› 5 ‹And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.› 6 ‹Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.› 7 ‹But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.› 8 ‹And they took him, and killed› [him], ‹and cast› [him] ‹out of the vineyard.› 9 ‹What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.› 10 ‹And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:› 11 ‹This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?› 12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.
• Ps 147:19-20 : 19 He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. 20 He hath not dealt so with any nation: and [as for his] judgments, they have not known them. Praise ye the LORD.
• Neh 9:13-14 : 13 Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments: 14 And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:
• Ps 78:68-69 : 68 But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved. 69 And he built his sanctuary like high [palaces], like the earth which he hath established for ever.
• Isa 7:23 : 23 And it shall come to pass in that day, [that] every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall [even] be for briers and thorns.
• Jer 2:21 : 21 Yet 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?
• Ezek 20:11-12 : 11 And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which [if] a man do, he shall even live in them. 12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I [am] the LORD that sanctify them.
• Ezek 20:18-20 : 18 But I said unto their children in the wilderness, Walk ye not in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols: 19 I [am] the LORD your God; walk in my statutes, and keep my judgments, and do them; 20 And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I [am] the LORD your God.
• Ezek 20:49 : 49 Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?
• Matt 13:10-15 : 10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, ‹Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.› 12 ‹For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.› 13 ‹Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.› 14 ‹And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:› 15 ‹For this people's heart is waxed gross, and› [their] ‹ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with› [their] ‹eyes, and hear with› [their] ‹ears, and should understand with› [their] ‹heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.›
• Matt 13:34-35 : 34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: 35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
• Matt 21:28-22:14 : 28 ¶ ‹But what think ye? A› [certain] ‹man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard.› 29 ‹He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went.› 30 ‹And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I› [go], ‹sir: and went not.› 31 ‹Whether of them twain did the will of› [his] ‹father?› They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, ‹Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you.› 32 ‹For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen› [it], ‹repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.› 33 ¶ ‹Hear 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:› 34 ‹And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.› 35 ‹And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.› 36 ‹Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.› 37 ‹But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.› 38 ‹But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.› 39 ‹And they caught him, and cast› [him] ‹out of the vineyard, and slew› [him]. 40 ‹When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?› 41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out [his] vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. 42 Jesus saith unto them, ‹Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?› 43 ‹Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.› 44 ‹And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.› 45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them. 46 But when they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the multitude, because they took him for a prophet. 1 ¶ And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2 ‹The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,› 3 ‹And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.› 4 ‹Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and› [my] ‹fatlings› [are] ‹killed, and all things› [are] ‹ready: come unto the marriage.› 5 ‹But they made light of› [it], ‹and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:› 6 ‹And the remnant took his servants, and entreated› [them] ‹spitefully, and slew› [them]. 7 ‹But when the king heard› [thereof], ‹he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.› 8 ‹Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.› 9 ‹Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.› 10 ‹So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.› 11 ‹And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:› 12 ‹And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.› 13 ‹Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast› [him] ‹into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.› 14 ‹For many are called, but few› [are] ‹chosen.›