Luke 13:7

KJV1611 – Modern English

Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why does it use up the ground?

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

Εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς τὸν ἀμπελουργόν, Ἰδού, τρία ἔτη ἔρχομαι ζητῶν καρπὸν ἐν τῇ συκῇ ταύτῃ, καὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκω: ἔκκοψον αὐτήν· ἱνα τί καὶ τὴν γῆν καταργεῖ;

Transliteration

Eipen de pros the ampelourgon, Idou, three etē erchomai zētōn karpon in the sykē this, and not heuriskō: ekkopson it; for what also the gēn katargei?

Grammar Details

• *Eipen*: aorist, active, indicative, 3rd singular - said/spoke
• *de*: postpositive conjunction - but/and/now
• *pros*: preposition + accusative - to/toward
• *ampelourgon*: accusative, masculine, singular - vinedresser
• *Idou*: aorist imperative, middle - behold/look/see
• *etē*: accusative, neuter, plural - years
• *erchomai*: present, middle, indicative, 1st singular - I come
• *zētōn*: present participle, active, nominative, masculine, singular - seeking
• *karpon*: accusative, masculine, singular - fruit
• *sykē*: dative, feminine, singular - fig tree
• *heuriskō*: present, active, indicative, 1st singular - I find
• *ekkopson*: aorist imperative, active, 2nd singular - cut down/out
• *gēn*: accusative, feminine, singular - land/ground/earth
• *katargei*: present, active, indicative, 3rd singular - makes useless/nullifies

Word Meanings

• *pros*: to/toward/with
• *ampelourgon*: vinedresser/vineyard keeper
• *Idou*: behold/look/see
• *erchomai*: I come/am coming
• *zētōn*: seeking/looking for
• *karpon*: fruit/produce/result
• *heuriskō*: I find/discover/locate
• *ekkopson*: cut down/cut out/eliminate
• *katargei*: makes useless/wastes/takes up space

Other Translations

• Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

  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?'

• King James Version 1769 (Standard Version)

  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?

• American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

  And he said unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground?

• King James Version with Strong's Numbers

  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?

• Tyndale Bible (1526/1534)

  Then sayde he to ye dresser of his vyneyarde: Beholde this thre yeare have I come and sought frute in this fygge tree and fynde none: cut it doune: why combreth it the grounde?

• Coverdale Bible (1535)

  Then sayde he vnto the wynegardener: Beholde, This thre yeare longe haue I come euery yeare, and sought frute vpon this fygge tre, and fynde none: cut it downe, why hyndreth it the grounde?

• Geneva Bible (1560)

  Then said he to the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, this three yeeres haue I come and sought fruite of this figge tree, and finde none: cut it downe: why keepeth it also the ground barren?

• Bishops' Bible (1568)

  Then sayde he to the dresser of his vineyarde: Beholde, this three yere I haue come & sought fruite in this figge tree, and finde none: cut it downe, why cumbreth it the grounde?

• Authorized King James Version (1611)

  ‹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?›

• Webster's Bible (1833)

  He said to the vine dresser, 'Behold, these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and found none. Cut it down. Why does it waste the soil?'

• Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

  and he said unto the vine-dresser, Lo, three years I come seeking fruit in this fig-tree, and do not find, cut it off, why also the ground doth it render useless?

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he said unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground?

• American Standard Version (1901)

  And he said unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground?

• Bible in Basic English (1941)

  And he said to the gardener, See, for three years I have been looking for fruit from this tree, and I have not had any: let it be cut down; why is it taking up space?

• World English Bible (2000)

  He said to the vine dresser, 'Behold, these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and found none. Cut it down. Why does it waste the soil?'

• NET Bible® (New English Translation)

  So he said to the worker who tended the vineyard,‘For three years now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and each time I inspect it I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue to deplete the soil?’

Referenced Verses

• Matt 7:19 : 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
• Luke 3:9 : 9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore that does not produce good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.
• Exod 32:10 : 10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and I will make of you a great nation."
• Rom 2:4-5 : 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But because of your hardness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
• Lev 19:23 : 23 And when you come into the land, and have planted all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as uncircumcised: three years it shall be as uncircumcised to you: it shall not be eaten.
• Lev 25:21 : 21 Then I will command my blessing upon you in the sixth year, and it shall bring forth fruit for three years.
• Dan 4:14 : 14 He cried aloud, and said this, 'Cut down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit; let the beasts get away from under it, and the birds from its branches.
• Matt 3:9-9 : 9 And do not think to say within yourselves, We have Abraham as our father: for I say to you, that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And now also the axe is laid to the root of the trees: therefore every tree which does not bring forth good fruit is cut down and cast into the fire.
• John 15:2 : 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it, that it may produce more fruit.
• John 15:6 : 6 If anyone does not abide 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.