Luke 13 · Verse 6

Luke 13:6

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.
Luke 13:6, King James Version

Luke 13:6 in other translations

BSBThen Jesus told this parable: “A man had a fig tree that was planted in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any.
WEBHe spoke this parable. “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.
ASVAnd he spake this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and found none.
YLTAnd he spake this simile: ‘A certain one had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit in it, and he did not find;
DARBYAnd he spoke this parable: A certain man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit upon it and did not find any.
BBEAnd he made up this story for them: A certain man had a fig-tree in his garden, and he came to get fruit from it, and there was no fruit.
WebsterHe spoke also this parable: A certain man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit on it, and found none.

What does Luke 13:6 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Luke 13:6-9
6-9. fig tree--Israel, as the visible witness of God in the world, but generally all within the pale of the visible Church of God; a familiar figure (compare Is 5:1-7; Joh 15:1-8, &c.). vineyard--a spot selected for its fertility, separated from the surrounding fields, and cultivated with special care, with a view solely to fruit. came and sought fruit--a heart turned to God; the fruits of righteousness; compare Mt 21:33, 34, and Is 5:2, "He looked that it should bring forth fruit"; He has a right to it, and will require it.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Barnes' Notes
Verse 6. This parable. Mt 13:3.

Vineyard. A place where vines were planted. It was not common to plant fig-trees in them, but our Lord represents it as having been sometimes done.

(d) "A certain man" Is 5:1, Mt 21:19 (e) "sought fruit thereon" Jn 15:16, Gal 5:22, Phi 4:17

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 6 A certain man - Many meanings are given to this parable, and divines may abound in them; the sense which our Lord designed to convey by it appears to be the following: - 1. A person, τις, God Almighty. 2. Had a fig tree, the Jewish Church. 3. Planted in his vineyard - established in the land of Judea. 4. He came seeking fruit - he required that the Jewish people should walk in righteousness, in proportion to the spiritual culture he bestowed on them. 5. The vine-dresser - the Lord Jesus, for God hath committed all judgment to the Son, Joh 5:22. 6. Cut it down - let the Roman sword be unsheathed against it. 7. Let it alone - Christ is represented as intercessor for sinners, for whose sake the day of their probation is often lengthened; during which time he is constantly employed in doing every thing that has a tendency to promote their salvation. 8. Thou shalt cut it down - a time will come, that those who have not turned at God's invitations and reproofs shall be cut off, and numbered with the transgressors.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Luke 13:6-9
This parable of the barren fig-tree is intended to enforce the warning given just before: the barren tree, except it brings forth fruit, will be cut down. This parable in the first place refers to the nation and people of the Jews. Yet it is, without doubt, for awakening all that enjoy the means of grace, and the privileges of the visible church. When God has borne long, we may hope that he will bear with us yet a little longer, but we cannot expect that he will bear always.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Luke 13:6 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἜλεγενElegenHe was speakingG3004
δὲdethenG1161
ταύτηνtautēnthisG3778
τὴνtēn<the>G3588
παραβολήν·parabolēnparable:G3850
συκῆνsukēnA fig treeG4808
εἶχένeichenhadG2192
τιςtisa certain [man]G5100
πεφυτευμένηνpephuteumenēnplantedG5452
ἐνeninG1722
τῷtōtheG3588
ἀμπελῶνιampelōnivineyardG290
αὐτοῦautouof himG846
καὶkaiandG2532
ἦλθενēlthenhe cameG2064
ζητῶνzētōnseekingG2212
καρπὸνkarponfruitG2590
ἐνenonG1722
αὐτῇautēaitG846
καὶkaiandG2532
οὐχouchnotG3756
εὗρεν.heurendid find [any].G2147

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Luke 13:6

  • John 15:16

    Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

  • Isaiah 5:1-4

    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: 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. And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. 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?

  • Galatians 5:22

    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

  • Matthew 21:19-20

    And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away. And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

  • Jeremiah 2:21

    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?

  • Mark 11:12-14

    And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

  • Psalms 80:8-13

    Thou hast brought a vine out of Egypt: thou hast cast out the heathen, and planted it. Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river. …

  • Philippians 4:17

    Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.

  • Matthew 21:34-40

    And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. …

  • Luke 20:10-14

    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. And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. 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. …

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
fig-tree.
Ps 80:8-13; Isa 5:1-4; Jer 2:21; Mt 21:19,20; Mr 11:12-14
and he came.
20:10-14; Mt 21:34-40; Joh 15:16; Ga 5:22; Php 4:17

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Luke 13:5

    I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

  • Luke 13:6

    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.

  • Luke 13:7

    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?

Read all of Luke 13

Luke 13:6 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y dijo esta parábola: Tenía uno una higuera plantada en su viña, y vino á buscar fruto en ella, y no lo halló.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et il disait cette parabole: Quelqu’un avait un figuier planté dans sa vigne; et il vint y chercher du fruit, et il n’en trouva point.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Er sagte aber dieses Gleichnis: Es hatte jemand einen Feigenbaum, der in seinem Weinberge gepflanzt war; und er kam und suchte Frucht an ihm und fand keine.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dicebat autem et hanc similitudinem: Arborem fici habebat quidam plantatam in vinea sua, et venit quærens fructum in illa, et non invenit.