Mark 12:1

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.

📖 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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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 Now I will sing to my beloved a song of my beloved concerning his vineyard. My beloved has a vineyard on a very fruitful hill: 2 And he fenced it, and removed its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress in it: and he expected it to bring forth grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes. 3 And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, between me and my vineyard. 4 What more could have been done to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? Why, when I looked for it to bring forth grapes, did it bring forth wild grapes?
• Ps 80:8-9 : 8 You have brought a vine out of Egypt; you have cast out the nations, and planted it. 9 You prepared room before it, and caused it to take deep root, and it filled the land. 10 The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and its boughs were like the majestic cedars. 11 It sent out its boughs unto the sea, and its branches unto the river. 12 Why have you then broken down its hedges, so that all those who pass by the way pluck it? 13 The boar out of the woods destroys it, and the wild beasts of the field devour it. 14 Return, we beseech you, O God of hosts; look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; 15 And the vineyard which your right hand has planted, and the branch that you made strong for yourself. 16 It is burned with fire, it is cut down; they perish at the rebuke of your countenance.
• Matt 25:14 : 14 For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and entrusted his goods to them.
• Mark 4:2 : 2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said to them in his doctrine,
• Mark 4:11-13 : 11 And he said to them, To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to those who are outside, all 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 to them, Do you not know this parable? How then will you know all parables?
• Mark 4:33-34 : 33 And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34 But without a parable he did not speak to them, and when they were alone, he explained all things to his disciples.
• Mark 13:34 : 34 For the Son of Man is like 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 doorkeeper to watch.
• Song 8:11-12 : 11 Solomon had a vineyard at Baalhamon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; each one was to bring a thousand pieces of silver for its fruit. 12 My vineyard, which is mine, is before me: you, O Solomon, must have a thousand, and those that keep its fruit two hundred.
• Luke 8:10 : 10 And he said, To 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 also spoke this parable: A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 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? 8 And he answered and said to him, Lord, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it: 9 And if it bears fruit, well: and if not, then after that you shall cut it down.
• Luke 15:13 : 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered everything together, and took his journey to 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 he began to speak this parable to the people: A certain man planted a vineyard, and rented it out to tenant farmers, and went into a far country for a long time. 10 And at harvest time he sent a servant to the tenant farmers, that they would give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the tenant farmers beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 11 And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and treated him shamefully, and sent him away empty-handed. 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 respect him when they see him. 14 But when the tenant farmers 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 to them? 16 He shall come and destroy those tenant farmers, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. 17 And he looked at them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the cornerstone? 18 Whoever falls upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it falls, it will grind him to powder. 19 And the chief priests and the scribes tried to lay hands on him at that very hour; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.
• Luke 22:9 : 9 And they said to him, Where do you want us to prepare it?
• John 15:1-8 : 1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 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. 3 Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, no more can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit, for without me you can do nothing. 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. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you shall be my disciples.
• Acts 7:38 : 38 This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; who received the living oracles to give to us:
• Acts 7:46-47 : 46 Who found favor before God and asked to find a dwelling for the God of Jacob. 47 But Solomon built Him a house.
• Rom 3:1-2 : 1 What advantage then has the Jew? Or what profit is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way: chiefly, because to them were entrusted the oracles of God.
• Rom 9:4-5 : 4 Who are Israelites; to whom belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; 5 Of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen.
• Rom 11:17-24 : 17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them partake of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, The branches were broken off that I might be grafted in. 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, who are natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
• Mark 12:1-9 : 1 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. 2 At harvest time, he sent a servant to the farmers to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 But they seized him, and beat him, and sent him away empty-handed. 4 Again, he sent another servant to them; and they threw stones at him, wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully treated. 5 He sent yet another, and him they killed; as well as many others, beating some and killing some. 6 Therefore, having one son, his beloved, he sent him to them last, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 7 But those farmers said among themselves, '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 the farmers, and give the vineyard to others. 10 Have you not read this scripture: 'The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone: 11 This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'? 12 They sought to arrest him, but feared the crowd, for they knew he had spoken the parable against them. So they left him and went away.
• Ps 147:19-20 : 19 He shows his word to Jacob, his statutes and his judgments to Israel. 20 He has not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have not known them. Praise the LORD.
• Neh 9:13-14 : 13 You came down also on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them just statutes and true laws, good statutes and commandments. 14 You made known to them Your holy Sabbath, and commanded them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses Your servant.
• Ps 78:68-69 : 68 But chose the tribe of Judah, Mount Zion which he loved. 69 And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he has established forever.
• Isa 7:23 : 23 And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silverlings, it shall even be for briers and thorns.
• Jer 2:21 : 21 Yet I had planted you a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then have you turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine to me?
• Ezek 20:11-12 : 11 And I gave them my statutes, and showed them my judgments, which if a man does, he shall even live in them. 12 Moreover I also gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.
• Ezek 20:18-20 : 18 But I said to their children in the wilderness, Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor 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 you may know that I am the LORD your God.
• Ezek 20:49 : 49 Then I said, Ah Lord GOD! they say of me, Does he not speak in parables?
• Matt 13:10-15 : 10 And the disciples came to Him and asked, Why do You speak to them in parables? 11 He replied, Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 To whoever has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: By hearing, you shall hear and shall not understand; and seeing, you shall see and shall not perceive. 15 For this people's heart has become callous; they hardly 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, and turn, and I would heal them.
• Matt 13:34-35 : 34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. 35 So was fulfilled 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 But what do you think? A certain man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, Son, go work today 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; but he did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father? They said to him, The first. Jesus said to them, Truly I say to you, that tax collectors and harlots go into 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 harlots believed him, and when you had seen it, you did not afterward repent and believe him. 33 Hear another parable: There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and hedged it around, dug a winepress in it, built a tower, and leased it to vine dressers, and went into a far country. 34 And when the time of fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the vine dressers, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35 And the vine dressers took his servants, beat one, killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first, and they did likewise to them. 37 But last of all, he sent his son to them, saying, They will respect my son. 38 But when the vine dressers saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance. 39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. 40 When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine dressers? 41 They said to him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will lease his vineyard to other vine dressers who will render him the fruits in their seasons. 42 Jesus said to them, Did you never read in the Scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? 43 Therefore I say to you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation producing its fruits. 44 And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder. 45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke of them. 46 But when they sought to seize him, they feared the multitude because they considered him a prophet. 1 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again in parables, saying, 2 The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king, who prepared a wedding for his son, 3 And sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they would not come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and fattened cattle are slaughtered, and everything is ready: come to the wedding. 5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his business: 6 And the rest seized his servants, mistreated them spitefully, and killed them. 7 But when the king heard about it, he was angry: and he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding. 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was filled with guests. 11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.