1Now there were some present at that very time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2Jesus responded to them, “Do you think that those Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered such things? 3No, I tell you, but if you do not repent, you will all likewise perish. 4Or those eighteen who were killed when the tower in Siloam fell on them, do you think that they were worse offenders than all the other people who dwell in Jerusalem? 5No, I tell you, but if you do not repent, you will all likewise perish.” 6Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it, but did not find any. 7So he said to the vinedresser, ‘Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree and have not found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ 8But the vinedresser answered him, ‘Sir, allow it to remain for this year also, and I will dig around it and put manure on it. 9If it bears fruit, fine0x3B but if not, you can cut it down in the coming year.’ ” |