“ Son of man, how does a grapevine compare to a tree? Is a vine’s wood as useful as the wood of a tree?

“人子啊，葡萄树比别样树有什么强处？葡萄枝比众树枝有什么好处？

“人子啊，葡萄树比一切其他的树，就是树林里众树木的树枝，有什么长处呢？

“人子啊，葡萄树比一切其他的树，就是树林里众树木的树枝，有什么长处呢？

“人子啊，葡萄木比林中其他木材更好吗？

“人子啊！葡萄树的木料怎能胜过树林中的枝子呢？

「人子啊，葡萄樹比別樣樹有甚麼強處？葡萄枝比眾樹枝有甚麼好處？

「人子啊，葡萄樹比一切其他的樹，就是樹林裏眾樹木的樹枝，有甚麼長處呢？

「人子啊，葡萄樹比一切其他的樹，就是樹林裏眾樹木的樹枝，有甚麼長處呢？

「人子啊，葡萄木比林中其他木材更好嗎？

“人子啊！葡萄樹的木料怎能勝過樹林中的枝子呢？

『人子啊，葡萄樹比別樣樹有甚麼強處呢？森林樹木中的葡萄枝比別的樹枝有甚麼好處呢？

人子歟、葡萄樹在眾木中、葡萄枝在叢林中、有何長乎、

人子、葡萄之樹、豈得於林中眾木、等量齊觀乎。

人子、葡萄樹較諸他樹、有何長乎、葡萄樹枝、在林之諸樹中、有何勝乎、

“ Son of man, how is the wood of a vine different from that of a branch from any of the trees in the forest?

“ Son of man, how is the wood of a vine different from the wood of any tree in the forest?

“ Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any wood, the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest?

“ Son of man, how does the wood of the vine, that branch among the trees of the forest, compare to any other wood?

“ Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any wood of a branch which is among the trees of the forest?

“ Son of man, how is the wood of the vine better than any other wood, the vine branch which is among the trees of the forest?

Son of man, what is the vine- tree more than any tree, the vine- branch which is among the trees of the forest?

“ Son of man, how does the wood of the vine, that branch among the trees of the forest, compare to any other wood?

Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree,[ or than] a branch which is among the trees of the forest?

“ Son of man, of all the woody branches among the trees of the forest, what happens to the wood of the vine?

“ Son of man, what is the vine tree more than any tree, the vine- branch which is among the trees of the forest?

Now I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a rich and fertile hill.He plowed the land, cleared its stones, and planted it with the best vines. In the middle he built a watchtower and carved a winepress in the nearby rocks. Then he waited for a harvest of sweet grapes, but the grapes that grew were bitter.Now, you people of Jerusalem and Judah, you judge between me and my vineyard.What more could I have done for my vineyard that I have not already done? When I expected sweet grapes, why did my vineyard give me bitter grapes?Now let me tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will tear down its hedges and let it be destroyed. I will break down its walls and let the animals trample it.I will make it a wild place where the vines are not pruned and the ground is not hoed, a place overgrown with briers and thorns. I will command the clouds to drop no rain on it.The nation of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. The people of Judah are his pleasant garden. He expected a crop of justice, but instead he found oppression. He expected to find righteousness, but instead he heard cries of violence.

How prosperous Israel is— a luxuriant vine loaded with fruit. But the richer the people get, the more pagan altars they build. The more bountiful their harvests, the more beautiful their sacred pillars.

You brought us from Egypt like a grapevine; you drove away the pagan nations and transplanted us into your land.You cleared the ground for us, and we took root and filled the land.Our shade covered the mountains; our branches covered the mighty cedars.We spread our branches west to the Mediterranean Sea; our shoots spread east to the Euphrates River.But now, why have you broken down our walls so that all who pass by may steal our fruit?The wild boar from the forest devours it, and the wild animals feed on it.Come back, we beg you, O God of Heaven’s Armies. Look down from heaven and see our plight. Take care of this grapevinethat you yourself have planted, this son you have raised for yourself.For we are chopped up and burned by our enemies. May they perish at the sight of your frown.

But I was the one who planted you, choosing a vine of the purest stock— the very best. How did you grow into this corrupt wild vine?

I went down to the grove of walnut trees and out to the valley to see the new spring growth, to see whether the grapevines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom.

Now Jesus turned to the people again and told them this story:“ A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for several years.At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty handed.So the owner sent another servant, but they also insulted him, beat him up, and sent him away empty handed.A third man was sent, and they wounded him and chased him away.“‘ What will I do?’ the owner asked himself.‘ I know! I’ll send my cherished son. Surely they will respect him.’“ But when the tenant farmers saw his son, they said to each other,‘ Here comes the heir to this estate. Let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’So they dragged him out of the vineyard and murdered him.“ What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to them?” Jesus asked.“ I’ll tell you— he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others.”“ How terrible that such a thing should ever happen,” his listeners protested.

“ I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.“ Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.

Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming!

Let us get up early and go to the vineyards to see if the grapevines have budded, if the blossoms have opened, and if the pomegranates have bloomed. There I will give you my love.

Solomon has a vineyard at Baal hamon, which he leases out to tenant farmers. Each of them pays a thousand pieces of silver for harvesting its fruit.But my vineyard is mine to give, and Solomon need not pay a thousand pieces of silver. But I will give two hundred pieces to those who care for its vines.

Weep, you cypress trees, for all the ruined cedars; the most majestic ones have fallen. Weep, you oaks of Bashan, for the thick forests have been cut down.

The fig trees are forming young fruit, and the fragrant grapevines are blossoming. Rise up, my darling! Come away with me, my fair one!”

Because of you, Mount Zion will be plowed like an open field; Jerusalem will be reduced to ruins! A thicket will grow on the heights where the Temple now stands.

“ Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country.At the time of the grape harvest, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop.But the farmers grabbed his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.So the landowner sent a larger group of his servants to collect for him, but the results were the same.“ Finally, the owner sent his son, thinking,‘ Surely they will respect my son.’“ But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another,‘ Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’So they grabbed him, dragged him out of the vineyard, and murdered him.“ When the owner of the vineyard returns,” Jesus asked,“ what do you think he will do to those farmers?”The religious leaders replied,“ He will put the wicked men to a horrible death and lease the vineyard to others who will give him his share of the crop after each harvest.”

Then Jesus began teaching them with stories:“ A man planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country.At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop.But the farmers grabbed the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty handed.The owner then sent another servant, but they insulted him and beat him over the head.The next servant he sent was killed. Others he sent were either beaten or killed,until there was only one left— his son whom he loved dearly. The owner finally sent him, thinking,‘ Surely they will respect my son.’“ But the tenant farmers said to one another,‘ Here comes the heir to this estate. Let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’So they grabbed him and murdered him and threw his body out of the vineyard.“ What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do?” Jesus asked.“ I’ll tell you— he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others.

Sing, O heavens, for the Lord has done this wondrous thing. Shout for joy, O depths of the earth! Break into song, O mountains and forests and every tree! For the Lord has redeemed Jacob and is glorified in Israel.

Their vine grows from the vine of Sodom, from the vineyards of Gomorrah. Their grapes are poison, and their clusters are bitter.Their wine is the venom of serpents, the deadly poison of cobras.