And if it bear fruit, [well]: and if not, [then] after that thou shalt cut it down.
And if {G2579}{G3303} it bear {G4160} fruit {G2590}, well: and if not {G1490}, then after that {G1519}{G3195} thou shalt cut {G1581} it {G846} down {G1581}.
If it bears fruit next year, well and good; if not, you will have it cut down then.’”
If it bears fruit next year, fine. But if not, you can cut it down.’”
and if it bear fruit thenceforth, well; but if not, thou shalt cut it down.
-
John 15:2
Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every [branch] that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. -
Hebrews 6:8
But that which beareth thorns and briers [is] rejected, and [is] nigh unto cursing; whose end [is] to be burned. -
1 Thessalonians 2:15
Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: -
Ezra 9:14
Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed [us], so that [there should be] no remnant nor escaping? -
Ezra 9:15
O LORD God of Israel, thou [art] righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as [it is] this day: behold, we [are] before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this. -
Psalms 69:22
¶ Let their table become a snare before them: and [that which should have been] for [their] welfare, [let it become] a trap. -
Psalms 69:28
Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.
Luke 13:9 concludes the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree, delivered by Jesus. This verse highlights the critical outcome of the extended period of grace offered by the vineyard keeper, representing God's patience and the intercession of Christ.
Context
This parable is set immediately after Jesus addresses current events concerning the death of Galileans at Pilate's hand and eighteen people killed by the collapse of the Tower of Siloam. Jesus uses these tragedies not to imply that the victims were greater sinners, but to underscore the universal need for repentance. He warns, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:3, Luke 13:5). The fig tree, often a symbol for Israel, but also applicable to individuals, had been given three years to produce fruit, then a further year with intensified care ("digging about it, and dunging it"). Verse 9 delivers the final ultimatum: if fruit is still not borne, it will be cut down.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insight
The KJV uses brackets around "[well]" and "[then]" to indicate that these words are supplied by the translators for clarity and flow, not being explicitly present in the original Greek. The Greek phrase for "cut it down" (ἐκκόψεις - ekkopses) is a strong verb, meaning to cut out, cut off, or cut down, implying a decisive and final removal. This emphasizes the stark and irreversible nature of the judgment if fruitlessness persists.
Practical Application
Luke 13:9 serves as a profound warning and an enduring call to self-examination for believers and non-believers alike. It challenges us to consider: