Luke 13:8 kjv

And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:

Luke 13:8 nkjv

But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.

Luke 13:8 niv

"?'Sir,' the man replied, 'leave it alone for one more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it.

Luke 13:8 esv

And he answered him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.

Luke 13:8 nlt

"The gardener answered, 'Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I'll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer.

Luke 13 verses

Luke 13 8 Meaning

Luke 13:8 describes the vinedresser's urgent plea to the vineyard owner to grant the barren fig tree one more year of grace. This servant requests to put forth extraordinary effort—digging around it and fertilizing it—in the hope that the tree might finally yield fruit. It encapsulates the divine patience and intercessory work that precede God's righteous judgment, offering a final opportunity for repentance and transformation before consequences for unrepentant barrenness.

Luke 13 8 Context

Luke 13:8 is part of the "Parable of the Barren Fig Tree" (Lk 13:6-9), which immediately follows Jesus' discourse on suffering and repentance (Lk 13:1-5). In that discourse, Jesus challenged the popular belief that calamities befell only great sinners. He emphasized that unless all individuals repent, they too would perish. The parable serves as an urgent illustration of God's patience and gracious delay of judgment, yet underscores that this patience has a limit. The owner represents God, expecting fruit from His vineyard (symbolizing Israel, and by extension, all humanity given spiritual privilege), while the fig tree itself represents unproductive Israel or individuals. The vinedresser, pleading for more time and committing to intense cultivation, typically represents Jesus Christ as the intercessor or others who actively facilitate spiritual growth in a last-ditch effort. Historically, Israel had often been compared to a vine or fig tree, and their spiritual unfruitfulness often led to divine judgment, as seen in the Old Testament. The immediate cultural context was one where the expectation of fruit (whether agricultural or spiritual) was paramount.

Luke 13 8 Word analysis

• And he answered and said to him, (ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ εἶπεν αὐτῷ - apokritheis de eipen autō):

  • And (δὲ - de): A connective particle, signaling a response that builds upon the previous statement. Here, it introduces the vinedresser's intercession directly reacting to the owner's command to cut down the tree.
  • he answered (ἀποκριθεὶς - apokritheis): A participle indicating a direct, decisive response. The vinedresser is not silent; he actively intercedes.
  • said to him (εἶπεν αὐτῷ - eipen autō): Direct address to the owner. This signifies an earnest plea from the vinedresser.

• 'Lord, (Κύριε - Kyrie):

  • This term denotes respect and submission, acknowledging the owner's authority and rightful claim over the vineyard. It is a plea, not a demand. The vinedresser is asking for a favor from his superior.

• let it alone (ἄφες - aphes):

  • An imperative verb, meaning "leave it," "let it be," or "forgive/release." Here, it's a plea for suspension of the owner's immediate command to destroy the tree. It highlights the vinedresser's desire for postponement of judgment.

• this year also, (τοῦτο τὸ ἔτος καὶ - touto to etos kai):

  • this year (τοῦτο τὸ ἔτος - touto to etos): Specifies a precise and limited timeframe. It’s not an indefinite reprieve, but a final, circumscribed period of grace.
  • also (καὶ - kai): Implies this year is an additional year of patience. It signifies an extension of grace already shown, underscoring God's prolonged patience before enacting judgment.

• until I dig around it and put on manure.' (ἕως ὅτου ἐγὼ σκάψω περὶ αὐτήν καὶ βάλω κόπρια - heōs hotou egō skapsō peri autēn kai balō kopria):

  • until I (ἕως ὅτου ἐγὼ - heōs hotou egō): Highlights the vinedresser's personal and active commitment. It shows his willingness to personally invest more effort, implying the cost and intensity of intercession.
  • dig around it (σκάψω περὶ αὐτήν - skapsō peri autēn): Refers to deep cultivation around the tree, breaking up compacted soil, and aerating the roots. This provides better water and nutrient absorption, representing intense spiritual care and creating the optimal conditions for growth.
  • and put on manure (καὶ βάλω κόπρια - kai balō kopria): This refers to applying fertilizer, literally dung. Manure was essential for fertility in ancient agriculture, especially for depleted soil. Spiritually, this signifies providing necessary nourishment for growth, perhaps representing teaching, preaching, discipleship, and fervent prayer that aids spiritual development and prompts repentance. It’s a messy, labor-intensive, and often thankless task, demonstrating deep dedication.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "Lord, let it alone this year also": This phrase captures the essence of divine patience and intercession. It's a deferral of deserved judgment, marked by grace, but with a definite time limit. This plea speaks of Christ's constant intercession for His people, holding back immediate judgment for a period.
  • "until I dig around it and put on manure": This highlights the vinedresser's sacrificial effort. It represents the active and labor-intensive work of spiritual cultivation—teaching, counseling, prayer, challenging, and nurturing—designed to foster repentance and fruitfulness in the recipient of this grace. It emphasizes that divine patience is often accompanied by fervent, practical effort from God's instruments. This commitment transforms a simple plea into a responsible plan of action.

Luke 13 8 Bonus section

The "fig tree" in biblical typology often represents Israel (Jer 8:13, Hos 9:10). This parable specifically addresses Israel's failure to bear the expected fruit of righteousness, despite being given the best spiritual care. However, its principle extends beyond national Israel to any individual or community that receives God's gracious cultivation but fails to produce spiritual fruit. The vinedresser's active role speaks not only of Christ's work but also calls believers to share in this intercessory and nurturing work, investing heavily in the lives of others for their spiritual growth, knowing the final accountability before God. The intensity of "digging" and "manuring" implies discomfort and dirtiness in ministry—going into the depths of a person's life and providing often unwelcome, yet essential, spiritual nutrients.

Luke 13 8 Commentary

Luke 13:8 provides a vivid portrayal of God’s character as patient and willing to grant extended opportunities for repentance, even when justice might seem to demand immediate judgment. The vinedresser, often understood as representing Jesus Christ, steps into the gap between the unyielding owner (God's justice) and the unfruitful tree (humanity/Israel). His plea for "this year also" is a profound testament to divine long-suffering and the intercessory work that stands between judgment and mercy. The specific actions – "dig around it and put on manure" – underscore that this extra year of grace is not passive; it involves intense, sometimes arduous, spiritual care and nourishment provided by God through His Spirit and servants. This additional cultivation signifies a heightened effort to make all necessary provisions for the tree to bear fruit, leaving no excuse for continued barrenness. It is a critical moment of last-chance grace, implying that after such dedicated efforts, if fruit still does not appear, the time for judgment will inevitably come, as suggested in the subsequent verse (Lk 13:9).

• Example 1 (Individual): A person living in prolonged unrepentance, yet still experiencing God's provisions, health, and warnings. God, like the Owner, expects fruit (repentance). But Christ, like the Vinedresser, continually intercedes, providing means for change through biblical teaching, the convicting Spirit, and faithful community until there is no longer an excuse.
• Example 2 (Community/Church): A church body becoming lukewarm and ineffective. God desires vibrant spiritual life. Through dedicated spiritual leaders (vinedressers), the church is challenged, nurtured through biblical exposition, encouraged to deeper fellowship and service (digging and manuring) for a time, awaiting renewed fruitfulness.