Luke 20:16 kjv
He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.
Luke 20:16 nkjv
He will come and destroy those vinedressers and give the vineyard to others." And when they heard it they said, "Certainly not!"
Luke 20:16 niv
He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others." When the people heard this, they said, "God forbid!"
Luke 20:16 esv
He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others." When they heard this, they said, "Surely not!"
Luke 20:16 nlt
"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.
Luke 20 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Isa 5:1-7 | My beloved had a vineyard on a very fertile hill… He expected it to yield grapes, but it yielded only wild grapes. | Israel as a vineyard, failing to bear fruit. |
| Ps 118:22 | The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. | Prophecy of Christ's rejection and exaltation. |
| Mt 21:33-46 | Jesus tells the Parable of the Wicked Tenants in Matthew's Gospel, concluding similarly. | Parallel parable and identical conclusion. |
| Mk 12:1-12 | Mark's account of the same parable, leading to a similar outcome. | Parallel parable, emphasizing rejection. |
| Mt 21:43 | Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. | Direct statement of kingdom transfer. |
| Acts 13:46 | Then Paul and Barnabas answered them boldly: "It was necessary to speak the word of God to you first. Since you reject it and do not consider yourselves worthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles." | Gospel taken from Jews to Gentiles. |
| Rom 11:11-12 | Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Their transgression has brought salvation to the Gentiles. | Partial hardening of Israel, Gentile inclusion. |
| Rom 11:17-21 | If some of the branches have been broken off, and you… have been grafted in… | Wild olive branches (Gentiles) grafted in. |
| 1 Pet 2:4-8 | As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him—you also… | Christ, the rejected stone; believers as spiritual house. |
| Jer 23:1-4 | "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!" declares the Lord. | Judgment on unfaithful spiritual leaders. |
| Ezek 34:1-10 | The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves!…'" | Condemnation of self-serving shepherds. |
| Isa 27:2-6 | In that day, "Sing about a fruitful vineyard: I, the Lord, am its keeper… Israel will bud and blossom and fill the whole world with fruit." | God's intention for a fruitful people. |
| Jn 15:1-8 | I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener… Every branch in me that bears no fruit he prunes away… | Believers' need to bear fruit for God. |
| Rev 19:15 | Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. | Christ's future judgment. |
| Heb 2:2-3 | For since the message given through angels was firm… how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? | Consequence of neglecting salvation. |
| Lk 19:43-44 | For the days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you… | Prophecy of Jerusalem's destruction. |
| Dan 2:44 | In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. | God's eternal kingdom replacing earthly rule. |
| Lk 13:6-9 | Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any…" | Parable of the barren fig tree, illustrating delayed judgment. |
| Lk 21:20-24 | "When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near." | Fulfillment of judgment on Jerusalem. |
| 1 Cor 9:26-27 | I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. | Disqualification for failing to fulfill a calling. |
| Rev 21:3-4 | "Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them… " | New covenant, God's dwelling with His new people. |
Luke 20 verses
Luke 20 16 Meaning
Luke 20:16 speaks of God's certain judgment upon the unfaithful spiritual leaders who rejected and harmed His messengers, culminating in the killing of His Son. It declares that God will remove these unrighteous stewards from their position of authority and transfer His spiritual privileges, often represented as the Kingdom of God or covenant blessings, to new, faithful people who will genuinely bear fruit for Him. This signifies a profound shift in stewardship from the Jewish leadership to those who would embrace Christ.
Luke 20 16 Context
Luke 20:16 is the climatic conclusion of the Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers (Lk 20:9-16a), a powerful allegory delivered by Jesus in the Temple courts. This parable was told immediately after the chief priests, scribes, and elders questioned Jesus' authority (Lk 20:1-8). Jesus used the parable to respond to their challenge and reveal their true spiritual condition and impending judgment. The vineyard typically represents Israel (Isa 5:1-7), the owner is God, His servants are the prophets sent over time, and the beloved son is Jesus Himself. The "tenants" explicitly represent the unfaithful religious leaders of Israel who repeatedly rejected and killed God's messengers and were planning to kill Jesus to seize the inheritance (God's kingdom for themselves). Jesus' audience, including these leaders, would have understood the direct implication of this parable as a severe indictment against them. The verse's prediction of destruction and transfer of the vineyard (authority/privilege of God's people) serves as a direct polemic against their presumed eternal hold on spiritual leadership and blessings. It sets the stage for their intensifying hostility towards Jesus.
Luke 20 16 Word analysis
- He will come: The Greek is ἔρχεται (erchetai), which is in the present tense, but here functions with a future meaning, conveying absolute certainty and imminence. It indicates an unavoidable, destined event. This "He" refers to the owner of the vineyard, representing God Himself, who will execute justice. It underlines God's ultimate sovereignty and intervention in human affairs, a divine judgment against those who resist His will.
- and destroy: The Greek term is ἀπολέσει (apolessei), meaning "to utterly destroy," "to cause to perish," or "to put to death." This is a strong word denoting not merely removal but total ruin or devastation. It refers to the physical and spiritual destruction of the wicked tenants, including their status, authority, and possibly their very lives. Historically, this prophecy found fulfillment in the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and the end of the temple-centered Jewish system, confirming God's judgment on a leadership that rejected His Messiah.
- these tenants: The Greek phrase is τοὺς γεωργοὺς τούτους (tous geōrgous toutous). "γεωργοὺς" (geōrgous) means "farmers" or "vinedressers," identifying their role as those entrusted with the care of God's people. The demonstrative pronoun "τούτους" (toutous), "these," is crucial; it points directly and emphatically to the Jewish religious leaders present, underscoring that Jesus' parable is a direct accusation and prophecy aimed at them. They had been given charge over God's vineyard, Israel, but had proven unfaithful and rebellious. Their wickedness was in usurping the owner's authority and withholding the fruit.
- and give: The Greek is καὶ δώσει (kai dōsei), indicating a direct act of divine will. This signifies God's sovereign decision and action in reassigning the stewardship of His vineyard. It's a proactive transfer, not a passive one, showing that God's plan of salvation will proceed regardless of human rejection.
- the vineyard: The Greek is τὸν ἀμπελῶνα (ton ampelōna). In biblical tradition, particularly from Isaiah 5:1-7, the vineyard is a well-established metaphor for the nation of Israel as God's chosen people, under His divine care and expecting fruit. Here, it also represents the covenant relationship, the spiritual privileges, and the Kingdom of God that the Jewish leadership had stewardship over. The "fruit" expected from the vineyard symbolizes righteousness, justice, and faithful obedience.
- to others: The Greek word is ἄλλοις (allois), which is plural, meaning "to others," not "to another." This points to a new collective group who will receive the privileges and responsibilities. This shift signifies the inclusion of the Gentiles into the covenant community (the Church), who would become the new spiritual Israel, bringing forth the fruits of the Kingdom that the original tenants had failed to produce. This marked a profound shift in salvation history.
Luke 20 16 Bonus section
The shock and immediate reaction of the listeners ("When they heard this, they said, 'May this never happen!' – Luke 20:16b") clearly indicate they understood Jesus' direct accusation. Their plea "May this never happen!" (Μὴ γένοιτο! - Mē genoito!) highlights their awareness of the implications of the parable for them, showing Jesus' words hit their mark with precision and conviction, even as they hardened their hearts. This divine judgment described by Jesus is not arbitrary but flows directly from their persistent spiritual bankruptcy, rejection of God's repeated invitations through the prophets, and ultimate opposition to God's Son. The transfer of the "vineyard" emphasizes that God's plan will prevail; if one group fails in its stewardship, God will find new, faithful stewards to accomplish His purposes. It speaks to the principle that privileges come with responsibility, and unfaithfulness leads to removal from a position of trust.
Luke 20 16 Commentary
Luke 20:16 concludes Jesus' potent Parable of the Wicked Vinedressers with a stark prophetic statement. The verse directly proclaims God's decisive judgment against the religious authorities of Israel who had persistently rejected and persecuted God's prophets and were about to crucify His Son. It emphasizes that divine patience has limits, and unrepentant rebellion against God's overtures will inevitably lead to devastating consequences. The "destruction" signifies not just their personal doom but the systemic end of their authority and role as caretakers of God's spiritual vineyard, historically fulfilled in the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem, ending the Old Covenant sacrificial system. The subsequent act of God "giving the vineyard to others" reveals His unwavering purpose to have a fruitful people. This refers to the expansion of God's Kingdom beyond ethnic Israel to include Gentiles, forming the Church, a new people who would embrace Christ and bear spiritual fruit in contrast to the previous stewards' unfaithfulness. This verse succinctly encapsulates the shift from the old covenant to the new, highlighting God's justice, sovereignty, and inclusive grace.