ris3n's Apologetics Codex

Passage

Luke 13.1-5

Book: Luke · ASV / WEB / KJV / YLT

Immediate context (±2 verses)

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ASV

1. Now there were some present at that very season who told him of the Galilæans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2. And he answered and said unto them, Think ye that these Galilæans were sinners above all the Galilæans, because they have suffered these things? 3. I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all in like manner perish. 4. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and killed them, think ye that they were offenders above all the men that dwell in Jerusalem? 5. I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

  1. And he spake this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and found none. 7. And he said unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground? (Luke 13:1-7, ASV)
WEB

1. Now there were some present at the same time who told him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2. Jesus answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3. I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way. 4. Or those eighteen, on whom the tower in Siloam fell, and killed them; do you think that they were worse offenders than all the men who dwell in Jerusalem? 5. I tell you, no, but, unless you repent, you will all perish in the same way.”

  1. He spoke this parable. “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it, and found none. 7. He said to the vine dresser, ‘Behold, these three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and found none. Cut it down. Why does it waste the soil?’ (Luke 13:1-7, WEB)
KJV

1. There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3. I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? sinners: or, debtors 5. I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

  1. He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? (Luke 13:1-7, KJV)
YLT

1. And there were present certain at that time, telling him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate did mingle with their sacrifices; 2. and Jesus answering said to them, 'Think ye that these Galileans became sinners beyond all the Galileans, because they have suffered such things? 3. No, I say to you, but, if ye may not reform, all ye even so shall perish. 4. 'Or those eighteen, on whom the tower in Siloam fell, and killed them; think ye that these became debtors beyond all men who are dwelling in Jerusalem? 5. No, I say to you, but, if ye may not reform, all ye in like manner shall perish.'

  1. And he spake this simile: 'A certain one had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit in it, and he did not find; 7. and he said unto the vine-dresser, Lo, three years I come seeking fruit in this fig-tree, and do not find, cut it off, why also the ground doth it render useless? (Luke 13:1-7, YLT)

Setting

  • Speaker: Jesus, and those who brought him news (13:1)
  • Audience: People in the crowd (12:54), some reporting the Galileans' deaths
  • Location: On the long journey to Jerusalem that Luke begins at 9:51
  • Time period: C. AD 29-30, in the last months before the crucifixion

Theological reading

"Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish" (Luke 13:2-3, KJV).

Two disasters. One is an atrocity: Galileans "whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices" (13:1), killed while worshipping. The other is an accident: eighteen killed when "the tower in Siloam fell" (13:4). No other source records either event, but the first fits what Josephus reports of Pilate's readiness to use force against crowds (Antiquities 18.3.1-2).

Suffering is not a verdict. Jesus rejects the reasoning that disaster proves special guilt. Neither the victims of Pilate nor the victims of the tower were worse sinners than anyone else. The KJV margin renders "sinners" in 13:4 as "debtors," the word Jesus also uses for sin in the Lord's Prayer.

But everyone needs to repent. Jesus does not stop at comfort. He turns the question from the victims to the questioners: "except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." The disaster is a warning to the living, not a judgment on the dead. The parable of the barren fig tree follows (13:6-9): there is still time, but not unlimited time.

Against blaming the sufferer. The New Age Spirituality vs the Christian God comparison cites this with John 9:2-3 against the idea that people attract their misfortunes. Compare Why Doesn't God Intervene Objection Defeater and Problem of Evil.

Key words

Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word.

Quoted in

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Notes

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Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the most literal English translations available (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the public domain in the United States, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

  • ASV (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
  • WEB (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
  • KJV (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
  • YLT (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See Bibles for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.