"Either grant the tree to be wholesome and its fruit wholesome, or the tree poisonous and its fruit poisonous; for the tree is known by its fruit.

and seeing a fig-tree on the road-side He went up to it, but found nothing on it but leaves. "On you," He said, "no fruit shall ever again grow." And immediately the fig-tree withered away.

Just so every good tree produces good fruit, but a poisonous tree produces bad fruit.

A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor a poisonous tree good fruit.

I tell you that I will never again take the produce of the vine till that day when I shall drink the new wine with you in my Father's Kingdom."

"Listen to another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, made a fence round it, dug a wine-tank in it, and built a strong lodge; then let the place to vine-dressers, and went abroad.

When vintage-time approached, he sent his servants to the vine-dressers to receive his share of the grapes;

but the vine-dressers seized the servants, and one they cruelly beat, one they killed, one they pelted with stones.

"But the vine-dressers, when they saw the son, said to one another, "'Here is the heir: come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.'

When then the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-dressers?"

"He will put the wretches to a wretched death," was the reply, "and will entrust the vineyard to other vine-dressers who will render the produce to him at the vintage season."