Then Jesus told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.

So he said to the worker who tended the vineyard, 'For three years now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and each time I inspect it I find none. Cut it down! Why should it continue to deplete the soil?'

Then he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the other trees.

for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorns, nor are grapes picked from brambles.

"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit,

Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire."