and spake out with a loud voice, and said, 'Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb;

and already also the axe unto the root of the trees is laid, every tree, therefore, not making good fruit is cut down, and to fire it is cast.'

'For there is not a good tree making bad fruit, nor a bad tree making good fruit;

for each tree from its own fruit is known, for not from thorns do they gather figs, nor from a bramble do they crop a grape.

And other fell upon the good ground, and having sprung up, it made fruit an hundred fold.' These things saying, he was calling, 'He having ears to hear -- let him hear.'

And that in the good ground: These are they, who in an upright and good heart, having heard the word, do retain it, and bear fruit in continuance.

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;

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?

and if indeed it may bear fruit -- ;and if not so, thereafter thou shalt cut it off.'

and at the season he sent unto the husbandmen a servant, that from the fruit of the vineyard they may give to him, but the husbandmen having beat him, did send him away empty.