Listen to another parable. There was a householder who planted a vineyard, put a fence round it, dug a wine-vat inside it, and built a watchtower: then he leased it to vinedressers and went abroad.

When the fruit-season was near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers to collect his fruit;

but the vinedressers took his servants and flogged one, killed another, and stoned a third.

But when the vinedressers saw his son they said to themselves, 'Here is the heir; come on, let us kill him and seize his inheritance!'

Now, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to these vinedressers?"

They replied, "He will utterly destroy the wretches and lease the vineyard to other vinedressers who will give him the fruits in their season."

Then he proceeded to address them in parables. "A man planted a vineyard, fenced it round, dug a trough for the winepress, and built a tower; then he leased it to vinedressers and went abroad.

But these vinedressers said to themselves, 'Here is the heir; come on, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be our own.'

Now what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and he will give the vineyard to others.

Then he proceeded to tell the people the following parable. "A man planted a vineyard, leased it to vinedressers, and went abroad for some time.

When the season came round he sent a servant to the vine dressers to receive part of the produce of the vineyard, but the vinedressers flogged him and sent him off with nothing.

But when the vinedressers saw him, they argued to themselves, 'Here is the heir, let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours.'

He will come and kill these vinedressers and give the vineyard to others." When they heard that, they said, "God forbid!"

So he said to the vinedresser, 'Here have I come for three years in search of fruit on this fig tree without finding any; cut it down, why should it take up space?'