Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible































Hear another parable: a certain landlord planted a vineyard, hedged it round, set up a wine-press in it, and built a tower, then lett it out to tenants, and went into a foreign country. and when the fruit-season came on, he sent his servants to the tenants, to receive the fruits of it. but they seiz'd his servants, beat some, killed one, and stoned another. read more.
then he sent a greater number of servants, than at first: who met with the same treatment. but last of all, he sent his son, saying, they will reverence my son. but when the tenants saw the son, they said among themselves, this is the heir, come, let us kill him, and then seize on his inheritance. so seizing upon him, they turn'd him out of the vineyard, and slew him. when the master therefore of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants? they answered, he will give those wretches no quarter, and will let out his vineyard to such as shall duly account for the profits thereof.


For the kingdom of the Messiah is like a family, the master whereof went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. having agreed with them for a penny a day, he sent them to his vineyard. he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market-place, and said to them, read more.
go ye likewise to my vineyard, and I will give you what is reasonable: accordingly they went thither. about the sixth and ninth hour he went out again, and gave the like directions. at last, about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and said to them, why do you stand idling thus all day long? they answer'd him, because we are not hired; go work then. said he, in my vineyard, and I will give you what's reasonable. so when even was come, the master of the vineyard said to his steward, call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last to the first. they then that were hired about the eleventh hour, came and received every man his penny. last of all they came who were hired first, expecting to have received more, but they had only a penny a man, who upon the receipt of it fell a murmuring against the master, and cry'd, these last have work'd but an hour, and you put them upon the level with us, who have born the whole fatigue and heat of the day. but he answered one of them, friend, I do thee no wrong: did not you agree for a penny a day? take your due, and be gone: I will give the last the same I give you. can't I do what I will with my own? because I am bountiful, are you invidious? thus the last shall be first, and the first last: for though many are invited, few have precedence.

He proposed likewise this parable: a certain man had a fig-tree planted in his vineyard, and he came expecting it should have had fruit, but he found none. then he said to the vine-dresser, you see, I have been looking these three years for fruit from this fig-tree, but find none: hew it down, why should it cumber my ground? to which he made answer, sir, let it alone one year longer, till I shall dig about it, and dung it. read more.
perhaps it may bear fruit: if not, you may after that hew it down.


But what do you think of this? a man had two sons, and coming to the first, he said, son, go, work to-day in my vineyard. I won't, said he: but afterward be chang'd his mind, and went. then he came to the other, and bid him do the same. and he answered, yes, sir; but went not. read more.
which of the two obey'd his father? they said, the first. Jesus reply'd, I declare to you, that the publicans and licentious people enter into the gospel kingdom before you.