Luke 20:14
What does Luke 20:14 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 20:14 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 20:14 means
Upon seeing the son, the wicked tenants immediately recognized him as the heir. Their reasoning was chillingly selfish and malicious: "This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours." This reveals their covetousness and ambition to seize the vineyard for themselves, believing that eliminating the heir would give them legal claim. This moment powerfully foreshadows the chief priests and scribes' decision to kill Jesus. They recognized Him as the Messiah, the Son of God, and believed His removal would secure their power and position, ironically fulfilling prophecy and sealing their own judgment.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned one with another, saying, This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
KJV
King James Version · 1611But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned one with another, saying, This is the heir; let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949But when the workmen saw him, they said to one another, This is he who will one day be the owner of the property: let us put him to death and the heritage will be ours.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862and having seen him, the husbandmen reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir; come, we may kill him, that the inheritance may become ours;
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752Whom, when the husbandmen saw, they thought within themselves, saying: This is the heir. Let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir; [come,] let us kill him, that the inheritance may become ours.
Context
This verse describes the tenants' instant recognition of the son as the heir and their conspiratorial plan to murder him for selfish gain. It follows the owner's decision to send his son, dramatically raising the stakes. This explicit intent to kill the heir directly precedes their violent act, highlighting their profound wickedness and drawing a clear parallel to the religious leaders' intentions toward Jesus.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Psalms 89:27
I also will make him my first-born, The highest of the kings of the earth.
- Genesis 37:18
And they saw him afar off, and before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him.
- Luke 22:2
And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death; for they feared the people.
- Luke 20:5
And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why did ye not believe him?
- Luke 19:47
And he was teaching daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people sought to destroy him:
- Matthew 16:7
And they reasoned among themselves, saying, We took no bread.
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