Devine Scripture

Matthew 21:33

What does Matthew 21:33 mean?

A plain-English look at Matthew 21:33 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

What Matthew 21:33 means

Jesus introduced another parable, that of the wicked tenants. He described a householder who meticulously planted a vineyard, providing a hedge, a winepress, and a tower, before entrusting it to husbandmen and traveling abroad. This detailed description evokes Isaiah's song of the vineyard (Isaiah 5:1-7), clearly signifying Israel as God's vineyard and God as the householder, setting the stage for a dramatic illustration of Israel's spiritual history.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

Hear another parable: There was a man that was a householder, who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

Hear another parable: There was a man that was a householder, who planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into another country.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

Give ear to another story. A master of a house made a vine garden, and put a wall round it, and made a place for crushing out the wine, and made a tower, and let it out to field-workers, and went into another country.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

`Hear ye another simile: There was a certain man, a householder, who planted a vineyard, and did put a hedge round it, and digged in it a wine-press, and built a tower, and gave it out to husbandmen, and went abroad.

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

Hear ye another parable. There was a man, an householder, who planted a vineyard and made a hedge round about it and dug in it a press and built a tower and let it out to husbandmen and went into a strange country.

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

Hear another parable: There was a householder who planted a vineyard, and made a fence round it, and dug a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and left the country.

Context

This verse introduces the second major parable, following the parable of the two sons and the subsequent explanation. It sets up an entirely new narrative, but with a similar theme of judgment and spiritual accountability, immediately preceding the householder's expectation of fruit. This parable broadens the scope from individual obedience to the nation of Israel's rejection of God's messengers through history.

v.32For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not; but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye saw it, did not even repent yourselves afterward, that ye might believe him.

v.33This passage

v.34And when the season of the fruits drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, to receive his fruits.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Deuteronomy 33:8

    And of Levi he said, Thy Thummim and thy Urim are with thy godly one, Whom thou didst prove at Massah, With whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah;

  • Deuteronomy 16:18

    Judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates, which Jehovah thy God giveth thee, according to thy tribes; and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

  • Malachi 2:4

    And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant may be with Levi, saith Jehovah of hosts.

  • Deuteronomy 17:9

    and thou shalt come unto the priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in those days: and thou shalt inquire; and they shall show thee the sentence of judgment.

  • Isaiah 5:1

    Let me sing for my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved had a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:

  • Psalms 80:8

    Thou broughtest a vine out of Egypt: Thou didst drive out the nations, and plantedst it.

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