<t /><p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> he began to speak to them in parables: &#8220;A man planted a vineyard.<n id="2" /> He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then<n id="3" /> he leased it to tenant farmers<n id="4" /> and went on a journey.

<t /><p class="bodytext">&#8220;Learn this parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near.

Jesus<n id="1" /> said to them, &#8220;No doubt you will quote to me the proverb, &#8216;Physician, heal yourself!&#8217;<n id="2" /> and say, &#8216;What we have heard that you did in Capernaum,<n id="3" /> do here in your hometown too.&#8217;&#8221;

He<n id="1" /> said, &#8220;You have been given<n id="2" /> the opportunity to know<n id="3" /> the secrets<n id="4" /> of the kingdom of God,<n id="5" /> but for others they are in parables, so that <b><i>although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understandi>b>.<n id="6" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> Jesus<n id="2" /> told this parable: &#8220;A man had a fig tree<n id="3" /> planted in his vineyard, and he came looking for fruit on it and found none.

<t /><p class="bodytext">While the people were listening to these things, Jesus<n id="1" /> proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem,<n id="2" /> and because they thought<n id="3" /> that the kingdom of God<n id="4" /> was going to<n id="5" /> appear immediately.

Then<n id="1" /> the experts in the law<n id="2" /> and the chief priests wanted to arrest<n id="3" /> him that very hour, because they realized he had told this parable against them. But<n id="4" /> they were afraid of the people.p>

He also told them a parable:<n id="1" /> &#8220;No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews<n id="2" /> it on an old garment. If he does, he will have torn<n id="3" /> the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.<n id="4" />