Lukas 8:13

8:13 Those ¹  on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, ²  but ³  in a time of testing ⁴  fall away. ⁵ 

Lukas 13:7-9

13:7 So ⁶  he said to the worker who tended the vineyard, ‘For ⁷  three years ⁸  now, I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree, and each time I inspect it ⁹  I find none. Cut ¹⁰  it down! Why ¹¹  should it continue to deplete ¹²  the soil?’ 13:8 But the worker ¹³  answered him, ‘Sir, leave it alone this year too, until I dig around it and put fertilizer ¹⁴  on it. 13:9 Then if ¹⁵  it bears fruit next year, ¹⁶  very well, ¹⁷  but if ¹⁸  not, you can cut it down.’”

[8:13]  ¹ tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

[8:13]  ² sn This time of temporary faith represented by the description believe for a while is presented rather tragically in the passage. The seed does not get a chance to do all it can.

[8:13]  ³ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[8:13]  ⁴ tn Traditionally, “temptation.” Such a translation puts the emphasis on temptation to sin rather than testing of faith, which is what the context seems to indicate.

[8:13]  ⁵ sn Fall away. On the idea of falling away and the warnings against it, see 2 Tim 3:1; Heb 3:12; Jer 3:14; Dan 9:9.

[13:7]  ⁶ tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the man’s response as a result of the lack of figs in the preceding clause.

[13:7]  ⁷ tn Grk “Behold, for.”

[13:7]  ⁸ sn The elapsed time could be six years total since planting, since often a fig was given three years before one even started to look for fruit. The point in any case is that enough time had been given to expect fruit.

[13:7]  ⁹ tn The phrase “each time I inspect it” is not in the Greek text but has been supplied to indicate the customary nature of the man’s search for fruit.

[13:7]  ¹⁰ tc ‡ Several witnesses (Ì⁷⁵ A L Θ Ψ 070 ˹³ 33 579 892 al lat co) have “therefore” (οὖν, oun) here. This conjunction has the effect of strengthening the logical connection with the preceding statement but also of reducing the rhetorical power and urgency of the imperative. In light of the slightly greater internal probability of adding a conjunction to an otherwise asyndetic sentence, as well as significant external support for the omission (א B D W ˹ Ï), the shorter reading appears to be more likely as the original wording here. NA²⁷ puts the conjunction in brackets, indicating some doubts as to its authenticity.

[13:7]  ¹¹ tn Grk “Why indeed.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated.

[13:7]  ¹² sn Such fig trees would deplete the soil, robbing it of nutrients needed by other trees and plants.

[13:8]  ¹³ tn Grk “he”; the referent (the worker who tended the vineyard) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:8]  ¹⁴ tn Grk “toss manure [on it].” This is a reference to manure used as fertilizer.

[13:9]  ¹⁵ tn This is a third class condition in the Greek text. The conjunction καί (kai, a component of κάν [kan]) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.

[13:9]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “the coming [season].”

[13:9]  ¹⁷ tn The phrase “very well” is supplied in the translation to complete the elided idea, but its absence is telling.

[13:9]  ¹⁸ tn This is a first class condition in the Greek text, showing which of the options is assumed.