New International Version “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ New Living Translation “But when the tenant farmers saw his son coming, they said to one another, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Come on, let’s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ English Standard Version But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ Berean Standard Bible But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.’ Berean Literal Bible But the farmers, having seen the son, said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and gain possession of his inheritance.’ King James Bible But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. New King James Version But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ New American Standard Bible But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let’s kill him and take possession of his inheritance!’ NASB 1995 “But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ NASB 1977 “But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and seize his inheritance.’ Legacy Standard Bible But when the vine-growers saw the son, they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ Amplified Bible But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This [man] is the heir; come on, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.’ Berean Annotated Bible But when the tenants (farmers) saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance. Christian Standard Bible “But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ Holman Christian Standard Bible “But when the tenant farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance!’ American Standard Version But the husbandmen, when they saw the son, said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and take his inheritance. Contemporary English Version But when they saw the man's son, they said, "Someday he will own the vineyard. Let's kill him! Then we can have it all for ourselves." English Revised Version But the husbandmen, when they saw the son, said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and take his inheritance. GOD'S WORD® Translation "When the workers saw his son, they said to one another, 'This is the heir. Let's kill him and get his inheritance.' Good News Translation But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is the owner's son. Come on, let's kill him, and we will get his property!' International Standard Version But when the tenant farmers saw his son, they told one another, 'This is the heir. Come on, let's kill him and get his inheritance!' NET Bible But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and get his inheritance!' New Heart English Bible But the tenants, when they saw the son, said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and have his inheritance.' Webster's Bible Translation But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. Weymouth New Testament "But the vine-dressers, when they saw the son, said to one another, "'Here is the heir: come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.' Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleBut when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.’ World English Bible But the farmers, when they saw the son, said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and seize his inheritance.’ Literal Translations Literal Standard Versionand the farmers having seen the son, said among themselves, This is the heir, come, we may kill him, and may possess his inheritance; Berean Literal Bible But the farmers, having seen the son, said among themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and gain possession of his inheritance.’ Young's Literal Translation and the husbandmen having seen the son, said among themselves, This is the heir, come, we may kill him, and may possess his inheritance; Smith's Literal Translation And the farmers, seeing the son, said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and possess his inheritance. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleBut the husbandmen seeing the son, said among themselves: This is the heir: come, let us kill him, and we shall have his inheritance. Catholic Public Domain Version But the farmers, seeing the son, said among themselves: ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and then we will have his inheritance.’ New American Bible But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.’ New Revised Standard Version But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.’ Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleBut when the laborers saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him and retain his inheritance. Aramaic Bible in Plain English “But when the laborers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir, come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.'” NT Translations Anderson New TestamentBut the vine-dressers, when they saw the son, said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and seize upon the inheritance. Godbey New Testament Haweis New Testament But the husbandmen, when they saw the son, said among themselves, This is the heir, come let us kill him, and let us seize on the inheritance. Mace New Testament 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. Weymouth New Testament "But the vine-dressers, when they saw the son, said to one another, "'Here is the heir: come, let us kill him and get his inheritance.' Worrell New Testament Worsley New Testament Additional Translations ... Audio Bible (Voice ▾ Musical ▾) Context The Parable of the Wicked Tenants…37Finally, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. 38But when the tenants saw the son, they said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and take his inheritance.’ 39So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.… Cross References But when the tenants saw the son, Mark 12:6-8 Finally, having one beloved son, he sent him to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said. / But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ / So they seized the son, killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard. Luke 20:13-15 ‘What shall I do?’ asked the owner of the vineyard. ‘I will send my beloved son. Perhaps they will respect him.’ / But when the tenants saw the son, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ / So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? John 1:11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. they said to one another, Genesis 37:19-20 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another. / “Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits. We can say that a vicious animal has devoured him. Then we shall see what becomes of his dreams!” Psalm 2:2 The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against the LORD and against His Anointed One: ‘This is the heir. Hebrews 1:2 But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe. Romans 8:17 And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him. Galatians 4:7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir through God. Come, let us kill him Matthew 26:4 and they conspired to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him. John 11:53 So from that day on they plotted to kill Him. Acts 3:14-15 You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. / You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses of this fact. and take his inheritance.’ 1 Kings 21:15-16 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, who refused to give it to you for silver. For Naboth is no longer alive, but dead.” / And when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite. Micah 2:2 They covet fields and seize them; they take away houses. They deprive a man of his home, a fellow man of his inheritance. Isaiah 5:8 Woe to you who add house to house and join field to field until no place is left and you live alone in the land. Mark 12:7 But the tenants said to one another, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ Luke 20:14 But when the tenants saw the son, they discussed it among themselves and said, ‘This is the heir. Let us kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ Treasury of Scripture But when the farmers saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. This. Matthew 2:13-16 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him… Matthew 26:3,4 Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, … Matthew 27:1,2 When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: … Jump to Previous Death Farmers Heir Husbandmen Inheritance Kill Let's Owner Possess Property Seize Tenants Themselves Vine-Dressers Vine-Growers WorkmenJump to Next Death Farmers Heir Husbandmen Inheritance Kill Let's Owner Possess Property Seize Tenants Themselves Vine-Dressers Vine-Growers WorkmenMatthew 21 1. Jesus rides into Jerusalem upon a donkey12. drives the buyers and sellers out of the temple; 17. curses the fig tree; 23. puts to silence the priests and elders, 28. and rebukes them by the parable of the two sons, 33. and the husbandmen who slew such as were sent to them. But when the tenants saw the son, The tenants recognized him as the owner’s son and rightful representative. He portrays Jesus Christ, whom the Father sent to Israel after generations of prophets. Israel’s religious leaders had been entrusted with the care of God’s people, yet many rejected the authority of the One sent to them. Mrk 12:6-8 Finally, having one beloved son, he sent him to them.… they said to one another, Their response to one another was deliberate and united. Like the chief priests and elders who later plotted against Jesus, they chose self-preservation over submission to God’s authority. Gen 37:19-20 “Here comes that dreamer!” they said to one another.… ‘This is the heir. “This is the heir,” the tenants said (Matt. 21:38). Jesus is the Father’s beloved Son and appointed heir of all things. By rejecting him, his enemies were not merely rejecting another prophet; they were opposing God’s rightful King. Heb 1:2 But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son… Come, let us kill him “Come, let us kill him” anticipates Jesus’ death outside Jerusalem at the hands of leaders who feared losing their influence. Their violence continues Israel’s long history of rejecting God’s messengers. Mat 26:4 and they conspired to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him. and take his inheritance.’ The tenants sought to seize what belonged to the owner. The religious leaders treated God’s covenant people and worship as their own domain, rejecting the Son’s rightful claim. Yet their rebellion could not overturn God’s purpose, for the kingdom belongs to Christ, the true heir. 1Ki 21:15-16 When Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death,… Persons / Places / Events 1. TenantsThese are the individuals who were entrusted with the care of the vineyard. In the parable, they represent the religious leaders of Israel who were given the responsibility to lead and care for God's people. 2. The Son This figure represents Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was sent by the Father. The tenants' plot to kill the son symbolizes the rejection and crucifixion of Jesus by the religious leaders. 3. The Vineyard This is a metaphor for the kingdom of God or Israel. It is a place of growth and fruitfulness, entrusted to the tenants to manage. 4. The Heir The son is identified as the heir, indicating his rightful ownership and authority over the vineyard. This points to Jesus' divine authority and his role as the rightful King and Messiah. 5. The Inheritance This refers to the blessings and promises of God, which the tenants sought to seize unlawfully. It symbolizes the spiritual inheritance that comes through Christ. Teaching Points Rejection of AuthorityThe tenants' actions reflect a rejection of rightful authority. We must examine our own lives to ensure we are not rejecting Christ's authority in our decisions and actions. Stewardship and Accountability The parable reminds us of our responsibility as stewards of what God has entrusted to us. We are accountable for how we manage our time, talents, and resources. Recognizing Jesus as Heir Acknowledge Jesus as the rightful heir and King in our lives. This involves submitting to His lordship and aligning our lives with His will. Consequences of Rejection The parable warns of the severe consequences of rejecting Christ. It is a call to repentance and faith in Jesus as Savior and Lord. God's Patience and Justice The sending of the son after the servants shows God's patience, but the eventual judgment on the tenants highlights His justice. We should not presume upon God's patience but respond to His call today. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Matthew 21:38?2. How does Matthew 21:38 illustrate human rejection of God's authority in our lives? 3. What parallels exist between the tenants' actions and modern-day rejection of Christ? 4. How can Matthew 21:38 deepen our understanding of God's patience and justice? 5. How does this verse connect with Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah? 6. What steps can we take to ensure we honor God's "heir" in our lives? 7. What does Matthew 21:38 reveal about human nature and greed? 8. How does Matthew 21:38 reflect the rejection of Jesus by religious leaders? 9. What historical context is essential to understanding Matthew 21:38? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Matthew 21? (38) This is the heir.--What we learn elsewhere enables us to understand the feelings with which the priests and scribes must have heard these words. Already had Caiaphas given the counsel that one man should die for the people (John 11:49), while among those who knew it, and did not protest, were many who believed on Him, and yet, through fear of the Pharisees, were not confessed disciples (John 12:42). The words of the parable showed that they stood face to face with One who knew the secrets of their hearts, and had not deceived Himself as to the issue of the conflict in which He was now engaged.Verse 38. - When the husbandmen saw the Son. As soon as they recognized this new and important messenger. This is the great element in the guilt of his rejection. They might have had the same consciousness of Christ's Divine mission as Nicodemus (John 3:2), having possessed the same opportunities of judging. Ancient prophecy, the signs of the times, the miracles and teaching of Christ, the testimony of the Baptist, pointed to one evident conclusion; evidence had been accumulating on all sides. A latent feeling had grown up that he was the Messiah (see John 11:49-52), and it was obstinate prejudice and perversity alone that prevented his open acknowledgment. "If I had not come and spoken unto them," said Christ, "they had not had sin; but now they have no cloke for their sin" (John 15:22; comp. John 9:41). They said among themselves. They plotted his destruction (see John 11:53). We are reminded of the conspiracy against Joseph, his father's well belowed son (Genesis 37:20). Let us seize on (κατάσχωμεν, take possession of, keep as our own) his inheritance. It would have been a wild and ignorant scheme of the husbandmen to consider that by murdering the heir they could obtain and hold possession of the vineyard. Here the parable bursts from the allegorical form, and becomes history and prophecy. In fact, the possession which the rulers coveted was supremacy over the minds and consciences of men; they wished to lord it over God's heritage; to retain their rights and prerogatives in the present system. This ambition Christ's teaching and action entirely overthrew. They felt no security in their possession of authority while he was present and working in their midst. Were he removed, their position would be safe, their claims undisputed. Hence their conspiracy and its result - a result very far from what they expected. They had their own way, but their gain was ruin. Says St. Augustine, "Ut possiderent, occiderunt; et quia occiderunt, perdiderunt." Matthew 21:38 exposes calculated rebellion: trusted leaders clearly recognize Jesus as God’s rightful Son and heir, deliberately unite in murderous intent, and attempt to claim authority that belongs to Him alone. Their scheme, though wicked, advances God’s sovereign plan—Christ’s rejection leads to the cross, the cornerstone of salvation, and opens the inheritance to all who receive the Son. Parallel Commentaries ... Greek But whenδὲ (de) Conjunction Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc. the Οἱ (Hoi) Article - Nominative Masculine Plural Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. tenants γεωργοὶ (geōrgoi) Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural Strong's 1092: From ge and the base of ergon; a land-worker, i.e. Farmer. saw ἰδόντες (idontes) Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural Strong's 3708: Properly, to stare at, i.e. to discern clearly; by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear. the τὸν (ton) Article - Accusative Masculine Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. son, υἱὸν (huion) Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular Strong's 5207: A son, descendent. Apparently a primary word; a 'son', used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship. they said εἶπον (eipon) Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural Strong's 2036: Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say. to ἐν (en) Preposition Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc. themselves, ἑαυτοῖς (heautois) Reflexive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural Strong's 1438: Himself, herself, itself. ‘This Οὗτός (Houtos) Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it. is ἐστιν (estin) Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist. the ὁ (ho) Article - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the. heir; κληρονόμος (klēronomos) Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular Strong's 2818: From kleros and the base of nomos (reflexively) getting by apportionment); a sharer by lot, i.e. Inheritor; by implication, a possessor. come, δεῦτε (deute) Verb - Imperative - 2nd Person Plural Strong's 1205: Come hither, come, hither, an exclamatory word. From deuro and an imperative form of eimi; come hither! let us kill ἀποκτείνωμεν (apokteinōmen) Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural Strong's 615: To put to death, kill; fig: I abolish. From apo and kteino; to kill outright; figuratively, to destroy. him, αὐτὸν (auton) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons. and καὶ (kai) Conjunction Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely. take σχῶμεν (schōmen) Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 1st Person Plural Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold. his αὐτοῦ (autou) Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons. inheritance!’ κληρονομίαν (klēronomian) Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular Strong's 2817: From kleronomos; heirship, i.e. a patrimony or a possession. 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