Luke 20:10

Greek (Tischendorf 8th ed.)

English Translation

At the proper season, he sent a servant to the farmers to collect his share of the fruit of the vineyard. But the farmers beat him, and sent him away empty.

World English Bible · Public Domain

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ἐξαπέστειλαν

exapostéllō

G1821

“to send forth”

Verb, Aorist, Active, Indicative, 3rd person, Plural

Appears 13× in the Greek New Testament
First appears at Luke 1:53

Full Thayer's Definition

Origin: from G1537 and G649

TDNT: 07:46,7

1. to send forth 2. to send away

About this verse

These counts appear in no published source. They are computed here, from the morphology-tagged text and Lemma’s own curated glosses. What Lemma adds →

22: words
17: distinct lemmas
Gospels: section

Notable vocabulary

The rarest word here is ἐξαπέστειλαν to send forth G1821 — appearing just 13 times in the whole Greek New Testament.

Shared distinctive vocabulary

ἐξαπέστειλαν to send forth G1821 occurs in 13 verses of the Greek New Testament. Also found in:

Repetition

Words recur within this verse:

γεωργοὺς farmer G1092 ×2
τοὺς the G3588 ×4
αὐτῷ he G846 ×2

Cross-references

Topical passages linked to Luke 20:10 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — connected by theme and wording, ordered by reader-vote popularity; previews shown in the World English Bible.

2 Chronicles 36:15–16 Yahweh, the God of their fathers, sent to them by his messengers, rising up early and sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling-place:
Nehemiah 9:26 Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against you, and cast your law behind their back, and killed your prophets that testified against them to turn them again to you, and they committed awful blasphemies.
Matthew 21:34–36 When the season for the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the farmers, to receive his fruit.
Judges 6:8–10 that Yahweh sent a prophet to the children of Israel: and he said to them, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage;
1 Kings 22:24 Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah came near, and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, Which way went the Spirit of Yahweh from me to speak to you?
2 Kings 17:13 Yet Yahweh testified to Israel, and to Judah, by every prophet, and every seer, saying, Turn you from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.
2 Chronicles 16:10 Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in the prison-house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. Asa oppressed some of the people at the same time.
2 Chronicles 24:19–21 Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring them again to Yahweh; and they testified against them: but they would not give ear.

Nehemiah 9:30 Yet many years did you bear with them, and testified against them by your Spirit through your prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gave you them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
Psalms 1:3 He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper.
Jeremiah 2:30 In vain have I struck your children; they received no correction: your own sword has devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
Jeremiah 5:24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear Yahweh our God, who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season; who preserves to us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
Jeremiah 20:2 Then Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper gate of Benjamin, which was in the house of Yahweh.
Jeremiah 25:3–7 From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, these twenty-three years, the word of Yahweh has come to me, and I have spoken to you, rising up early and speaking; but you have not listened.
Jeremiah 26:2–6 Thus says Yahweh: Stand in the court of Yahweh's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in Yahweh's house, all the words that I command you to speak to them; don't diminish a word.
Jeremiah 26:20–24 There was also a man who prophesied in the name of Yahweh, Uriah the son of Shemaiah of Kiriath Jearim; and he prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 29:26–27 Yahweh has made you priest in the place of Jehoiada the priest, that there may be officers in the house of Yahweh, for every man who is mad, and makes himself a prophet, that you should put him in the stocks and in shackles.
Jeremiah 35:15 I have sent also to you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return you now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and don't go after other gods to serve them, and you shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but you have not inclined your ear, nor listened to me.
Jeremiah 37:15–16 The princes were angry with Jeremiah, and struck him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe; for they had made that the prison.
Jeremiah 38:4–6 Then the princes said to the king, Let this man, we pray you, be put to death; because he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words to them: for this man doesn't seek the welfare of this people, but the hurt.
Jeremiah 44:4–5 However I sent to you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Oh, don't do this abominable thing that I hate.
Zechariah 1:3–6 Therefore tell them: Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: 'Return to me,' says Yahweh of Hosts, 'and I will return to you,' says Yahweh of Hosts.
Zechariah 7:9–13 "Thus has Yahweh of Hosts spoken, saying, 'Execute true judgment, and show kindness and compassion every man to his brother.
Mark 12:2–5 When it was time, he sent a servant to the farmer to get from the farmer his share of the fruit of the vineyard.

Luke 11:47–50 Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
Luke 13:34 "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that kills the prophets, and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, like a hen gathers her own brood under her wings, and you refused!
John 15:16 You didn't choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
Romans 7:4 Therefore, my brothers, you also were made dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you would be joined to another, to him who was raised from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit to God.
Hosea 6:4–6 "Ephraim, what shall I do to you? Judah, what shall I do to you? For your love is like a morning cloud, And like the dew that disappears early.

Cross-references courtesy of OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0).

Commentary

Notes on Luke 20:10 from classic Christian and Jewish commentators (each source and its license shown beneath its notes). The classic Christian expositions comment on the surrounding passage and are grouped to its opening verse, so a note may address several verses; the Jewish commentaries on the Tanakh (Rashi and others) are per-verse, so they appear only where the commentator wrote on this verse.

Lemma curates 59 commentaries, every one of them public domain or Creative Commons licensed, each selected and text-cleaned for this edition rather than reprinted as found. About our sources →

Commentary source

Tyndale Open Study Notes

Tyndale Open Resources

20:10 the farmers attacked the servant: God’s prophets were often mistreated and opposed (1 Kgs 19:10, 14; 2 Chr 24:21; 36:16; Neh 9:26; Jer 2:30; 26:20-24; 37:15).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Bengel's Gnomon

Johann Albrecht Bengel

Luk 20:10. Ἐν καιρῷ, at the proper season) viz. of the fruits.—δείραντες, having beaten) An ascending climax: having beaten, here; having beaten and insulted [“entreated shamefully”], in Luk 20:11; and having wounded, in Luk 20:12. Such as is exhibited also in ἐξαπέστειλαν, they sent away, in both Luk 20:10-11, and ἐξέβαλον, they cast out, in Luk 20:12.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Expositor's Greek Testament

ed. W. Robertson Nicoll

Luk 20:10 . καιρῷ means the fruit season each year; many such seasons at which God sent demanding fruit. ἵνα δώσουσιν : ἵνα with the future in a pure final clause; similar constructions occur in classic Greek, but with ὅπως , not with ἵνα . δείραντες : the gradation in indignities is well marked in Lk. beating, beating with shameful handling ( ἀτιμάσαντες ), ejection with wounding ( τραυματίσαντες ἐξέβαλον ), culminating in murder in the case of the son. In the parallels killing comes in sooner, which is true to the historical fact.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown

beat, &c.-- (Mat 21:35); that is, the prophets, extraordinary messengers raised up from time to time. (See on Mat 23:37.)

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 10. That they should give him of the fruit] The Hindoo corn-merchants, that have lent money to husbandmen, send persons in harvest-time to collect their share of the produce of the ground.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(10) Beat him, and sent him away empty.—The description agrees almost verbally with St. Mark.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne

10. he sent a servant] The various ‘servants’ are the Judges, the better Priests, and the Prophets.

that they should give him of the fruit] The payment is in kind, on the mitayer system.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

John Gill's Exposition

And again he sent the third,.... Perhaps after the return of the Jews from captivity, and between that time and the coming of Christ, in which interval many good men were used in a very inhuman manner, Heb 11:37

and they wounded him also; by casting stones at him; see Mar 12:4

and cast him out; of the vineyard.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The Pulpit Commentary

Vers. 10-12. He sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard. After the pains and care bestowed upon the vineyard, that is, after the many mighty works done in Israel"s behalf, the Lord of hosts looked for fruits of gratitude and fidelity in some proportion to the mighty favours which it had received from him. The people were intended to be the example to, and the educators of, the world, and, instead of carrying out these high functions, they lived the poor selfish life so sadly depicted in the long story contained in the historical and prophetical books. "He looked that it his vineyard should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes". (Isa_5:2) But the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. These represent the prophets, those faithful servants of the Lord, whose toils and trials and fate are painted in the Epistle to the Hebrews (Heb 11) in such glowing and eloquent language. And again he sent. In vers. 11 and 12, proseyeo pemqai , literally, "he added to send another a Hebraism. This shows St. Luke here based his account on a Hebrew (Aramaic) original. Professor Bruce well puts the thoughts which possessed the wicked husbandmen thus: "When the servants came for fruit, they were simply surprised. "Fruit! did you say? We have occupied the position of vine-dressers, and have duly drawn our wages: what more do you want?" Such was the actual fact in regard to the spiritual heads of Israel. They were men who never thought of fruit, but only of the honour and privilege of being entrusted with the keeping of the vineyard. They were triflers, men utterly devoid of earnestness, and the practical purpose of the property committed to their charge they habitually forgot. Generally speaking, they had utterly lost sight of the end of Israel"s calling." Their anger flamed forth when accredited messengers of the Lord visited them and reminded them of their forgotten duties; they vented their furious wrath by persecuting some and killing others of these faithful men.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges

10. δώσουσιν, אABL, La[344] Ti[345] &c. δῶσιν is probably a grammatical emendation.

[344] La. Lachmann.

[345] Ti. Tischendorf.

10. δοῦλον. The various ‘servants’ are the Judges, the better Priests, and the Prophets.

ἵνα … δώσουσιν. This construction—ἵνα with the future indicative in a final clause—would of course be a strange solecism in classical Greek. For this very reason the reading has been corrected by the copyists into δῶσιν. See note on Luk 19:40.

ἀπὸ τοῦ καρποῦ. The payment is in kind, on the métayer system.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

International Critical Commentary

10. καιρῷ . No doubt ὁ καιρὸς τῶν καρπῶν (Mt.) is meant. Syr-Sin. has “at one of the seasons.”

ἀπέστειλεν … δοῦλον . So also Mk., while Mt. has τους δούλους αὐτοῦ. In Lk. it is always a single slave who is sent, and the treatment becomes worse each time, culminating in the slaying of the heir, before whom no one is killed. In Mt. and Mk. there is no such dramatic climax, and several are killed before the son is sent: all which is more in accordance with facts in Jewish history. See 1Ki 18:13, 22:1Ki 18:24-27; 2Ki 6:31, 2Ki 6:21:16; 2Ch 24:19-22, 36:15, 2Ch 24:16; Neh 9:26; Jer 37:15, 44:4; Act 7:52.

ἵνα ἀπὸ τοῦ καρποῦ. Keim says that this means the O. T. tenth; but it does not necessarily imply a proportionate amount at all. A fixed amount, independent of the yield, would be paid ἀπὸ τοῦ καρποῦ.

ἵνα … δώσουσιν . The fut. iudic. is found in class. Grk. after ὅπως, but not after ἵνα. In bibl. Grk, it is found most often in the last of a series: of verbs following ἵνα: but cases in which the verb depends immediately upon ἵνα occur: 1Co 9:18; 1Pe 3:1, Rev 6:4, Rev 8:3, Rev 9:20, Rev 12:12, on 14:13, and other passages in which the reading is somewhat doubtful. See on 14:10. Burton., § 198, 199.

ἐξαπέστειλαν … κενόν . They probably told him, and perhas tried to persuade themselves that his master’s demand was unjust. Excepting Gal 4:4, Gal 4:6. the verb is peculiar in N.T. to Lk. (Act 7:12, Act 9:30, Act 11:22, Act 12:11, Act 13:26, Act 17:14, Act 22:21); but it is freq. in LXX. For the phrase “send empty away” comp 1:53; Gen 31:42; Deu 15:13; 1Sa 6:3; Job 22:9. For δείρατες see on 12:47.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament

Marvin R. Vincent

Of the fruit. See on Mr 12:2.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Lesson kit

Teaching starters — assembled from the data on this page, not authored interpretation. Every prompt links to the verse data it draws on. Edit before teaching.

Luke, in the Gospels, opens this verse with 22 words (17 distinct Greek lemmas). Its most distinctive word is exapostéllō (“to send forth”). A historical commentator’s framing appears above. Read the whole chapter for the surrounding context.

Discussion questions

The word exapostéllō carries the sense “to send forth.” How does it shape the verse?
Luke 1:53 shares the word «to send forth» with this verse. How do the two illuminate each other?
“farmer” occurs 2× in this one verse. What is the effect of the repetition?
The translations on this page render this verse differently — a whole-verse word diff, not a word-by-word alignment. What might account for the different wordings?
Reading how Tyndale Open Study Notes and Bengel's Gnomon read this verse, where do the two commentators agree and where do they part?

Things to notice

These translations choose different wording for 13 words in this verse.
“farmer” occurs 2× in this single verse.
17 distinct Greek lemmas span 22 words in this verse.