Jesus speaks this parable against the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-parables]])
# Then Jesus began to teach them
The word "them" here refers to the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders to whom Jesus has been talking to in the previous chapter.
# put a hedge around it
He put a barrier around the vineyard. It could have been a row of shrubs, a fence, or a stone wall.
# dug a pit for a winepress
This means that he carved a pit on the rock, which would be the bottom part of the winepress used for collecting the squeezed grape juice. AT: "carved a pit into rock for the winepress" or "he made a vat to collect the juice from the winepress" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])
# leased the vineyard to vine growers
This means that the owner of the vineyard arranged for others to care for the grapes. The vine growers would receive a share of the grapes as payment for their work.
# At the right time
This refers to the time of harvest. This can be made clear. AT: "When the time came to harvest the grapes" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])
# But they took him
"But the vine growers took the servant"
# with nothing
This means that they did not give him any of the fruit. AT: "without any grapes" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])
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