“Seeing
In the distance,
A fig tree in leaf,
Jesus went to see
Whether perhaps
He could find
Anything on it.
When he came to it,
He found nothing
But leaves.
It was not the season
For figs.”
καὶ ἰδὼν συκῆν ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ἔχουσαν φύλλα ἦλθεν εἰ ἄρα τι εὑρήσει ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐπ’ αὐτὴν οὐδὲν εὗρεν εἰ μὴ φύλλα· ὁ γὰρ καιρὸς οὐκ ἦν σύκων.
This story about Jesus seeing the fig tree can be found in Matthew, chapter 21:19. Luke, chapter 13:6-9, also has a parable about a fig tree that would not bear fruit. The stories in Matthew and Mark are slightly different. Mark said that Jesus saw a fig tree from a distance (καὶ ἰδὼν συκῆν ἀπὸ μακρόθεν), not by the side of the road, as in Matthew. This fig tree had leafy branches (ἔχουσαν φύλλα). Jesus went to see if he could find any fruit on it (ἦλθεν εἰ ἄρα τι εὑρήσει ἐν αὐτῇ). When he came over to the tree (καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐπ’ αὐτὴν), he found no fruit (οὐδὲν εὗρεν), only leaves (εἰ μὴ φύλλα), the same as Matthew had indicated. However, here Mark pointed out that it was not the season for figs (ὁ γὰρ καιρὸς οὐκ ἦν σύκων).