He saw a fig tree at the side of the road, so he went over to it but didn't find any fruit, only leaves. He told the fig tree, “May you never ever produce fruit again!” Immediately the fig tree withered.
Here's another illustration. There once was a man, a landowner, who planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, made a winepress, and built a watchtower. He rented it to some tenant farmers, and then left to go to a different country.
From some distance away he saw a fig tree with leaves, so he went over to it to see if it had any fruit. But when he got there, he found it had only leaves, because it was not the season for figs.
They arrived back in Jerusalem, and Jesus went into the Temple. He started driving out the people who were buying and selling in the Temple. He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the chairs of the people selling doves.
Anyone who doesn't remain in me is like a branch that is thrown out and dries up. Such branches are gathered together, thrown into the fire and burned.
If people manage to escape from the evil influence of the world by knowing the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and then get tangled up in sin again and are defeated, they are worse off than they were in the first place.
Whoever doesn't do what is right, let them stay that way. Whoever is impure, let them stay that way. Whoever does what is right, let them stay that way. Whoever is holy, let them stay that way.”