< Matthew 13 >

1 On that day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the seaside.
That same day, when Jesus had left the house and was sitting by the sea,
2 Great multitudes gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat and sat; and all the multitude stood on the beach.
such great crowds gathered around him, that he got into a boat, and sat in it, while all the people stood on the beach.
3 He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, a farmer went out to sow.
Then he told them many truths in parables. “The sower,” he began, “went out to sow; and,
4 As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them.
as they were sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
5 Others fell on rocky ground, where they didn’t have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth.
Some fell on rocky places, where it had not much soil, and, because the soil wasn’t deep, sprang up at once.
6 When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away.
As soon as the sun had risen, it was scorched, and, because their roots were not deep enough, withered away.
7 Others fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them.
Some, again, fell into the brambles; but the brambles shot up and choked it.
8 Others fell on good soil and yielded fruit: some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.
Some, however, fell on good soil, and yielded a return, sometimes one hundred, sometimes sixty, sometimes thirty fold.
9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Let those who have ears hear.”
10 The disciples came, and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
Afterward his disciples came to him, and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
11 He answered them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them.
“To you,” answered Jesus, “the knowledge of the hidden truths of the kingdom of heaven has been imparted, but not to those.
12 For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he has.
For, to all who have, more will be given, and they will have abundance; but, from all who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.
13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t hear, neither do they understand.
That is why I speak to them in parables, because, though they have eyes, they do not see, and though they have ears, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, ‘By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive;
In them is being fulfilled that prophecy of Isaiah which says – ‘You will hear with your ears without ever understanding, and, though you have eyes, you will see without ever perceiving,
15 for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, and they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, and I would heal them.’
for the mind of this nation has grown dense, and their ears are dull of hearing, their eyes also have they closed; otherwise some day they might perceive with their eyes, and with their ears they might hear, and in their mind they might understand, and might turn – and I might heal them.’
16 “But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.
“But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear;
17 For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them.
for I tell you that many prophets and good people have longed for the sight of the things which you are seeing, yet never saw them, and to hear the things which you are hearing, yet never heard them.
18 “Hear, then, the parable of the farmer.
“Listen, then, yourselves to the parable of the sower.
19 When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside.
When anyone hears the message of the kingdom without understanding it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in their mind. This is the person meant by the seed which was sown along the path.
20 What was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word and immediately with joy receives it;
By the seed which was sown on rocky places is meant the person who hears the message, and at once accepts it joyfully;
21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
but, as they have no root, they stand for only a short time; and, when trouble or persecution arises because of the message, they fall away at once.
22 What was sown among the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. (aiōn g165)
By the seed which was sown among the brambles is meant the person who hears the message, but the cares of life and the glamour of wealth completely choke the message, so that it gives no return. (aiōn g165)
23 What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit and produces, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.”
But by the seed which was sown on the good ground is meant the person who hears the message and understands it, and really yields a return, sometimes one hundred, sometimes sixty, sometimes thirty fold.”
24 He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,
Another parable which Jesus told them was this – “The kingdom of heaven is compared to a person who sowed good seed in their field.
25 but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds also among the wheat, and went away.
But, while everyone was asleep, their enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away.
26 But when the blade sprang up and produced grain, then the darnel weeds appeared also.
So, when the blades of corn shot up, and came into ear, the weeds made their appearance also.
27 The servants of the householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where did these darnel weeds come from?’
The owner’s servants came to them, and said ‘Was not it good seed that you sowed in your field? Where, then, do the weeds in it come from?’
28 “He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them up?’
‘An enemy has done this,’ was the owner’s answer. ‘Do you wish us, then,’ they asked, ‘to go and gather them together?’
29 “But he said, ‘No, lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel weeds, you root up the wheat with them.
‘No,’ said he, ‘because while you are pulling up the weeds you might uproot the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First, gather up the darnel weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
Let both grow side by side until harvest; and then I will say to the reapers, Gather the weeds together first, and tie them in bundles for burning; but bring all the wheat into my barn.’”
31 He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took, and sowed in his field,
Another parable which he told them was this – “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a person took and sowed in his field.
32 which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches.”
This seed is smaller than all other seeds, but, when it has grown up, it is larger than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that ‘the wild birds come and roost in its branches.’”
33 He spoke another parable to them. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until it was all leavened.”
This was another parable which Jesus related – “The kingdom of heaven is like some yeast which a woman took and covered up in three pecks of flour, until the whole had risen.”
34 Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes; and without a parable, he didn’t speak to them,
Of all this Jesus spoke to the crowd in parables; indeed to them he used never to speak at all except in parables,
35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.”
in fulfillment of these words in the prophet – ‘I will speak to them in parables; I will utter things kept secret since the foundation of the world.’
36 Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the darnel weeds of the field.”
Then Jesus left the crowd, and went into the house. Presently his disciples came to him, and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
37 He answered them, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,
He answered, “The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man.
38 the field is the world, the good seeds are the children of the Kingdom, and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one.
The field is the world. By the good seed is meant the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the wicked,
39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. (aiōn g165)
and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest time is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. (aiōn g165)
40 As therefore the darnel weeds are gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the end of this age. (aiōn g165)
And, just as the weeds are gathered and burnt, so it will be at the close of the age. (aiōn g165)
41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling and those who do iniquity,
The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all that hinders and those who live in sin,
42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
and will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Then will the righteous shine, like the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. If you have ears, listen.
44 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a person found and hid again, and then, in their delight, went and sold everything that they had, and bought that field.
45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls,
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of choice pearls.
46 who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Finding one of great value, they went and sold everything that they had, and bought it.
47 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some fish of every kind,
Or again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was cast into the sea, and caught fish of all kinds.
48 which, when it was filled, fishermen drew up on the beach. They sat down and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away.
When it was full, they hauled it up on the beach, and sat down and sorted the good fish into baskets, but threw the worthless ones away.
49 So it will be in the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked from among the righteous, (aiōn g165)
So will it be at the close of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous, (aiōn g165)
50 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
and will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
51 Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They answered him, “Yes, Lord.”
“Have you understood all this?” Jesus asked. “Yes,” they answered.
52 He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things.”
Then he added, “So every teacher of the Law, who has received instruction about the kingdom of heaven, is like a householder who produces from his stores things both new and old.”
53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there.
When Jesus had finished these parables, he withdrew from that place.
54 Coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?
Going to his own part of the country, he taught the people in their synagogue in such a manner that they were deeply impressed. “Where did he get this wisdom?” they said, “and the miracles?
55 Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?
Isn’t he the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas?
56 Aren’t all of his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all of these things?”
And his sisters, too – are not they all living among us? Where, then did he get all this?”
57 They were offended by him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country and in his own house.”
These things proved a hindrance to their believing in him. But Jesus said, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country and in his own house.”
58 He didn’t do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
He did not work many miracles there, because of their want of faith.

< Matthew 13 >