Matthew

The Gospel according to Saint Matthew, chapter 13, New English Translation and King James Version

Chapter 13 New English Translation

The Parable of the Sower

   1 On that day after Jesus went out of the house, he sat by the lake. 2 And such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat to sit while the whole crowd stood on the shore. 3 He told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground where they did not have much soil. They sprang up quickly because the soil was not deep. 6 But when the sun came up, they were scorched, and because they did not have sufficient root, they withered. 7 Other seeds fell among the thorns, and they grew up and choked them. 8 But other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. 9 The one who has ears had better listen!"
   10 Then the disciples came to him and said, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" 11 He replied, "You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but they have not. 12 For whoever has will be given more, and will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13 For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand. 14 And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: 'You will listen carefully yet will never understand, you will look closely yet will never comprehend.
   15 For the heart of this people has become dull; they are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'
   16 "But your eyes are blessed because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
   18 "So listen to the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches what was sown in his heart; this is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed sown on rocky ground is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. 21 But he has no root in himself and does not endure; when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 The seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth choke the word, so it produces nothing. 23 But as for the seed sown on good soil, this is the person who hears the word and understands. He bears fruit, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown."

The Parable of the Weeds

   24 He presented them with another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a person who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 When the plants sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared. 27 So the slaves of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?' 28 He said, 'An enemy has done this.' So the slaves replied, 'Do you want us to go and gather them?' 29 But he said, 'No, since in gathering the weeds you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I will tell the reapers, "First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned, but then gather the wheat into my barn."'"

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

   31 He gave them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest garden plant and becomes a tree, so that the wild birds come and nest in its branches."

The Parable of the Yeast

   33 He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all the dough had risen."

The Purpose of Parables

   34 Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the crowds; he did not speak to them without a parable. 35 This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has been hidden from the foundation of the world."

Explanation for the Disciples

   36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." 37 He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world and the good seed are the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 As the weeds are collected and burned with fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom everything that causes sin as well as all lawbreakers. 42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears had better listen!

Parables on the Kingdom of Heaven

   44 "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field.
   45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. 46 When he found a pearl of great value, he went out and sold everything he had and bought it.
   47 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea that caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, they pulled it ashore, sat down, and put the good fish into containers and threw the bad away. 49 It will be this way at the end of the age. Angels will come and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
   51 "Have you understood all these things?" They replied, "Yes." 52 Then he said to them, "Therefore every expert in the law who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his treasure what is new and old."

Rejection at Nazareth

   53 Now when Jesus finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Then he came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their synagogue. They were astonished and said, "Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers? 55 Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother named Mary? And aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? 56 And aren't all his sisters here with us? Where did he get all this?" 57 And so they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own house." 58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

King James Version

   1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
   2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
   3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
   4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
   5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
   6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
   7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
   8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
   9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
   10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
   11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
   12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
   13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
   14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
   15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
   16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
   17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
   18 ¶ Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
   19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
   20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
   21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
   22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
   23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
   24 ¶ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
   25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
   26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
   27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
   28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
   29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
   30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
   31 ¶ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
   32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
   33 ¶ Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
   34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
   35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
   36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
   37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
   38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
   39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
   40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
   41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
   42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
   43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
   44 ¶ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
   45 ¶ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
   46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
   47 ¶ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
   48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
   49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
   50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
   51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
   52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
   53 ¶ And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
   54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
   55 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
   56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
   57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
   58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.