Matthew 13
1 Later that day Jesus left the house, and sat down to teach beside the lake.
The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
2 So many people gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down there to teach, while all the crowds stood on the beach.
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 He explained many things to them, using stories as illustrations. “The sower went out to sow,” he began.
And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 “As he was sowing, some of the seeds fell on the path. The birds came and ate them up.
And when he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5 Other seeds fell on stony ground where there wasn't much earth where they sprouted quickly.
Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6 The sun rose and scorched them and they withered because they had no roots.
And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked them.
And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8 Still other seeds fell on good soil. They produced a harvest—some one hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what had been planted.
But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Anybody who has ears should be listening!”
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 The disciples came to Jesus and asked him, “Why do you use illustrations when you speak to the people?”
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 “You're privileged to have revealed to you the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but they're not given such insights,” Jesus replied.
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 “Those who already have will have more given to them, more than enough. But those who don't have, whatever they have will be taken away from them.
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 That's why I speak to them in illustrations. For even though they see, they do not see; and even though they hear, they do not hear; nor do they understand.
Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 The prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled in them: ‘Even though you hear, you won't understand, and even though you see, you won't perceive.
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 They have a hard-hearted attitude, they don't want to listen, and they've closed their eyes. If they didn't they might be able to see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand in their minds. Then they could return to me and I would heal them.’
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 Your eyes are blessed, for they see. Your ears are blessed too, for they hear.
But blessed [are] your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 I'm telling you, many prophets and good people longed to see what you're seeing, but didn't see it. They longed to hear what you're hearing, but didn't hear it.
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 So listen to the story of the sower.
Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19 When people hear the message about the kingdom and don't understand it, the evil one comes along and rips out what was sown in them. This is what happens to the seeds sown on the path.
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 The seeds sown on stony ground are people who hear the message and happily accept it straight away.
But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21 They last for a while, but because they don't have roots, when problems and troubles come, they quickly fall away.
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 The seeds sown among thorns are people who hear the message, but then life's worries and the temptation of money choke the message so that they become fruitless. (aiōn g165)
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. (aiōn g165)
23 The seeds sown on good soil are people who hear the message, and understand it, and who produce a good harvest—some one hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown.”
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 Then he told them another illustrated story: “The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who sowed good seeds in his field.
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 his workers were sleeping, an enemy came and sowed weed seeds on top of the wheat. Then they left.
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26 So when the wheat grew and produced ears of grain, the weeds also grew up.
But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27 The farmer's workers came and asked him, ‘Sir, didn't you sow good seeds in your field? Where did the weeds come from?’
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 ‘Some enemy has done this,’ he replied. ‘Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?’ they asked him.
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 ‘No,’ he answered, ‘as you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat too.
But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30 Let them both grow until harvest, and then at harvest-time I'll tell the reapers to first gather the weeds, tie them up into bundles and burn them, and then gather the wheat and store it in my barn.’”
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 He gave them another illustration: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a farmer sowed in his field.
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 Even though it's the tiniest of seeds it grows much bigger than other plants. In fact it grows into a tree big enough for birds to roost in its branches.”
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 He told them another illustrated story: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman mixed with a large quantity of flour, until all the dough was raised.”
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 Jesus explained all these things to the crowds using illustrated stories—in fact he didn't speak to them without using stories.
All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
35 This fulfilled the prophet's words: “I will speak using stories, and I will explain things hidden from the creation of the world.”
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 he left the crowds and went into a house. His disciples came over to him, and asked him, “Please explain to us the story about the weeds in the field.”
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 “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of man,” Jesus explained.
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 seeds are the children of the kingdom. The weed seeds are the children of the evil one.
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 the weed seeds is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world. The reapers are angels. (aiōn g165)
The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. (aiōn g165)
As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. (aiōn g165)
41 The Son of man will send out his angels, and they will gather up every sinful thing and everyone who does evil,
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 will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then those who live right will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father. Anybody with ears should be listening!
Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
44 The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. A man found it, reburied it, and then full of joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
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 The kingdom of heaven is also like a trader looking for good pearls.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
46 When he found the most expensive pearl ever he went and sold all he had and bought it.
Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
47 Once more, the kingdom of heaven is like a fishing net thrown into the sea that caught all kinds of fish.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
48 When it was full it was dragged ashore. The good fish were put into baskets while the bad ones were thrown away.
Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
49 That's the way it will be when the end of the world comes. The angels will go out and separate the evil people from the good, (aiōn g165)
So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, (aiōn g165)
50 and throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
51 Now do you understood everything?” “Yes,” they replied.
Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
52 “Every religious teacher who's learned about the kingdom of heaven is like a house-owner who brings out from his storeroom both new and old treasures,” Jesus said.
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 After Jesus finished telling these stories, he left.
And it came to pass, [that] when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
54 He went back to his home town and taught in the synagogue there. People were amazed, and asked, “Where does he get his wisdom and miracles from?
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 Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and his brothers James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas?
Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
56 Don't his sisters live here among us? So where does he get all this from?”
And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this [man] all these things?
57 And so they refused to believe in him. “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his homeland and in his family,” Jesus told them.
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 Since they failed to trust in him, he did not do many miracles there.
And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
