Matthew 13
1 Later that day Jesus left the house, and sat down to teach beside the lake.
Ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ, ἐξελθὼν ὁ ˚Ἰησοῦς τῆς οἰκίας, ἐκάθητο παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν.
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.
Καὶ συνήχθησαν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὄχλοι πολλοί, ὥστε αὐτὸν εἰς πλοῖον ἐμβάντα καθῆσθαι, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ἐπὶ τὸν αἰγιαλὸν εἱστήκει.
3 He explained many things to them, using stories as illustrations. “The sower went out to sow,” he began.
Καὶ ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς πολλὰ ἐν παραβολαῖς λέγων, “Ἰδοὺ, ἐξῆλθεν ὁ σπείρων τοῦ σπείρειν.
4 “As he was sowing, some of the seeds fell on the path. The birds came and ate them up.
Καὶ ἐν τῷ σπείρειν αὐτὸν, ἃ μὲν ἔπεσεν παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν, καὶ ἦλθεν τὰ πετεινὰ καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτά.
5 Other seeds fell on stony ground where there wasn't much earth where they sprouted quickly.
Ἄλλα δὲ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὰ πετρώδη, ὅπου οὐκ εἶχεν γῆν πολλήν, καὶ εὐθέως ἐξανέτειλεν διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν βάθος γῆς,
6 The sun rose and scorched them and they withered because they had no roots.
ἡλίου δὲ ἀνατείλαντος, ἐκαυματίσθη καὶ διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν ῥίζαν ἐξηράνθη.
7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked them.
Ἄλλα δὲ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὰς ἀκάνθας, καὶ ἀνέβησαν αἱ ἄκανθαι καὶ ἀπέπνιξαν αὐτά.
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.
Ἄλλα δὲ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τὴν καλὴν, καὶ ἐδίδου καρπόν– ὃ μὲν ἑκατὸν, ὃ δὲ ἑξήκοντα, ὃ δὲ τριάκοντα.
9 Anybody who has ears should be listening!”
Ὁ ἔχων ὦτα, ἀκουέτω.”
10 The disciples came to Jesus and asked him, “Why do you use illustrations when you speak to the people?”
Καὶ προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ, “Διὰ τί ἐν παραβολαῖς λαλεῖς αὐτοῖς;”
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.
Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, “Ὅτι ὑμῖν δέδοται γνῶναι τὰ μυστήρια τῆς Βασιλείας τῶν Οὐρανῶν, ἐκείνοις δὲ οὐ δέδοται.
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.
Ὅστις γὰρ ἔχει, δοθήσεται αὐτῷ καὶ περισσευθήσεται· ὅστις δὲ οὐκ ἔχει, καὶ ὃ ἔχει ἀρθήσεται ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ.
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.
Διὰ τοῦτο ἐν παραβολαῖς αὐτοῖς λαλῶ, ὅτι βλέποντες οὐ βλέπουσιν, καὶ ἀκούοντες οὐκ ἀκούουσιν, οὐδὲ συνίουσιν.
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.
Καὶ ἀναπληροῦται αὐτοῖς ἡ προφητεία Ἠσαΐου ἡ λέγουσα, ‘Ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε, καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε.
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.’
Ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν, καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν· μήποτε ἴδωσιν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσιν, καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσιν, καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς.’
16 Your eyes are blessed, for they see. Your ears are blessed too, for they hear.
Ὑμῶν δὲ μακάριοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ὅτι βλέπουσιν, καὶ τὰ ὦτα ὑμῶν ὅτι ἀκούουσιν.
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.
Ἀμὴν, γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πολλοὶ προφῆται καὶ δίκαιοι ἐπεθύμησαν ἰδεῖν ἃ βλέπετε, καὶ οὐκ εἶδαν, καὶ ἀκοῦσαι ἃ ἀκούετε, καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν.
18 So listen to the story of the sower.
Ὑμεῖς οὖν ἀκούσατε τὴν παραβολὴν τοῦ σπείραντος.
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.
Παντὸς ἀκούοντος τὸν λόγον τῆς βασιλείας καὶ μὴ συνιέντος, ἔρχεται ὁ πονηρὸς καὶ ἁρπάζει τὸ ἐσπαρμένον ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ. Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν σπαρείς.
20 The seeds sown on stony ground are people who hear the message and happily accept it straight away.
Ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τὰ πετρώδη σπαρείς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων καὶ εὐθὺς μετὰ χαρᾶς λαμβάνων αὐτόν,
21 They last for a while, but because they don't have roots, when problems and troubles come, they quickly fall away.
οὐκ ἔχει δὲ ῥίζαν ἐν ἑαυτῷ, ἀλλὰ πρόσκαιρός ἐστιν, γενομένης δὲ θλίψεως ἢ διωγμοῦ διὰ τὸν λόγον, εὐθὺς σκανδαλίζεται.
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)
Ὁ δὲ εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας σπαρείς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων, καὶ ἡ μέριμνα τοῦ αἰῶνος καὶ ἡ ἀπάτη τοῦ πλούτου συμπνίγει τὸν λόγον, καὶ ἄκαρπος γίνεται. (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.”
Ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν καλὴν γῆν σπαρείς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων καὶ συνιείς, ὃς δὴ καρποφορεῖ καὶ ποιεῖ, ὃ μὲν ἑκατὸν, ὃ δὲ ἑξήκοντα, ὃ δὲ τριάκοντα.”
24 Then he told them another illustrated story: “The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who sowed good seeds in his field.
Ἄλλην παραβολὴν παρέθηκεν αὐτοῖς λέγων, “Ὡμοιώθη ἡ Βασιλεία τῶν Οὐρανῶν, ἀνθρώπῳ σπείραντι καλὸν σπέρμα ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ αὐτοῦ.
25 But while his workers were sleeping, an enemy came and sowed weed seeds on top of the wheat. Then they left.
Ἐν δὲ τῷ καθεύδειν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ἦλθεν αὐτοῦ ὁ ἐχθρὸς καὶ ἐπέσπειρεν ζιζάνια ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σίτου καὶ ἀπῆλθεν.
26 So when the wheat grew and produced ears of grain, the weeds also grew up.
Ὅτε δὲ ἐβλάστησεν ὁ χόρτος καὶ καρπὸν ἐποίησεν, τότε ἐφάνη καὶ τὰ ζιζάνια.
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?’
Προσελθόντες δὲ οἱ δοῦλοι τοῦ οἰκοδεσπότου εἶπον αὐτῷ, ‘Κύριε, οὐχὶ καλὸν σπέρμα ἔσπειρας ἐν τῷ σῷ ἀγρῷ; Πόθεν οὖν ἔχει ζιζάνια;’
28 ‘Some enemy has done this,’ he replied. ‘Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?’ they asked him.
Ὁ δὲ ἔφη αὐτοῖς, ‘Ἐχθρὸς ἄνθρωπος τοῦτο ἐποίησεν.’ Οἱ δὲ δοῦλοι λέγουσιν αὐτῷ, ‘Θέλεις οὖν ἀπελθόντες, συλλέξωμεν αὐτά;’
29 ‘No,’ he answered, ‘as you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat too.
Ὁ δέ φησιν, ‘Οὔ, μήποτε συλλέγοντες τὰ ζιζάνια, ἐκριζώσητε ἅμα αὐτοῖς τὸν σῖτον.
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.’”
Ἄφετε συναυξάνεσθαι ἀμφότερα μέχρι τοῦ θερισμοῦ· καὶ ἐν καιρῷ τοῦ θερισμοῦ ἐρῶ τοῖς θερισταῖς, “Συλλέξατε πρῶτον τὰ ζιζάνια καὶ δήσατε αὐτὰ εἰς δέσμας πρὸς τὸ κατακαῦσαι αὐτά, τὸν δὲ σῖτον συναγάγετε εἰς τὴν ἀποθήκην μου.”’”
31 He gave them another illustration: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a farmer sowed in his field.
Ἄλλην παραβολὴν παρέθηκεν αὐτοῖς λέγων, “Ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ Βασιλεία τῶν Οὐρανῶν κόκκῳ σινάπεως, ὃν λαβὼν ἄνθρωπος ἔσπειρεν ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ αὐτοῦ·
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.”
ὃ μικρότερον μέν ἐστιν πάντων τῶν σπερμάτων, ὅταν δὲ αὐξηθῇ μεῖζον τῶν λαχάνων ἐστὶν καὶ γίνεται δένδρον, ὥστε ἐλθεῖν ‘τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ κατασκηνοῦν ἐν τοῖς κλάδοις αὐτοῦ’.”
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.”
Ἄλλην παραβολὴν ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς: “Ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ Βασιλεία τῶν Οὐρανῶν ζύμῃ, ἣν λαβοῦσα, γυνὴ ἐνέκρυψεν εἰς ἀλεύρου σάτα τρία, ἕως οὗ ἐζυμώθη ὅλον.”
34 Jesus explained all these things to the crowds using illustrated stories—in fact he didn't speak to them without using stories.
Ταῦτα πάντα ἐλάλησεν ὁ ˚Ἰησοῦς ἐν παραβολαῖς τοῖς ὄχλοις, καὶ χωρὶς παραβολῆς οὐδὲν ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς·
35 This fulfilled the prophet's words: “I will speak using stories, and I will explain things hidden from the creation of the world.”
ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος, “Ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα μου, ἐρεύξομαι κεκρυμμένα ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου.”
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.”
Τότε ἀφεὶς τοὺς ὄχλους, ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν. Καὶ προσῆλθον αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες, “Διασάφησον ἡμῖν τὴν παραβολὴν τῶν ζιζανίων τοῦ ἀγροῦ.”
37 “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of man,” Jesus explained.
Ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν, “Ὁ σπείρων τὸ καλὸν σπέρμα ἐστὶν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Ἀνθρώπου·
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.
ὁ δὲ ἀγρός ἐστιν ὁ κόσμος· τὸ δὲ καλὸν σπέρμα, οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ υἱοὶ τῆς βασιλείας· τὰ δὲ ζιζάνιά εἰσιν οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ πονηροῦ,
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)
ὁ δὲ ἐχθρὸς, ὁ σπείρας αὐτά, ἐστιν ὁ διάβολος· ὁ δὲ θερισμὸς συντέλεια αἰῶνός ἐστιν, οἱ δὲ θερισταὶ ἄγγελοί εἰσιν. (aiōn g165)
Ὥσπερ οὖν συλλέγεται τὰ ζιζάνια καὶ πυρὶ κατακαίεται, οὕτως ἔσται ἐν τῇ συντελείᾳ τοῦ αἰῶνος. (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,
Ἀποστελεῖ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Ἀνθρώπου τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ, καὶ συλλέξουσιν ἐκ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ πάντα τὰ σκάνδαλα καὶ τοὺς ποιοῦντας τὴν ἀνομίαν,
42 and will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
καὶ βαλοῦσιν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν κάμινον τοῦ πυρός· ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων.
43 Then those who live right will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father. Anybody with ears should be listening!
Τότε ‘οἱ δίκαιοι ἐκλάμψουσιν ὡς ὁ ἥλιος’ ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Πατρὸς αὐτῶν. Ὁ ἔχων ὦτα, ἀκουέτω.
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.
Ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ Βασιλεία τῶν Οὐρανῶν θησαυρῷ κεκρυμμένῳ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, ὃν εὑρὼν ἄνθρωπος ἔκρυψεν, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς χαρᾶς αὐτοῦ ὑπάγει καὶ πωλεῖ πάντα ὅσα ἔχει, καὶ ἀγοράζει τὸν ἀγρὸν ἐκεῖνον.
45 The kingdom of heaven is also like a trader looking for good pearls.
Πάλιν ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ Βασιλεία τῶν Οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ ἐμπόρῳ ζητοῦντι καλοὺς μαργαρίτας·
46 When he found the most expensive pearl ever he went and sold all he had and bought it.
εὑρὼν δὲ ἕνα πολύτιμον μαργαρίτην ἀπελθὼν, πέπρακεν πάντα ὅσα εἶχεν, καὶ ἠγόρασεν αὐτόν.
47 Once more, the kingdom of heaven is like a fishing net thrown into the sea that caught all kinds of fish.
Πάλιν ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ Βασιλεία τῶν Οὐρανῶν σαγήνῃ βληθείσῃ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ ἐκ παντὸς γένους συναγαγούσῃ·
48 When it was full it was dragged ashore. The good fish were put into baskets while the bad ones were thrown away.
ἣν ὅτε ἐπληρώθη, ἀναβιβάσαντες ἐπὶ τὸν αἰγιαλὸν καὶ καθίσαντες, συνέλεξαν τὰ καλὰ εἰς ἄγγη, τὰ δὲ σαπρὰ ἔξω ἔβαλον.
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)
Οὕτως ἔσται ἐν τῇ συντελείᾳ τοῦ αἰῶνος· ἐξελεύσονται οἱ ἄγγελοι, καὶ ἀφοριοῦσιν τοὺς πονηροὺς ἐκ μέσου τῶν δικαίων, (aiōn g165)
50 and throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
καὶ βαλοῦσιν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν κάμινον τοῦ πυρός. Ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων.
51 Now do you understood everything?” “Yes,” they replied.
Συνήκατε ταῦτα πάντα;” Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ, “Ναί.”
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.
Ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, “Διὰ τοῦτο, πᾶς γραμματεὺς μαθητευθεὶς τῇ Βασιλείᾳ τῶν Οὐρανῶν ὅμοιός ἐστιν ἀνθρώπῳ, οἰκοδεσπότῃ, ὅστις ἐκβάλλει ἐκ τοῦ θησαυροῦ αὐτοῦ καινὰ καὶ παλαιά.”
53 After Jesus finished telling these stories, he left.
Καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ὁ ˚Ἰησοῦς τὰς παραβολὰς ταύτας, μετῆρεν ἐκεῖθεν.
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?
Καὶ ἐλθὼν εἰς τὴν πατρίδα αὐτοῦ, ἐδίδασκεν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ συναγωγῇ αὐτῶν, ὥστε ἐκπλήσσεσθαι αὐτοὺς καὶ λέγειν, “Πόθεν τούτῳ ἡ σοφία αὕτη καὶ αἱ δυνάμεις;
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?
Οὐχ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τοῦ τέκτονος υἱός; Οὐχ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ λέγεται Μαριὰμ, καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ, Ἰάκωβος, καὶ Ἰωσὴφ, καὶ Σίμων, καὶ Ἰούδας;
56 Don't his sisters live here among us? So where does he get all this from?”
Καὶ αἱ ἀδελφαὶ αὐτοῦ οὐχὶ πᾶσαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς εἰσιν; Πόθεν οὖν τούτῳ ταῦτα πάντα;”
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.
Καὶ ἐσκανδαλίζοντο ἐν αὐτῷ. Ὁ δὲ ˚Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, “Οὐκ ἔστιν προφήτης ἄτιμος, εἰ μὴ ἐν τῇ πατρίδι καὶ ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ αὐτοῦ.”
58 Since they failed to trust in him, he did not do many miracles there.
Καὶ οὐκ ἐποίησεν ἐκεῖ δυνάμεις πολλὰς, διὰ τὴν ἀπιστίαν αὐτῶν.
