Matthew 13
1 That same day, when Jesus had left the house and was sitting by the sea,
And on that day, having departed from the house, Jesus was sitting beside the sea.
2 such great crowds gathered round him, that he got into a boat, and sat in it, while all the people stood on the beach.
And many multitudes were gathered to him, so as for him (having entered in) to sit in the boat, and all the multitude had stood on the shore.
3 Then he told them many truths in parables. ‘The sower,’ he began, ‘went out to sow; and,
And he spoke many things to them in parables, saying, Behold, the man who sows went forth to sow.
4 as they were sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured them.
5 Some fell on rocky places, where it had not much soil, and, because the soil wasn’t deep, sprang up at once.
But others fell upon the rocky places, where they had not much soil, and straightaway they sprang up because they had no depth of soil.
6 As soon as the sun had risen, it was scorched, and, because their roots were not deep enough, withered away.
But when the sun was risen, they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered.
7 Some, again, fell into the brambles; but the brambles shot up and choked it.
And others fell in the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
8 Some, however, fell on good soil, and yielded a return, sometimes one hundred, sometimes sixty, sometimes thirty fold.
But others fell upon the good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
9 Let those who have ears hear.’
He who has ears, let him hear.
10 Afterwards his disciples came to him, and said, ‘Why do you speak to them in parables?’
And the disciples having come, they said to him, Why do thou speak to them in parables?
11 ‘To you,’ answered Jesus, ‘the knowledge of the hidden truths of the kingdom of heaven has been imparted, but not to those.
And having answered, he said to them, Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens, but to those men it has not been given.
12 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.
For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever has not, even what he has will be taken away from him.
13 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.
Because of this I speak to them in parables, because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, nor do they understand.
14 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,
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which says, By hearing ye will hear, and will, no, not understand, and seeing ye will see, and will, no, not perceive.
15 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.”
For this people's heart became fat, and their ears hear heavily, and their eyes are shut, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should turn, and I will heal them.
16 ‘But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear;
But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.
17 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.
For truly I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men longed to see the things that ye see, and did not see them, and to hear the things that ye hear, and did not hear them.
18 ‘Listen, then, yourselves to the parable of the sower.
Hear ye then the parable of the man who sows.
19 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.
Of every man who hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, evil comes, and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is that which was sown by the wayside.
20 By the seed which was sown on rocky places is meant the person who hears the message, and at once accepts it joyfully;
And that which was sown upon the rocky places, this is he who hears the word, and straightaway receiving it with joy,
21 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.
yet he has no root in himself, instead it is temporary. And when tribulation or persecution develops because of the word, straightaway he is caused to stumble.
22 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)
And that which was sown in the thorns, this is he who hears the word, and the care of this age, and the deceitfulness of wealth, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. (aiōn g165)
23 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.’
But that which was sown upon the good ground, this is he who hears the word, and understands it, who indeed bears fruit, and is productive, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
24 Another parable which Jesus told them was this – ‘The kingdom of heaven is compared to a person who sowed good seed in their field.
He set forth another parable to them, saying, The kingdom of the heavens is compared to a man sowing good seed in his field.
25 But, while everyone was asleep, their enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away.
But while the men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares in the midst of the wheat, and went away.
26 So, when the blades of corn shot up, and came into ear, the weeds made their appearance also.
And when the blade sprouted and produced fruit, then the tares also appeared.
27 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?”
But the bondmen of the house-ruler having come, they said to him, Sir, did thou not sow good seed in thy field? From where then does it have tares?
28 “An enemy has done this,” was the owner’s answer. “Do you wish us, then,” they asked, “to go and gather them together?”
And he said to them, A hostile man did this. And the bondmen said to him, Do thou desire therefore, after going, we would gather them up?
29 “No,” said he, “because while you are pulling up the weeds you might uproot the wheat with them.
But he said, No, lest while gathering up the tares, ye uproot the wheat together with them.
30 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.”’
Allow both to grow together until the harvest. And at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the tares, and bind them in bundles in order to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.
31 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.
He set forth another parable to them, saying, The kingdom of the heavens is like a grain of mustard plant, which having taken, a man sowed in his field.
32 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.”’
Which indeed is smaller than all seeds, but when it is grown, it is greater than the plants, and becomes a tree, so as for the birds of the sky to come and lodge in the branches of it.
33 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.’
He spoke another parable to them. The kingdom of the heavens is like leaven, which having taken, a woman hid in three measures of meal until it was all leavened.
34 Of all this Jesus spoke to the crowd in parables; indeed to them he used never to speak at all except in parables,
Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes, and he did not speak to them independent of a parable,
35 in fulfilment 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.”
so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled, which says, I will open my mouth in parables. I will utter things concealed from the foundation of the world.
36 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.’
Then having sent the multitudes away, Jesus came into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.
37 He answered, ‘The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man.
And having answered, he said to them, He who sows the good seed is the Son of man,
38 The field is the world. By the good seed is meant the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the wicked,
and the field is the world, and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of evil.
39 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)
And the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are agents. (aiōn g165)
40 And, just as the weeds are gathered and burnt, so it will be at the close of the age. (aiōn g165)
As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned in fire, so it will be at the end of this age. (aiōn g165)
41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all that hinders and those who live in sin,
The Son of man will send forth his agents, and they will gather out of his kingdom all the stumbling-blocks, and those doing lawlessness,
42 and will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
43 Then will the righteous shine, like the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. If you have ears, listen.
Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
44 ‘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.
Again the kingdom of the heavens is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man having found, he hid. And from the joy of it, he goes and sells all, as many things as he has, and buys that field.
45 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of choice pearls.
Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a man, a merchant, seeking fine pearls.
46 Finding one of great value, they went and sold everything that they had, and bought it.
Who, having found one very valuable pearl, after departing, sold all, as many things as he had, and bought it.
47 Or again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was cast into the sea, and caught fish of all kinds.
Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a net that was cast into the sea, and gathered from every kind,
48 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.
which, when it was full, after dragging to the shore, having sat down, they gathered the good into vessels, but they cast out the useless.
49 So will it be at the close of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous, (aiōn g165)
So it will be at the end of the age. The agents will come forth, and separate the bad from among the righteous, (aiōn g165)
50 and will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.
51 ‘Have you understood all this?’ Jesus asked. ‘Yes,’ they answered.
Jesus says to them, Have ye understood all these things? They say to him, Yes, Lord.
52 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.’
And he said to them, Because of this every scholar who has been instructed in the kingdom of the heavens is like a man, a house-ruler, who brings forth out of his treasure things new and old.
53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he withdrew from that place.
And it came to pass, when Jesus finished these parables, he departed from there.
54 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?
And having come into his fatherland he taught them in their synagogue, so as for them to be astonished, and say, From where is this wisdom and powers in this man?
55 Isn’t he the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called 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 brothers, James and Joses and Simon and Judas?
56 And his sisters, too – are not they all living among us? Where, then did he get all this?’
And his sisters, are they not all near us? From where then are all these things in this man?
57 These things proved a hindrance to their believing in him. But Jesus said, ‘A prophet is not without honour, except in his own country and in his own house.’
And they were offended by him. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor, except in his fatherland, and in his house.
58 He did not work many miracles there, because of their want of faith.
And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
