Matthew 13
1 That same day Jesus, [along with us] disciples, left the house [where he was teaching and went] to [Galilee lake]. He sat down there,
And on that day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the side of the sea.
2 and a very large crowd gathered around him to [listen to his teaching]. So, [in order that they would not jostle him] (OR, [to speak to the people better]), he got into a boat and sat down [to teach them]. The crowd stood on the shore [and was listening].
And great multitudes assembled around him; so that he embarked and seated himself in a ship, and all the multitude stood on the shore of the sea.
3 He was telling them many parables. [One of the parables] that he told them was this: “Listen! A man went out [to his field] to sow [some seeds].
An he discoursed with them much, by similitudes. And he said, Behold, a sower went forth to sow.
4 As he was scattering [them over the soil], some [of the] seeds fell on the path. Then some birds came and ate those seeds.
And as he sowed, some seed fell upon the side of a path: and a bird came and devoured it.
5 Other [seeds] fell on ground where there was not much soil [on top of the] rock. Those seeds sprouted very soon, [because the sun quickly warmed] the shallow soil.
And other seed fell upon a rock, so that it had not much soil: and it sprung up forthwith, because there was no depth of earth.
6 But when [the young plants came up], they were scorched by the sun, and they withered because they did not have [deep] roots.
But when the sun was up it wilted. And, because it lacked root, it dried up.
7 Other seeds fell on [ground that contained roots of] thorny [weeds]. The thorny weeds grew [together with the young plants], and [they] crowded out [the plants].
And other seed fell among thorns: and the thorns shot up, and choked it.
8 [But] other seeds fell on good soil, and [the plants grew and] produced [a lot of] grain. Some [plants produced] 100 times [as many seeds as were planted]. Some [plants produced] 60 times [as much]. Some [plants produced] 30 times [as much].
And other seed fell on good ground; and bore fruits, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.
9 If you want to understand this [MTY], you should consider [carefully what I have just said].”
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 [We] disciples approached Jesus and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you speak to the crowd?”
And his disciples came and said to him, Why discoursest thou to them in similitudes?
11 He answered [us] saying, “God [EUP/MTY] is revealing to you what he did not reveal before, about [how he wants to] rule [over people’s lives]. But he has not revealed it to others.
And he answered, and said to them: Because, to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 Those who [think about what I say and] understand [it], God will enable them to understand more. But those who do not [think carefully about what I say] will forget even what they already know.
For to him that hath, shall be given; and he shall abound: but from him that hath not, even what he hath shall be taken from him.
13 That is why I use parables when I speak to people, because although they see [what I do], they do not perceive [what it means], and although they hear [what I say], they do not really understand [what it means].
For this cause I discourse to them in similitudes, because they see and do not see, and they hear and do not hear, nor understand.
14 What these people do completely fulfills what [God told] the prophet Isaiah [to say long ago to the people who did not] try to understand what he said, You will hear [what I say], but you will not understand it. You will keep seeing [what I do], but you will not understand [what it means] [DOU].
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, who said: By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and by seeing ye see, and shall not know:
15 [God also said to Isaiah], These people have become unresponsive [MTY] [to what they see me do and to what they hear me say]. They listen unwillingly [MTY] [to what I say], and they do not pay attention to [MTY] [what I do]. If it were not so, they would perceive [MTY] [what I am doing], they would understand [MTY] [what I say to them], and they would turn [away from their sinful lives] and turn [to me], and I would save them [from being punished for their sins] [MET].
For the heart of this people hath grown fat, and with their ears they have heard heavily, and their eyes they have closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and should hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should turn; and I should heal them.
16 But as for you, God is pleased with you because you [SYN] have seen [what I have done] and because you [SYN] understand [what I say] [DOU].
But happy are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.
17 Note this: Many prophets and righteous people [who lived long ago] longed to see what you are seeing [me do], but they did not see it. They longed to hear the things that you have been hearing [me say], but they did not hear [what you hear me say].” [DOU]
For verily I say to you, That many prophets and righteous men longed to see what ye see, and did not see it; and to hear what ye hear, and did not hear it.
18 “[Since God wants] you [to understand what I am teaching you], listen as I [explain] the parable about the man who sowed [seeds in various kinds of soil].
But hear ye the similitude of the seed.
19 The people who hear about how God rules over people’s lives and do not understand [what they have heard] are [like] the path where [some of] the seeds fell. [Satan], the Evil One, comes and causes these people to forget [MET] what they have heard [MET].
Every one that heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, the evil one cometh and snatcheth away the seed sowed in his heart: this is what was sowed by the side of the path.
20 [Some people are like the] shallow soil on top of rock. When they hear God’s message, they immediately accept it joyfully.
And that which was sowed on the rock, is he that heareth the word, and at once receiveth it with joy.
21 [But because it does not penetrate deeply into their inner beings, they believe it for only] a [short] time. [They are like the plants that] did not have [deep] roots. When they are treated badly and caused to suffer because they believe [God’s message], they soon stop believing [it].
Yet hath he no root in him, but is of short duration, and when there is trouble or persecution on account of the word, he soon stumbleth.
22 [Some people are like the soil that had the roots of] thorny [weeds] in it. They hear God’s message, but they desire to be rich, [so they] worry [only] about [MTY, PRS] material things. As a result, they [PRS] forget [God’s] message, and they do not do [IDM] the things that God wants them to do. (aiōn g165)
And that which was sowed among thorns, is he that heareth the word; and care for this world and the deceptiveness of riches, choke the word; and he is without fruits. (aiōn g165)
23 But [some people are like the] good soil where [some of the seeds] fell. [Just like the plants that grew in this soil] produced a lot of grain, [these people] hear my message and understand it. [Some of them] do many things [IDM] [that please God, some do] even more [things that please God, and some do] very many [things that please God].”
But that which was sowed on good ground, is he that heareth my word, and understandeth. and beareth fruits, and yieldeth, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.
24 Jesus also told the crowd another parable, [by which he tried to explain that although] God [MTY/EUP] is a king, [he will not immediately judge and punish all the wicked people]. Jesus said, “[God] is like a landowner [who sent his servants] to sow good [wheat] seed in his field.
Another similitude he proposed to them, and said: The kingdom of heaven is like to a man who sowed good seed in his field.
25 While those servants were sleeping [and not watching the field], an enemy of the landowner came and scattered weed [seeds] in the midst of the wheat. Then he left.
And while people were asleep, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.
26 After [the seeds] sprouted and the green plants [grew], the heads of grain began to form. But the weeds also grew.
And when the plant shot up and bore fruits, then appeared also the tares.
27 So the servants of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, you [RHQ] [gave us good seeds and those are the ones we] [RHQ] [planted] in your field. So where did the weeds come from?’
And the servants of the householder came, and said to him, Our lord, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? From whence are the tares in it.
28 The landowner said to them, ‘[My] enemy did this.’ His servants said to him, ‘So, do you want us to pull up [the weeds and] put them in a pile?’
And he said to them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said to him, Is it thy pleasure that we go and gather them out?
29 He said [to them], ‘No, [do not do that, because] you might pull up [some of] the wheat at the same time.
And he said to them, No, lest, while ye gather out the tares, ye also eradicate the wheat with them.
30 Let the wheat and the weeds grow together until harvest [time].’ At that time I will say to the reapers, ‘First gather the weeds, tie them into bundles to be burned. Then gather the wheat [and put it] into my barns.’”
Let them both grow together until the harvest; and at the time of harvest, I will say to the reapers, Gather out first the tares, and bind them in bundles to be burned; but the wheat gather ye into my granary.
31 Jesus also told this parable: “The [number of] (OR, [God’s influence in the lives of]) [people whose] lives God rules over [will continue to grow. It is very much] like mustard seeds grow after a man plants them in his field.
Another similitude proposed he to them, and said: The kingdom of heaven is like to a kernel of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field.
32 Although mustard seeds are among the smallest of all the seeds [that people plant, here in Israel they become large plants. When the plants have fully grown, they are larger than the other garden plants. They become shrubs that are large enough for birds to build nests in their branches.”]
And this is the least of all seeds; but when it is grown, it is greater than all the herbs, and becometh a tree, so that a bird of heaven may come and nestle in its branches.
33 Jesus also told this parable: “[The way people who let] God [MTY/EUP] rule their lives [MET] [can influence the world] is like yeast that a woman mixed with about 50 pounds of flour. [That small amount of yeast made] the whole batch of dough swell up.”
Another similitude spake he to them, The kingdom of heaven is like the leaven, which a woman took and buried in three measures of meal, until the whole fermented.
34 Jesus told the crowd parables [to teach them] all these things. When he spoke [HYP] to them, he habitually used such illustrations.
All these things Jesus discoursed to the multitude in similitudes; and without similitudes he did not discourse with them.
35 By doing that, [he] fulfilled what [God told one of] the prophets to write [long ago]: I will speak [MTY] in parables; I will tell [parables to teach] what I have kept secret since I created the world.
That so might be fulfilled that which was spoken by the prophet, who said: I will open my mouth in similitudes; I will utter things concealed from before the foundation of the world.
36 After Jesus dismissed the crowds, he went inside. Then [we] disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable about the weeds [that grew] in the [wheat] field.”
Then Jesus sent away the multitudes, and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, and said: Explain to us the similitude of the tares and the field.
37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed represents [me], the one who came from heaven.
And he answered, and said to them: He that soweth the good seed, is the Son of God.
38 The field represents this world [MTY], [where people live]. The seeds [that grew] well represent the people who let God rule their lives [MET]. The weeds represent the people who do what [the devil], the Evil One, [tells them to do].
And the field is the world. And the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked One.
39 The enemy who sowed the weed seeds represents the devil. The [time when the reapers will] harvest [the grain] represents the time when the world will end. The reapers represent the angels. (aiōn g165)
The enemy that sowed them, is Satan. The harvest is the end of the world: and the reapers are the angels. (aiōn g165)
40 The weeds are gathered and burned. {The reapers gather the weeds. Then they burn them.} That represents [the judging of people, which God will do] when the world will end. [It will be like this]: (aiōn g165)
As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so will it be in the end of the world. (aiōn g165)
41 I, the one who came from heaven, will send my angels, and they will gather [from everywhere the people] who cause others to quit believing in me [MET] and all those who disobey [God’s] commands.
The Son of man will send forth his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all the stumbling blocks, and all the doers of evil;
42 They will throw those people into the fires of [hell]. There those people will weep and grind their teeth [because of the great pain that they are suffering]. (questioned)
and will cast them into a furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 [God’s] brightness will shine [on] the people who have lived as he wants them to. It will shine [on them as brightly] as the sun [shines]. It will shine on them in the place where [God], their Father, rules over them. If you want to understand this [MTY], you should think [carefully] about what I have just said.”
Then will the righteous shine as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
44 “[What people do who begin to allow] God [MTY/EUP] to rule their lives is like [what a certain man did to acquire a treasure]. A treasure was hidden in a field by someone {Someone hid a treasure in a field [and never dug it up again]}. When [another] man found it, he hid it [by burying it again in order that no one else would find it]. Being very happy [that he had found something very valuable, he went and] sold all his possessions [to obtain money to buy the field the treasure was in]. He then went and bought the field, [and so he was able to acquire that treasure].
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure that is hid in a field; which when a man findeth, he concealeth it, and, from his joy, he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
45 Also, what [people do who begin to allow] God [MTY/EUP] to rule their lives is like [what] a merchant [did who was] looking for good quality pearls [to buy].
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchantman, who sought after rich pearls:
46 When he found one very costly pearl [that was for sale], he sold all his possessions [to acquire enough money to buy that pearl]. Then he [went and] bought it.
and when he found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
47 What God [MTY/EUP] [will do to people who falsely say that they are letting him] rule their lives is like what certain [fishermen] did [with the fish they caught] in a lake, using a large net. They caught all classes [of fish, both useful and worthless fish].
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a sweep net, which was cast into the sea, and collected fishes of every kind.
48 When the net was full, the [fishermen] pulled it up onto the shore. Then they sat there and put the useful [fish] into buckets, and threw the worthless ones away.
And when it was full, they drew it to the shores of the sea; and they sat down and culled over: and the good they put into vessels, and the bad they cast away.
49 [What they did in separating the good fish from the bad ones] is like [what will happen to people] when the world ends. The angels will come [to where God is judging people], and will separate the wicked [people] from the righteous [ones]. (aiōn g165)
So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will go forth, and will sever the wicked from among the just; (aiōn g165)
50 They will throw the wicked people into the fire [in hell]. And those wicked people will weep and gnash their teeth [because of the intense pain they are suffering].” (questioned)
and will cast them into a furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
51 [Then Jesus asked us], “Do you understand all these [parables I have told you]?” We said to him,
Jesus said to them: Have ye understood all these things? They say to him: Yes, our Lord.
52 “Yes, [we understand them].” Then he said to us, “Because [you understand all these parables], [you will understand the following parable: You, along with] all others, will teach people what [you heard me say] about God ruling people’s lives. [You will add that to what you formerly learned. You will be] like a manager of a household who takes both new things and old things out of his storage room.”
He said to them: Therefore every Scribe who is instructed for the kingdom of heaven, is like a man who is master of a house, who bringeth forth from his treasures things new and old.
53 When Jesus had finished [telling] these parables, he took [us] and left that [area].
And it was so, that when Jesus had ended these similitudes, he departed thence.
54 We went to [Nazareth, his hometown. (On the Sabbath/On the Jewish rest day]) he began to teach the people in the Jewish worship house. The result was that the people there were astonished. But [some] said, “[This man is just an ordinary person like us. So] how is it that he knows so much and understands so much [RHQ]? And how is it that he is able to do [such] miracles [RHQ]?
And he entered into his own city. And he taught them in their synagogues, in such manner that they wondered, and said: Whence hath he this wisdom and these works of power?
55 (He is [just] the son of the carpenter!/Isn’t he [just] the son of the carpenter [that lived here]?) [RHQ] His mother is Mary, and his younger brothers are James, Joseph, Simon and Judas [RHQ]!
Is not this man the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers James and Joses and Simon and Judas?
56 (And his sisters [also live] here in our [town]./Do not his sisters [live] in our [town]?) [RHQ] So how is he able to do all these [miracles]?”
And all his sisters, are they not with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
57 The people were unable to accept [that] he [was the Messiah. So] Jesus said to them, “[People] honor [me and other] prophets [everywhere else we go], but in [our] hometowns [we are] not [honored], and [even] our own families do not [honor us!]”
And they were stumbled at him. But Jesus said to them: There is no prophet who is little, except in his own city and in his own house.
58 Jesus did not perform many miracles there because the people did not believe [that he was the Messiah].
And he did not perform there many works of power, because of their unbelief.
