< Matthew 13 >

1 On that day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the seaside.
Later that day Jesus left the house, and sat down to teach beside the lake.
2 Great multitudes gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat and sat; and all the multitude stood on the beach.
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.
3 He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, a farmer went out to sow.
He explained many things to them, using stories as illustrations. “The sower went out to sow,” he began.
4 As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them.
“As he was sowing, some of the seeds fell on the path. The birds came and ate them up.
5 Others fell on rocky ground, where they didn’t have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth.
Other seeds fell on stony ground where there wasn't much earth where they sprouted quickly.
6 When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away.
The sun rose and scorched them and they withered because they had no roots.
7 Others fell amongst thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them.
Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked them.
8 Others fell on good soil and yielded fruit: some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.
Still other seeds fell on good soil. They produced a harvest—some one hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what had been planted.
9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Anybody who has ears should be listening!”
10 The disciples came, and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
The disciples came to Jesus and asked him, “Why do you use illustrations when you speak to the people?”
11 He answered them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them.
“You're privileged to have revealed to you the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but they're not given such insights,” Jesus replied.
12 For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he has.
“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.
13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t hear, neither do they understand.
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.
14 In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, ‘By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive;
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.
15 for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, and they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, and I would heal them.’
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.’
16 “But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.
Your eyes are blessed, for they see. Your ears are blessed too, for they hear.
17 For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them.
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.
18 “Hear, then, the parable of the farmer.
So listen to the story of the sower.
19 When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside.
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.
20 What was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word and immediately with joy receives it;
The seeds sown on stony ground are people who hear the message and happily accept it straight away.
21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
They last for a while, but because they don't have roots, when problems and troubles come, they quickly fall away.
22 What was sown amongst the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. (aiōn g165)
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)
23 What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit and produces, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.”
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.”
24 He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,
Then he told them another illustrated story: “The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who sowed good seeds in his field.
25 but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds also amongst the wheat, and went away.
But while his workers were sleeping, an enemy came and sowed weed seeds on top of the wheat. Then they left.
26 But when the blade sprang up and produced grain, then the darnel weeds appeared also.
So when the wheat grew and produced ears of grain, the weeds also grew up.
27 The servants of the householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where did these darnel weeds come from?’
The farmer's workers came and asked him, ‘Sir, didn't you sow good seeds in your field? Where did the weeds come from?’
28 “He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them up?’
‘Some enemy has done this,’ he replied. ‘Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?’ they asked him.
29 “But he said, ‘No, lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel weeds, you root up the wheat with them.
‘No,’ he answered, ‘as you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat too.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First, gather up the darnel weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
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.’”
31 He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took, and sowed in his field,
He gave them another illustration: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a farmer sowed in his field.
32 which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches.”
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.”
33 He spoke another parable to them. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until it was all leavened.”
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.”
34 Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes; and without a parable, he didn’t speak to them,
Jesus explained all these things to the crowds using illustrated stories—in fact he didn't speak to them without using stories.
35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.”
This fulfilled the prophet's words: “I will speak using stories, and I will explain things hidden from the creation of the world.”
36 Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the darnel weeds of the field.”
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.”
37 He answered them, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,
“The one who sows the good seed is the Son of man,” Jesus explained.
38 the field is the world, the good seeds are the children of the Kingdom, and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one.
“The field is the world. The good seeds are the children of the kingdom. The weed seeds are the children of the evil one.
39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. (aiōn g165)
The enemy that sowed the weed seeds is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world. The reapers are angels. (aiōn g165)
40 As therefore the darnel weeds are gathered up and burnt with fire; so will it be at the end of this age. (aiōn g165)
Just as the weeds are harvested and burned so it will be at the end of the world. (aiōn g165)
41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling and those who do iniquity,
The Son of man will send out his angels, and they will gather up every sinful thing and everyone who does evil,
42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
and will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Then those who live right will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their father. Anybody with ears should be listening!
44 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
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.
45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls,
The kingdom of heaven is also like a trader looking for good pearls.
46 who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
When he found the most expensive pearl ever he went and sold all he had and bought it.
47 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some fish of every kind,
Once more, the kingdom of heaven is like a fishing net thrown into the sea that caught all kinds of fish.
48 which, when it was filled, fishermen drew up on the beach. They sat down and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away.
When it was full it was dragged ashore. The good fish were put into baskets while the bad ones were thrown away.
49 So it will be in the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked from amongst the righteous, (aiōn g165)
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)
50 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
and throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
51 Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They answered him, “Yes, Lord.”
Now do you understood everything?” “Yes,” they replied.
52 He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things.”
“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.
53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there.
After Jesus finished telling these stories, he left.
54 Coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?
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?
55 Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?
Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and his brothers James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas?
56 Aren’t all of his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all of these things?”
Don't his sisters live here among us? So where does he get all this from?”
57 They were offended by him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour, except in his own country and in his own house.”
And so they refused to believe in him. “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his homeland and in his family,” Jesus told them.
58 He didn’t do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Since they failed to trust in him, he did not do many miracles there.

< Matthew 13 >