1 O n that day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the shore of the lake.

2 A nd there were gathered unto him great multitudes, so that he entered into a boat, and sat; and all the multitude stood on the beach.

Then He got in a boat and sat down because so many people had gathered around Him. Many people were standing on the shore. The Picture-Story of the Man Who Planted Seeds

3 A nd he spake to them many things in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went forth to sow;

Jesus taught them many things by using picture-stories. He said, “A man went out to plant seeds.

4 a nd as he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured them:

As he planted the seeds, some fell by the side of the road. The birds came and ate the seeds.

5 a nd others fell upon the rocky places, where they had not much earth: and straightway they sprang up, because they had no deepness of earth:

Some seeds fell between rocks. The seeds came up at once because there was so little ground.

6 a nd when the sun was risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

When the sun was high in the sky, they dried up and died because they had no root.

7 A nd others fell upon the thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked them:

Some seeds fell among thorns. The thorns grew and did not give the seeds room to grow.

8 a nd others fell upon the good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Some seeds fell on good ground and gave much grain. Some gave one hundred times as much grain. Some gave sixty times as much grain. Some gave thirty times as much grain.

9 H e that hath ears, let him hear.

You have ears, then listen.” Why Jesus Used Picture-Stories

10 A nd the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

The followers of Jesus came to Him and said, “Why do You speak to them in picture-stories?”

11 A nd he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

He said to the followers, “You were given the secrets about the holy nation of heaven. The secrets were not given to the others.

12 F or whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath.

He who has will have more given to him. He will have even more than enough. But he who has little will have even that taken away from him.

13 T herefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

“This is why I speak to them in picture-stories. They have eyes but they do not see. They have ears but they do not hear and they do not understand.

14 A nd unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive:

It happened in their lives as Isaiah said it would happen. He said, ‘You hear and hear but do not understand. You look and look but do not see.

15 F or this people's heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them.

The hearts of these people have become fat. They hear very little with their ears. They have closed their eyes. If they did not do this, they would see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts. Then they would be changed in their ways, and I would heal them.’

16 B ut blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.

But how great are your eyes because they see. How great are your ears because they hear.

17 F or verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not.

For sure, I tell you, that many early preachers and men right with God have wanted to see the things you see, but they did not see them. They wanted to hear the things you hear, but they did not hear them. Jesus Tells about the Man Who Planted Seeds

18 H ear then ye the parable of the sower.

“Listen to the picture-story of the man who planted seeds in the ground.

19 W hen any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the evil one, and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way side.

When anyone hears the Word about the holy nation and does not understand it, the devil comes and takes away what was put in his heart. He is like the seed that fell by the side of the road.

20 A nd he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it;

The seed which fell between rocks is like the person who receives the Word with joy as soon as he hears it.

21 y et hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth.

Its root is not deep and it does not last long. When troubles and suffering come because of the Word, he gives up and falls away.

22 A nd he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

The seed which fell among thorns is like the person who hears the Word but the cares of this life, and the love for money let the thorns come up and do not give the seed room to grow and give grain.

23 A nd he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

The seed which fell on good ground is like the one who hears the Word and understands it. He gives much grain. Some seed gives one hundred times as much grain. Some gives sixty times as much grain. Some gives thirty times as much grain.” The Picture-Story of the Good Seed and the Weed Seed

24 A nother parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man that sowed good seed in his field:

Jesus told them another picture-story. He said, “The holy nation of heaven is like a man who planted good seed in his field.

25 b ut while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away.

During the night someone who hated him came and planted weed seed with the good seed in his field and went away.

26 B ut when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

When the good seed started to grow and give grain, weeds came up also.

27 A nd the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares?

“The servants of the man who planted the seed came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not plant good seed in your field? Why does it have weeds also?’

28 A nd he said unto them, An enemy hath done this. And the servants say unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

The man who planted the seed said, ‘Someone who hates me has done this.’ The servants asked him, ‘Should we go and pull the weeds out from among the good grain?’

29 B ut he saith, Nay; lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the wheat with them.

He said, ‘No, because if you pull out the weeds, the good grain will come up also.

30 L et both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.

Let them grow together until the time to gather the grain. Then I will say to the workmen, “Gather the weeds first and put them together to be burned. Then gather the good grain into my building.”’” The Picture-Story of the Mustard Seed

31 A nother parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

Jesus told them another picture-story. He said, “The holy nation of heaven is like mustard seed which a man planted in his field.

32 w hich indeed is less than all seeds; but when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven come and lodge in the branches thereof.

It is the smallest of seeds. But when it is full-grown, it is larger than the grain of the fields and it becomes a tree. The birds of the sky come and stay in its branches.” The Picture-Story of the Yeast

33 A nother 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 it was all leavened.

Jesus gave them another picture-story. He said, “The holy nation of heaven is like yeast that a woman put into three pails of flour until it had become much more than at first.”

34 A ll these things spake Jesus in parables unto the multitudes; and without a parable spake he nothing unto them:

Jesus told all these things using picture-stories to the many people. He did not speak to them without using picture-stories.

35 t hat 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.

It happened as the early preacher said it would happen, “I will open My mouth in picture-stories. I will tell things which have been kept secret from the beginning of the world.” Jesus Tells about the Weed Seed

36 T hen he left the multitudes, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

After Jesus sent the people away, He went into the house. His followers came to Him and said, “Tell us what You mean by the picture-story of the weeds in the field.”

37 A nd he answered and said, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

Jesus said, “He Who plants the good seed is the Son of Man.

38 a nd the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;

The field is the world. The good seeds are the children of the holy nation. The weeds are the children of the devil.

39 a nd the enemy that sowed them is the devil: and the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are angels.

The devil is the one who got in and planted the weeds. The time to gather is the end of the world. The men who gather are the angels.

40 A s therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of the world.

As the weeds are gathered together and burned in the fire, so will it be in the end of the world.

41 T he Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity,

The Son of Man will send His angels. They will gather out of His holy nation all things that cause people to sin and those who do sin.

42 a nd shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

They will put them into a stove of fire. There will be loud crying and grinding of teeth.

43 T hen shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear.

Then the ones right with God will shine as the sun in the holy nation of their Father. You have ears, then listen!” The Picture-Stories of the Gold Buried in the Field and of Buying a Pearl

44 T he kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field; which a man found, and hid; and in his joy he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

“The holy nation of heaven is like a box of riches buried in a field. A man found it and then hid it again. In his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

45 A gain, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls:

“Again, the holy nation of heaven is like a man who buys and sells. He is looking for good pearls.

46 a nd having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

When he finds one good pearl worth much money, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it. The Picture-Story of the Fish Net

47 A gain, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

“The holy nation of heaven is like a big net which was let down into the sea. It gathered fish of every kind.

48 w hich, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away.

When it was full, they took it to the shore. They sat down and put the good fish into pails. They threw the bad fish away.

49 S o shall it be in the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the righteous,

It will be like this in the end of the world. Angels will come and take the sinful people from among those who are right with God.

50 a nd shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

They will put the sinful people into a stove of fire where there will be loud crying and grinding of teeth.”

51 H ave ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea.

Jesus asked them, “Have you understood all these picture-stories?” They said, “Yes, Lord!”

52 A nd he said unto them, Therefore every scribe who hath been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

He said to them, “Every teacher of the Law who has become a follower of the holy nation of heaven is like a man who owns his house. He takes new and old riches from his house.” They Do Not Believe in Jesus in Nazareth

53 A nd it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

When Jesus had finished these picture-stories, He went away from there.

54 A nd coming 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?

He came to His own town and taught them in their places of worship. They were surprised and wondered, saying, “Where did this Man get this wisdom? How can He do these powerful works?

55 I s not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas?

Is not this the son of the man who makes things from wood? Is not Mary His mother? Are not James and Joseph and Simon and Judas His brothers?

56 A nd his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

And are not all His sisters here? Then where did He get all these things?”

57 A nd they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house.

And they were ashamed of Him and turned away because of Him. Jesus said to them, “One who speaks for God is shown no respect in his own town and in his own house.”

58 A nd he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

He did not do many powerful works there because they did not put their trust in Him.