1 T hat same day Jesus went out of the house and sat down by the shore of the lake.

The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

2 T hen 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

And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

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

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

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

and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

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

some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

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

and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7 S ome seeds fell among thorns. The thorns grew and did not give the seeds room to grow.

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

8 S ome 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.

but other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

9 Y ou have ears, then listen.” Why Jesus Used Picture-Stories

Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

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

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

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

He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12 H e 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.

For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

13 “ 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.

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

14 I t 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.

And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

15 T he 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.’

for this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

16 B ut how great are your eyes because they see. How great are your ears because they hear.

But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

17 F or 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

For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

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

Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

19 W hen 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.

When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

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

But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

21 I ts 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.

yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

22 T he 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.

He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

23 T he 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

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

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

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

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

but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

26 W hen the good seed started to grow and give grain, weeds came up also.

But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27 “ 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?’

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

28 T he 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?’

He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

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

But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30 L et 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

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

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

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

32 I t 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

which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

33 J esus 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.”

Another 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 the whole was leavened.

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

All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

35 I t 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

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

36 A fter 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.”

Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

37 J esus said, “He Who plants the good seed is the Son of Man.

He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

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

the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

39 T he 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.

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

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

As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

41 T he 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.

The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

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

and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 T hen 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

Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

44 “ 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.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

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

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

46 W hen 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

who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

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

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

48 W hen 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.

which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

49 I t 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.

So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

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

and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

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

Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

52 H e 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

Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

53 W hen Jesus had finished these picture-stories, He went away from there.

And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

54 H e 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?

And when he was come 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?

55 I s 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?

Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

56 A nd are not all His sisters here? Then where did He get all these things?”

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

57 A nd 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.”

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

58 H e did not do many powerful works there because they did not put their trust in Him.

And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.