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

That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea.

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 large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach.

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

And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out 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 as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.

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

Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil.

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

But when the sun had risen, 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.

Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out.

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.

And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.

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

He who has ears, let him hear.” An Explanation

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 to Him, “Why do You speak to 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.

Jesus answered them, “ To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.

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 whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.

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 I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor 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.

In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘ You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; You will keep on seeing, but will 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 the heart of this people has become dull, With their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes, Otherwise they would see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I would 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, because they see; and your ears, because 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 truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. The Sower Explained

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

“ Hear then 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 anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.

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

The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;

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 he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.

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.

And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes 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

And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.” Tares among Wheat

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.

Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “ The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who 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 his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.

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

But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident 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?’

The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have 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?’

And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to 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, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot 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

Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” The Mustard Seed

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.

He presented another parable to them, saying, “ The kingdom of heaven is like a 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

and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” The Leaven

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.”

He spoke another parable to them, “ The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all 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 Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He did not speak to them without a parable.

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

This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: “ I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.” The Tares Explained

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 He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “ Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”

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

And He said, “The one who sows 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.

and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil 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.

and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.

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

So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age.

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 will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness,

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

and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping 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 the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. Hidden Treasure

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.

“ The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. A Costly Pearl

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 a merchant seeking fine 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

and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it. A Dragnet

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 a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish 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.

and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw 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 it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous,

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

and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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

“Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes.”

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

And Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.” Jesus Revisits Nazareth

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

When Jesus had finished these parables, He departed from there.

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?

He came to His hometown and began teaching them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?

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 brothers, James and Joseph 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? Where then did this man get 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 took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “ A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.”

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

And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.