Matthew 13
13
The Parable of the Sower
1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
10The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
11He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
“ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’ # 13:15
Isaiah 6:9,10 (see Septuagint)
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
The Parable of the Weeds
24Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
28 “ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29 “ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ ”
The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast
31He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
33He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds#13:33 Or about 27 kilograms of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
34Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. 35So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables,
I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”#13:35 Psalm 78:2
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
36Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
37He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
The Parable of the Net
47 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51 “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.
“Yes,” they replied.
52He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
A Prophet Without Honor
53When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”
58And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
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Matthew 13: NIV
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The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.
Matthew 13
13
1Later that day Jesus left the house, and sat down to teach#13:1. Implied. The religious teachers sat down when they wanted to instruct their disciples. beside the sea. 2So 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. 3He explained many things to them, using stories as illustrations.#13:3. “Stories as illustrations,” literally, “parables.”
“The sower went out to sow,” he began. 4“As he was sowing, some of the seeds fell on the path. The birds came and ate them up. 5Other seeds fell on stony ground where there wasn't much earth where they sprouted quickly. 6The sun rose and scorched them and they withered because they had no roots. 7Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked them. 8Still other seeds fell on good soil. They produced a harvest—some one hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what had been planted. 9Anybody who has ears should be listening!”
10The disciples came to Jesus and asked him, “Why do you use illustrations when you speak to the people?”
11“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“Those who already have#13:12. Probably meaning “have understanding.” will have more given to them, more than enough. But those who don't have, whatever they have will be taken away from them. 13That's why I speak to them in illustrations. For even though they see, they don't see; and even though they hear, they don't hear; nor do they understand.#13:13. Jesus was referencing the Old Testament here. It could be any of these: Deuteronomy 29:4, Isaiah 42:20, Jeremiah 5:21, Ezekiel 12:2.
14The prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled in them: ‘Even though you hear, you won't understand, and even though you see, you won't perceive. 15They 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.’#13:15. Quoting Isaiah 6:9-10.
16Your eyes are blessed, for they see. Your ears are blessed too, for they hear. 17I'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.
18So listen to the story of the sower. 19When 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. 20The seeds sown on stony ground are people who hear the message and happily accept it straight away. 21They last for a while, but because they don't have roots, when problems and troubles come, they quickly fall away. 22The 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. 23The 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.”
24Then he told them another illustrated story: “The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who sowed good seeds in his field. 25But while his workers were sleeping, an enemy came and sowed weed seeds#13:25. Actually “darnel,” or “false wheat,” a weed that looked similar to wheat. on top of the wheat. Then they left. 26So when the wheat grew and produced ears of grain, the weeds also grew up. 27The farmer's workers came and asked him, ‘Sir, didn't you sow good seeds in your field? Where did the weeds come from?’
28‘Some enemy has done this,’ he replied. ‘Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?’ they asked him. 29‘No,’ he answered, ‘as you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat too. 30Let 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.’”
31He gave them another illustration: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a farmer sowed in his field. 32Even 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.”
33He told them another illustrated story: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman mixed with a large quantity#13:33. Approximately 50 pounds, or 23 kilos. of flour, until all the dough was raised.” 34Jesus explained all these things to the crowds using illustrated stories—in fact he didn't speak to them without using stories. 35This fulfilled the prophet's words: “I will speak using stories, and I will explain things hidden from the creation of the world.”#13:35. Quoting Psalms 78:2.
36Then Jesus 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“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. The weed seeds are the children of the evil one. 39The enemy that sowed the weed seeds is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world. The reapers are angels. 40Just as the weeds are harvested and burned so it will be at the end of the world. 41The Son of man will send out his angels, and they will gather up every sinful thing and everyone who does evil, 42and will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. 43Then those who live right will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.#13:43. See Daniel 12:3. Anybody with ears should be listening!
44The 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. 45The kingdom of heaven is also like a trader looking for good pearls. 46When he found the most expensive pearl ever he went and sold all he had and bought it. 47Or again, the kingdom of heaven is like a fishing net thrown into the sea that caught all kinds of fish. 48When it was full it was dragged ashore. The good fish were put into baskets while the bad ones were thrown away.
49That'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, 50and throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
51Now do you understand everything?”
“Yes,” they replied.
52“This is why 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.
53After Jesus finished telling these stories, he left. 54He went back to his home town#13:54. Nazareth. and taught in the synagogue there. People were amazed, and asked, “Where does he get his wisdom and miracles from? 55Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and his brothers James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas? 56Don't his sisters live here among us? So where does he get all this from?” 57And so they refused to believe in him.
“A prophet is honored everywhere except in his homeland and in his family,” Jesus told them. 58Since they failed to trust in him, he did not do many miracles there.
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Dr. Jonathan Gallagher. Released under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Unported License. Version 4.3. For corrections send email to jonathangallagherfbv@gmail.com