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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Matthew 13: FBV
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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
Matthew 13
13
1And that same day Jesus went out from the house and sat down by the sea. 2And great crowds were gathered together to him, so that going on board ship himself he sat down, and the whole crowd stood on the shore. 3And he spoke to them many things in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went out to sow: 4and as he sowed, some grains fell along the way, and the birds came and devoured them; 5and others fell upon the rocky places where they had not much earth, and immediately they sprang up out of the ground because of not having any depth of earth, 6but when the sun rose they were burned up, and because of not having any root were dried up; 7and others fell upon the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them; 8and others fell upon the good ground, and produced fruit, one a hundred, one sixty, and one thirty. 9He that has ears, let him hear. 10And the disciples came up and said to him, Why speakest thou to them in parables? 11And he answering said to them, Because to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens, but to them it is not given; 12for whoever has, to him shall be given, and he shall be caused to be in abundance; but he who has not, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13For this cause I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear nor understand; 14and in them is filled up the prophecy of Esaias, which says, Hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand, and beholding ye shall behold and not see; 15for the heart of this people has grown fat, and they have heard heavily with their ears, and they have closed their eyes as asleep, lest they should see with the eyes, and hear with the ears, and understand with the heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear; 17for verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which ye behold and did not see them, and to hear the things which ye hear and did not hear them. 18Ye, therefore, hear the parable of the sower. 19From every one who hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the wicked one comes and catches away what was sown in his heart: this is he that is sown by the wayside. 20But he that is sown on the rocky places — this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21but has no root in himself, but is for a time only; and when tribulation or persecution happens on account of the word, he is immediately offended. 22And he that is sown among the thorns — this is he who hears the word, and the anxious care of this life, and the deceit of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23But he that is sown upon the good ground — this is he who hears and understands the word, who bears fruit also, and produces, one a hundred, one sixty, and one thirty.
24Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of the heavens has become like a man sowing good seed in his field; 25but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel amongst the wheat, and went away. 26But when the blade shot up and produced fruit, then appeared the darnel also. 27And the bondmen of the householder came up and said to him, Sir, hast thou not sown good seed in thy field? whence then has it darnel? 28And he said to them, A man that is an enemy has done this. And the bondmen said to him, Wilt thou then that we should go and gather it up? 29But he said, No; lest in gathering the darnel ye should root up the wheat with it. 30Suffer both to grow together unto the harvest, and in time of the harvest I will say to the harvestmen, Gather first the darnel, and bind it into bundles to burn it; but the wheat bring together into my granary. 31Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of the heavens is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field; 32which is less indeed than all seeds, but when it is grown is greater than herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of heaven come and roost in its branches. 33He spoke another parable to them: The kingdom of the heavens is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal until it had been all leavened. 34All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and without a parable he did not speak to them, 35so that that should be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the world's foundation. 36Then, having dismissed the crowds, he went into the house; and his disciples came to him, saying, Expound to us the parable of the darnel of the field. 37But he answering said, He that sows the good seed is the Son of man, 38and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom, but the darnel are the sons of the evil one; 39and the enemy who has sowed it is the devil; and the harvest is the completion of the age, and the harvestmen are angels. 40As then the darnel is gathered and is burned in the fire, thus it shall be in the completion of the age. 41The Son of man shall send his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all offences, and those that practise lawlessness; 42and they shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that has ears, let him hear.
44The kingdom of the heavens is like a treasure hid in the field, which a man having found has hid, and for the joy of it goes and sells all whatever he has, and buys that field. 45Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls; 46and having found one pearl of great value, he went and sold all whatever he had and bought it. 47Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a seine which has been cast into the sea, and which has gathered together of every kind, 48which, when it has been filled, having drawn up on the shore and sat down, they gathered the good into vessels and cast the worthless out. 49Thus shall it be in the completion of the age: the angels shall go forth and sever the wicked from the midst of the just, 50and shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 51Jesus says to them, Have ye understood all these things? They say to him, Yea, Lord. 52And he said to them, For this reason every scribe discipled to the kingdom of the heavens is like a man that is a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.
53And it came to pass when Jesus had finished these parables he withdrew thence. 54And having come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, Whence has this man this wisdom and these works of power? 55Is not this the son of the carpenter? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brethren James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas? 56And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then has this man all these things? 57And they were offended in him. And Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honour, unless in his country and in his house. 58And he did not there many works of power, because of their unbelief.
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.