Matthew 13
13
The Story of the Farmer Scattering Seed
1That same day Jesus left the house and sat by the Sea of Galilee. 2The crowds that gathered around him were so large that he got into a boat and sat down to teach, while all the people stood on the shore to listen. 3Then he taught them many things by telling them stories. He said, “A farmer went out to plant his seed. 4As he scattered it, some fell on a path and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some seed fell in rocky places where there wasn’t much soil. Those plants came up quickly because the soil wasn’t very deep. 6But when the sun got hot, it burned the plants and they dried up, because they had no roots. 7Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and crowded out the plants. 8But still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop that was 100, 60, or 30 times more than what was planted. 9Whoever understands should take this to heart.”
10The disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do you tell stories when you speak to the people?”
11He answered, “Because they aren’t being given the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven the way you are. 12Whoever has this kind of knowledge will be given more, until they have a great deal of it. But if anyone lacks this kind of knowledge, even what little they have will be taken away from them. 13I tell stories when I speak to the people so that:
“They’ll look, but they won’t see.
They’ll listen, but they won’t hear or understand.
14These people are making the words of the prophet Isaiah come true.
“ ‘You’ll hear but never understand,
you’ll see but never know what you’re seeing.
15The hearts of these people have become stubborn.
They can barely hear with their ears
and they’ve closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
and understand with their hearts.
Then they might turn to the Lord, and he would heal them.’
16But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and blessed are your ears, because they hear. 17Truly I tell you, many prophets and godly people wanted to see what you’re seeing, but they didn’t see it, and they wanted to hear what you’re hearing, but they didn’t hear it.
18“Listen! Here’s what the story about the farmer means. 19When people hear the message about the kingdom, but they don’t understand it, the evil one comes and steals what was planted in their hearts. Those people are like the seed that landed on the path. 20The seed that fell on rocky places stands for other people who hear the message and receive it right away with joy. 21But because they have no roots, they last only a short time. When trouble or suffering comes because of the message, they quickly fall away from the faith. 22The seed that fell among the thorns stands for those who hear the message but then have it crowded out by the worries of this life and the false promises of wealth, which keep it from producing fruit. 23But the seed that fell on good soil stands for those who hear the message and understand what it means. They produce a crop that’s 100, 60, or 30 times more than what was planted.”
The Story of the Weeds
24Jesus told the crowd another story. He said, “Here’s what the kingdom of heaven is like. A man planted good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came, planted weeds among the wheat, and then slipped away. 26The wheat began to grow and form grain, but at the same time, weeds appeared.
27“The owner’s slaves came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you plant good seed in your field? Then where did these weeds come from?’
28“ ‘An enemy must have done it,’ he replied.
“The slaves asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?’
29“ ‘No,’ the owner answered, ‘because while you’re pulling up the weeds, you might pull up the wheat too. Let them both grow together until the harvest. 30Then I’ll tell the workers, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned. Then gather the wheat and put it in my barn.” ’ ”
The Stories of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast
31Jesus told the crowd another story. He said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in a field. 32It’s the smallest of all seeds, but when it grows, it becomes the largest of all garden plants. It turns into a tree, and birds come and rest in its branches.”
33Jesus told them one more story. “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast,” he said. “A woman mixed it into 60 pounds of flour, and the yeast worked its way through all of that dough.”
34Jesus taught the crowd all these things by telling stories. He didn’t say anything to them without using a story. 35So the words spoken by the prophet came true:
“I will open my mouth and tell stories.
I’ll speak about things that have been hidden since the world was created.”
Jesus Explains the Story of the Weeds
36Then Jesus left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and asked, “Please explain the story of the weeds in the field to us.”
37He replied, “The one who planted the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people who belong to the kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one, 39and the enemy who plants them is the devil. The harvest is the judgment day and the workers are angels.
40“The weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire. That’s how it will be on judgment day. 41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and everyone who does wrong. 42They’ll throw them into the blazing furnace, where people will weep and grind their teeth. 43Then God’s people will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Whoever understands should take this to heart.
The Stories of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
44“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure that was hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then he went and gladly sold everything he had to buy that field.
45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a trader who was looking for fine pearls. 46When he found one that was very valuable, he went away and sold everything he had so he could buy that pearl.
The Story of the Net
47“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake. It caught all kinds of fish. 48When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up onto the shore. Then they sat down and gathered the good fish into baskets, but they threw the bad fish away. 49That’s how it will be on judgment day. The angels will come and separate the people who did wrong from those who did right. 50They will throw the bad people into the blazing furnace, where they will weep and grind their teeth.
51“Do you understand all these things?” Jesus asked.
“Yes,” they replied.
52He said to them, “Every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings new treasures out of his storeroom along with the old ones.”
A Prophet Without Honor
53When Jesus had finished telling these stories, he moved on from there. 54He came to his hometown of Nazareth and began teaching the people in their synagogue. They were amazed and they asked, “Where did this man get so much wisdom? Where did he get the power to do miracles? 55Isn’t he the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas his brothers? 56Aren’t all his sisters with us too? Then where did this man get all these things?” 57And they couldn’t believe in Jesus because they were stuck on these questions.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own town and in his own home.”
58He didn’t do many miracles in Nazareth because the people there had so little faith.
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Matthew 13
13
The Parable of the Sower
Mk 4:1–9; Lk 8:4–8
1#Mt 13:36; Mk 2:13That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2#Lk 5:3Great crowds assembled around Him, so that He went into a boat and sat there. And the whole assembly stood on the shore. 3#Mt 13:10–13; 13:34–35Then He told them many things in parables, saying, “Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4While he sowed, some seeds fell beside the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5But other seeds fell on rocky ground where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up because they did not have deep soil. 6But when the sun rose, they were scorched. And because they did not take root, they withered away. 7Some seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8#Ge 26:12; Mt 13:23But other seeds fell into good ground and produced grain: a hundred, sixty, or thirty times as much. 9#Mt 11:15; Rev 2:7Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The Purpose of the Parables
Mk 4:10–12; Lk 8:9–10
10The disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
11#1Jn 2:27; Mt 16:17He answered them, “It is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12#Mt 25:29; Lk 8:18For to him who has, will more be given, and he will have abundance. But from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13#Jer 5:21; Eze 12:2Therefore I speak to them in parables:
‘Because they look, but do not see.
And they listen, but they do not hear, neither do they understand.’#Isa 56:7.
14#Isa 6:9–10; Mk 4:12In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says:
‘By hearing, you will hear and shall not understand,
and seeing, you will see and shall not perceive;#Isa 6:9.
15#Heb 5:11; Ps 119:70 for this people’s heart has grown dull.
Their ears have become hard of hearing,
and they have closed their eyes,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts,
and turn, and I should heal them.’#A talent was worth several hundred pounds.
16#Mt 16:17; Lk 10:23–24But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17#Jn 8:56; Heb 11:13For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them.
The Parable of the Sower Explained
Mk 4:13–20; Lk 8:11–15
18“Therefore listen to the parable of the sower. 19#Mt 4:23; 13:38When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one who received seed beside the path. 20#Isa 58:2; Eze 33:31–32But he who received the seed on rocky ground is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21#Mt 11:6; Hos 6:4yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, eventually he falls away. 22#1Ti 6:9–10; 6:17He also who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, but the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23#Mt 13:8; Jn 15:16; Php 1:11But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit. Some produce a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.”
The Parable of the Weeds
24#Mt 13:33; 13:47He told them another parable, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26But when the shoots had sprung up and produced fruit, the weeds also appeared.
27“So the servants of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’
28“He said to them, ‘An enemy did this.’
“The servants said to him, ‘Will you then have us go and gather them up?’
29“But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the weeds, you pull up also the wheat with them. 30#Mt 3:12Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers: Gather up the weeds first and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ”
The Parables of the Mustard Seed and theYeast
Mk 4:30–32; Lk 13:18–21
31#Mt 13:24; Mk 4:30–32He told them another parable, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. 32#Eze 31:6; Da 4:12This indeed is the least of all seeds, but when it has grown, it is the greatest among herbs and is a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches.”
33#Lk 13:21; Gal 5:9He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast which a woman took and mixed in sixty pounds#Gk. 3 sata, about 22 liters each. of meal until it had leavened the whole batch.”
The Use of Parables
Mk 4:33–34
34#Mk 4:33–34; Jn 16:25Jesus said all these things to the crowds in parables. And without a parable He did not speak to them, 35#Ps 78:2; Ro 16:25–26to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying:
“I will open My mouth in parables;
I will say things which have been kept secret since the foundation of the world.”#Ps 78:2.
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
36#Mt 13:1Then Jesus sent the crowds away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.”
37He answered, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, 38#Jn 8:44; Ac 13:10the field is the world, and the good seed are the sons ofthe kingdom. But the weeds are the sons of the evil one. 39#Mt 24:3; Joel 3:13The enemy who sowed them is thedevil, the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are the angels.
40“Therefore as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be in the end of this world. 41#Mt 24:31; 18:7The Son of Man shall send out His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who do evil, 42#Mt 8:12; 13:50; 22:13and will throw them into a fiery furnace. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43#Da 12:3; Mt 11:15Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun#Da 12:3. in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.
The Parable of the Hidden Treasure
44#Isa 55:1; Pr 23:23“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid. And with joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price
45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46who, on finding one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
The Parable of the Net
47#Mt 4:19“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and gathered all kinds of fish. 48When it was full, they drew it to shore, sat down, and gathered the good into baskets, but threw the bad away. 49#Mt 13:39So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50#Mt 8:12; 13:42and throw them into the fiery furnace. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
Treasures New and Old
51#Mt 13:11Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all of these things?”
They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”
52#Mt 12:35; 23:34Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who is discipled for the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is master of the household who brings out of his treasure new and old things.”
The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth
Mk 6:1–6; Lk 4:16–30
53When Jesus finished these parables, He departed from there. 54#Mt 2:23; 4:23When He came to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55#Mk 6:3; Lk 3:23Is He not the carpenter’s son? Is His mother not called Mary? And are not His brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?” 57#Lk 4:24; Jn 4:44And they took offense at Him.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.”
58And He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
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