Matthew 13
13
The Parable of the Sower
1That same day Jesus went out of the house #For ver. 1-15, see Mark 4:1-12; Luke 8:4-10and sat beside the sea. 2And great crowds gathered about him, #[Mark 3:9; Luke 5:1-3]so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3And #ver. 34 he told them many things in parables, saying: #[Isa. 55:10; Amos 9:13]“A sower went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6but #James 1:11 when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, #John 15:6they withered away. 7Other seeds fell among #Jer. 4:3thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some #ver. 23; Gen. 26:12a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9#See ch. 11:15He who has ears,#13:9 Some manuscripts add here and in verse 43 to hear let him hear.”
The Purpose of the Parables
10Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11And he answered them, #ch. 19:11; Col. 1:27; [1 Cor. 2:6-10; 1 John 2:20, 27]; See ch. 11:25 “To you it has been given to know #See Rom. 16:25the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12#ch. 25:29; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18; 19:26; [John 15:2; James 4:6] For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, #[Rev. 2:5]even what he has will be taken away. 13This is why I speak to them in parables, because #Deut. 29:4; Jer. 5:21; Ezek. 12:2; Rom. 11:8; 2 Cor. 3:14; 4:4; [Isa. 42:19, 20] seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, #ver. 19, 51; ch. 15:10; 16:12; Mark 8:21nor do they understand. 14Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:
#
John 12:40; Acts 28:26, 27; Cited from Isa. 6:9, 10 “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears #[Heb. 5:11] they can barely hear,
and #[John 9:39, 41] their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and #[Rom. 10:10] understand with their heart
and # See Luke 22:32 turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But #
Luke 10:23, 24; [ch. 16:17] blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17#[See ver. 16 above] For truly, I say to you, #Heb. 11:13; 1 Pet. 1:10-12; [John 8:56]many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
The Parable of the Sower Explained
18 # For ver. 18-23, see Mark 4:13-20; Luke 8:11-15 “Hear then the parable of the sower: 19When anyone hears the word of #ver. 38; ch. 4:23; 8:12 the kingdom and #See ver. 13 does not understand it, #John 17:15; Eph. 6:16; 2 Thess. 3:3; 1 John 2:13, 14; 3:12; 5:18, 19the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately #[Isa. 58:2; Ezek. 33:31, 32; Mark 6:20; John 5:35]receives it with joy, 21yet he has no root in himself, but #Gal. 1:6; [Hos. 6:4; Gal. 5:7] endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately #See ch. 11:6he falls away.#13:21 Or stumbles 22As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but #See ch. 6:25 the cares of #2 Tim. 4:10 the world and #1 Tim. 6:9, 10, 17; [ch. 19:23; Mark 10:23; Acts 5:1-11; Heb. 3:13]the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and #[See ver. 19 above] understands it. He indeed #Hos. 14:8; John 15:5, 16; Phil. 1:11; Col. 1:6 bears fruit and yields, in one case #ver. 8a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
The Parable of the Weeds
24He put another parable before them, saying, #ver. 37-42; [Mark 4:26-29]“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds#13:25 Probably darnel, a wheat-like weed among the wheat and went away. 26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27And the servants#13:27 Or bondservants; also verse 28 of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29But he said, #[1 Cor. 4:5]‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, #ch. 3:12“Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
The Mustard Seed and the Leaven
31He put another parable before them, saying, #For ver. 31, 32, see Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18, 19 “The kingdom of heaven is like #ch. 17:20; Luke 17:6a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
33He told them another parable. #Luke 13:20, 21 “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in #Gen. 18:6 three measures of flour, till it was #1 Cor. 5:6; Gal. 5:9all leavened.”
Prophecy and Parables
34 # ver. 3; Mark 4:33, 34; [John 16:25, 29] All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:#13:35 Some manuscripts Isaiah the prophet
# Cited from Ps. 78:2 “I will open my mouth in parables;
# [ver. 11; Rom. 16:25, 26; 1 Cor. 2:7] I will utter what has been hidden #ch. 25:34; Luke 11:50; [John 17:24; Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:20]since the foundation of the world.”
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
36Then he left the crowds and went into #ver. 1 the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, #ver. 24-30; [ch. 15:15]“Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed is #[ver. 43] the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are #John 8:44; Acts 13:10; 1 John 3:10; [ch. 23:15]; See ver. 19the sons of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. #Joel 3:13; Rev. 14:15 The harvest is #ver. 49; ch. 24:3; 28:20; [Dan. 12:13; Heb. 9:26]the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40Just as the weeds #John 15:6; [ch. 3:12] are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at #[See ver. 39 above]the end of the age. 41#ch. 24:31 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all #ch. 18:7; [Zeph. 1:3] causes of sin and #ch. 7:23all law-breakers, 42#ver. 50; Rev. 9:2; [Rev. 19:20; 20:10] and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place #See ch. 8:12there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then #Prov. 4:18; Dan. 12:3; [1 Cor. 15:41, 42] the righteous will shine like the sun #[ver. 38; ch. 25:34; 26:29; Luke 12:32] in the kingdom of their Father. #See ch. 11:15He who has ears, let him hear.
The Parable of the Hidden Treasure
44 “The kingdom of heaven #
Prov. 2:4 is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy # [ch. 25:9; Prov. 23:23; Phil. 3:7, 8] he goes and sells all that he has and # [Isa. 55:1; Rev. 3:18] buys that field.
The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46who, on finding #ch. 7:6 one pearl of great value, #[See ver. 44 above] went and sold all that he had and #[See ver. 44 above]bought it.
The Parable of the Net
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is # ch. 4:19 like a net that was thrown into the sea and # [ver. 38; ch. 22:10; 25:2] gathered fish of every kind. 48When it was full, #John 21:11men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49So it will be at #See ver. 39 the end of the age. The angels will come out and #ch. 25:32; [ver. 41]separate the evil from the righteous 50#See ver. 42and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place #See ver. 42there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
New and Old Treasures
51 # ver. 10-16; [John 10:6; 16:29] “Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52And he said to them, “Therefore every #ch. 23:34 scribe #ch. 28:19 who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who #[ch. 12:35]brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
53And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54#For ver. 54-58, see Mark 6:1-6; [Luke 4:16-30] and coming to #ch. 2:23; Luke 4:23 his hometown #See ch. 4:23 he taught them in their synagogue, so that #See ch. 7:28they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55#[Luke 4:22; John 6:42] Is not this #[Mark 6:3] the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not #See ch. 12:46his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57And #See ch. 11:6 they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, #Luke 4:24; John 4:44; [Jer. 11:21; 12:6; John 7:5]“A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58And he did not do many mighty works there, #[ch. 17:20]because of their unbelief.
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
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Matthew 13
13
Parables of the Kingdom
1The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. 2And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
The Sower
3And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; 4and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 5some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: 6and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 8but other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. 9Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11He 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. 12For 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. 13Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14And 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 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 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17For 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 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. 19When 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. 20But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; 21yet 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. 22He 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. 23But 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.
The Tares
24Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: 25but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. 26But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27So 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? 28He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. 30Let 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.
Mustard Seed
31Another 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: 32which 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.
Leaven
33Another 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.
34All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: 35That 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.
The Tares Explained
36Then 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. 37He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38the field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39the enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41The 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; 42and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Treasures
44 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 kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: 46who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
The Drag-net
47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, 50and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 51Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord. 52Then 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.
53And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
The Rejection
54And 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? 55Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? 57And 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. 58And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
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