Matthew 13
13
The Parable of the Sower
1On that day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea. # Mk 4:1-12; Lk 8:4-10 2Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while the whole crowd stood on the shore. # Mk 3:9; Lk 5:3
3Then He told them many things in parables, # Mt 13:10,34-36; 15:15; 21:33,45; 22:1; 24:32; Mk 4:2 saying: “Consider the sower who went out to sow. 4As he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5Others fell on rocky ground, where there wasn’t much soil, and they sprang up quickly since the soil wasn’t deep. 6But when the sun came up they were scorched, and since they had no root, they withered. 7Others fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them. 8Still others fell on good ground and produced a crop: some 100, some 60, and some 30 times what was sown. # Gn 26:12; Mt 13:23 9Anyone who has ears # Other mss add to hear should listen! ” # Mt 11:15; 13:43; Lk 8:8; 14:35; Rv 2:7,11,17,29; 3:6,13,22
Why Jesus Used Parables
10Then the disciples # Mt 9:10; Mk 10:10; Lk 6:1; Jn 6:3; Ac 6:1 came up and asked Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables? ” # Mt 13:35; 15:15; 21:33,45; 22:1; 24:32
11He answered them, “Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, # Mt 11:25; 19:11; Jn 6:65; 1Co 2:10; Col 1:27; 1Jn 2:20,27 but it has not been given to them. 12For whoever has, more will be given to him, and he will have more than enough. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. # Mt 25:29; Lk 8:18; 19:26; Jn 15:2; Jms 4:6 13For this reason I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, # Dt 29:4; Is 42:19-20; Jr 5:21; Ezk 12:2 and hearing they do not listen or understand. # Mt 15:10; 16:12; 17:13; Mk 8:21 14Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:
You will listen and listen,
yet never understand;
and you will look and look,
yet never perceive. # Is 6:9; Mk 4:12; Lk 8:10; Jn 12:40; Ac 28:26-27; Rm 11:8
15For this people’s heart has grown callous;
their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
otherwise they might see with their eyes
and hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn back —
and I would cure them. # Is 6:10; Mt 15:8; Heb 5:11 # Is 6:9-10
16“But your eyes are blessed # Lk 10:23-24 because they do see, and your ears because they do hear! # Mt 16:17; Jn 20:29 17For I assure you: Many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see yet didn’t see them; to hear the things you hear yet didn’t hear them. # Jn 8:56; Heb 11:13; 1Pt 1:10-12
The Parable of the Sower Explained
18“You, then, listen to the parable of the sower: # Mk 4:13-20; Lk 8:11-15 19When anyone hears the word # Gk logos = word, or message, or saying, or thing about the kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one sown along the path. # Mt 4:23; 5:37; 6:13 20And the one sown on rocky ground — this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. # Is 58:2; Ezk 33:31-32; Mk 6:20; Jn 5:35 21Yet he has no root in himself, but is short-lived. When pressure or persecution # Mk 4:17; 10:30; Ac 8:1; 13:50; Rm 8:35; 2Co 12:10 comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22Now the one sown among the thorns — this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age # Rm 12:2; 2Tm 4:10; 1Jn 2:15 and the seduction # Or pleasure, or deceitfulness of wealth # Mt 19:23; Mk 10:23; 1Tm 6:9-10; 2Tm 4:10 choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 23But the one sown on the good ground — this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times what was sown.”
The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds
24He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. # Mt 18:23; 20:1; 25:1; Mk 4:26,30 25But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds # Or darnel, a weed similar in appearance to wheat in the early stages among the wheat, and left. 26When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. 27The landowner’s slaves # Mt 10:24; Col 3:11; 4:1; Rv 1:1 came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from? ’
28“ ‘An enemy did this! ’ he told them.
“ ‘So, do you want us to go and gather them up? ’ the slaves asked him.
29“ ‘No,’ he said. ‘When you gather up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but store the wheat in my barn.’ ”
The Parables of the Mustard Seed and of the Yeast
31He # Mk 4:30-32; Lk 13:18-19 presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven # Mt 13:24; 17:20; Lk 17:6 is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32It’s the smallest of all the seeds, but when grown, it’s taller than the vegetables and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.” # Ps 104:12; Ezk 17:23; 31:6; Dn 4:12
33He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into 50 pounds # Lit 3 sata ; about 40 quarts of flour until it spread through all of it.” # Or until all of it was leavened # Gn 18:6; Lk 13:21; Gl 5:9
Using Parables Fulfills Prophecy
34Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables, and He would not speak anything to them without a parable, # Mk 4:34; Jn 10:6; 16:25 35so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:
I will open My mouth in parables;
I will declare things kept secret
from the foundation of the world. # Ps 78:2; Rm 16:25-26; 1Co 2:7; Eph 3:9; Col 1:26 # Ps 78:2
Jesus Interprets the Wheat and the Weeds
36Then He dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached Him and said, “Explain the parable of the weeds in the field to us.” # Mt 13:3; 15:15; 21:33,45; 22:1; 24:32
37He replied: “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38the field is the world; and the good seed — these are the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, # Mt 8:12; Jn 8:44; Ac 13:10; 1Jn 3:10 39and the enemy who sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. # Jl 3:13; Heb 9:26; Rv 14:15 40Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. # Mt 24:3; 28:20 41The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin # Or stumbling and those guilty of lawlessness. # Or those who do lawlessness # Zph 1:3; Mt 8:20; 18:7; 24:31 42They will throw them into the blazing furnace # Rv 1:15; 9:2 where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. # Mt 8:12; Rv 19:20; 20:10 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Anyone who has ears # Other mss add to hear should listen! # Dn 12:3; Mt 11:15; 1Co 15:42
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and of the Priceless Pearl
44“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field. # Is 55:1; Php 3:7-8; Rv 3:18
45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. 46When he found one priceless # Or very precious pearl, he went and sold everything he had, and bought it. # Pr 2:4; Mt 7:6
The Parable of the Net
47“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a large net thrown into the sea. It collected every kind of fish, # Mt 3:2; 13:44; 22:10 48and when it was full, they dragged it ashore, sat down, and gathered the good fish into containers, but threw out the worthless ones. 49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out, separate the evil people from the righteous, # Mt 13:39-40; 25:32 50and throw them into the blazing furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. # Mt 8:12; 13:42
The Storehouse of Truth
51“Have you understood all these things? ” # Other mss add Jesus asked them
“Yes,” they told Him.
52“Therefore,” He said to them, “every student of Scripture # Or every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who brings out of his storeroom what is new and what is old.” # Mt 12:35; 28:19 53When Jesus had finished these parables, He left there.
Rejection at Nazareth
54He went to His hometown # Mk 6:1-6; Lk 4:16-30 and began to teach them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “How did this wisdom and these miracles come to Him? # Mt 2:23; 4:23; 7:28 55Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? # Mt 13:55; Mk 6:3; Lk 3:23; Jn 6:42 Isn’t His mother called Mary, and His brothers James, # Jms 1:1; Jd 1 Joseph, # Other mss read Joses ; Mk 6:3 Simon, and Judas? # Mt 12:46; Jn 7:5 56And His sisters, aren’t they all with us? So where does He get all these things? ” 57And they were offended by Him.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his household.” # Jr 11:21; 12:6; Lk 4:24; Jn 4:44 58And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.
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Matthew 13: HCSB
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© 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. All rights reserved.
Matthew 13
13
The Parable of the Sower
1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. 6But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. 7Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9Let anyone with ears#13.9 Other ancient authorities add to hear listen!”
The Purpose of the Parables
10Then the disciples came and asked him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11He answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets#13.11 Or mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 13The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’ 14With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:
‘You will indeed listen, but never understand,
and you will indeed look, but never perceive.
15For this people's heart has grown dull,
and their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
so that they might not look with their eyes,
and listen with their ears,
and understand with their heart and turn—
and I would heal them.’
16But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17Truly 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.
The Parable of the Sower Explained
18“Hear then the parable of the sower. 19When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path. 20As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.#13.21 Gk stumbles 22As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing. 23But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
The Parable of Weeds among the Wheat
24He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?’ 28He answered, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The slaves said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
31He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; 32it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
The Parable of the Yeast
33He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with#13.33 Gk hid in three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”
The Use of Parables
34Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing. 35This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet:#13.35 Other ancient authorities read the prophet Isaiah
“I will open my mouth to speak in parables;
I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.”#13.35 Other ancient authorities lack of the world
Jesus Explains the Parable of the Weeds
36Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying, “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 are the children of the kingdom; the weeds are the children of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40Just as the weeds are collected and burned up with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will collect out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let anyone with ears#13.43 Other ancient authorities add to hear listen!
Three Parables
44“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; 46on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
47“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; 48when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Treasures New and Old
51“Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” 52And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” 53When Jesus had finished these parables, he left that place.
The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth
54He came to his hometown and began to teach the people#13.54 Gk them in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power? 55Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?” 57And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor except in their own country and in their own house.” 58And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief.
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New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.