Matthew

撒種的比喻

1當那一天，耶穌從房子裏出來，坐在海邊。

2有許多人到他那裏聚集，他只得上船坐下，眾人都站在岸上。

3他用比喻對他們講許多道理，說：「有一個撒種的出去撒種；

4撒的時候，有落在路旁的，飛鳥來吃盡了；

5有落在土淺石頭地上的，土既不深，發苗最快，

6日頭出來一曬，因為沒有根，就枯乾了；

7有落在荊棘裏的，荊棘長起來，把它擠住了；

8又有落在好土裏的，就結實，有一百倍的，有六十倍的，有三十倍的。

9有耳可聽的，就應當聽！」

用比喻的目的

10門徒進前來，問耶穌說：「對眾人講話，為甚麼用比喻呢？」

11耶穌回答說：「因為天國的奧祕只叫你們知道，不叫他們知道。

12凡有的，還要加給他，叫他有餘；凡沒有的，連他所有的，也要奪去。

13所以我用比喻對他們講，是因他們看也看不見，聽也聽不見，也不明白。

14在他們身上，正應了以賽亞的預言，說：你們聽是要聽見，卻不明白； 看是要看見，卻不曉得；

15因為這百姓油蒙了心， 耳朵發沉， 眼睛閉着， 恐怕眼睛看見， 耳朵聽見， 心裏明白，回轉過來， 我就醫治他們。

16「但你們的眼睛是有福的，因為看見了；你們的耳朵也是有福的，因為聽見了。

17我實在告訴你們，從前有許多先知和義人要看你們所看的，卻沒有看見，要聽你們所聽的，卻沒有聽見。」

解明撒種的比喻

18「所以，你們當聽這撒種的比喻。

19凡聽見天國道理不明白的，那惡者就來，把所撒在他心裏的奪了去；這就是撒在路旁的了。

20撒在石頭地上的，就是人聽了道，當下歡喜領受，

21只因心裏沒有根，不過是暫時的，及至為道遭了患難，或是受了逼迫，立刻就跌倒了。

22撒在荊棘裏的，就是人聽了道，後來有世上的思慮、錢財的迷惑把道擠住了，不能結實。

23撒在好地上的，就是人聽道明白了，後來結實，有一百倍的，有六十倍的，有三十倍的。」

稗子的比喻

24耶穌又設個比喻對他們說：「天國好像人撒好種在田裏，

25及至人睡覺的時候，有仇敵來，將稗子撒在麥子裏就走了。

26到長苗吐穗的時候，稗子也顯出來。

27田主的僕人來告訴他說：『主啊，你不是撒好種在田裏嗎？從哪裏來的稗子呢？』

28主人說：『這是仇敵做的。』僕人說：『你要我們去薅出來嗎？』

29主人說：『不必，恐怕薅稗子，連麥子也拔出來。

30容這兩樣一齊長，等着收割。當收割的時候，我要對收割的人說，先將稗子薅出來，捆成捆，留着燒；惟有麥子要收在倉裏。』」

芥菜種和麵酵的比喻

31他又設個比喻對他們說：「天國好像一粒芥菜種，有人拿去種在田裏。

32這原是百種裏最小的，等到長起來，卻比各樣的菜都大，且成了樹，天上的飛鳥來宿在它的枝上。」

33他又對他們講個比喻說：「天國好像麵酵，有婦人拿來，藏在三斗麵裏，直等全團都發起來。」

用比喻的原因

34這都是耶穌用比喻對眾人說的話；若不用比喻，就不對他們說甚麼。

35這是要應驗先知的話，說：我要開口用比喻， 把創世以來所隱藏的事發明出來。

解明稗子的比喻

36當下，耶穌離開眾人，進了房子。他的門徒進前來，說：「請把田間稗子的比喻講給我們聽。」

37他回答說：「那撒好種的就是人子；

38田地就是世界；好種就是天國之子；稗子就是那惡者之子；

39撒稗子的仇敵就是魔鬼；收割的時候就是世界的末了；收割的人就是天使。

40將稗子薅出來用火焚燒，世界的末了也要如此。

41人子要差遣使者，把一切叫人跌倒的和作惡的，從他國裏挑出來，

42丟在火爐裏；在那裏必要哀哭切齒了。

43那時，義人在他們父的國裏，要發出光來，像太陽一樣。有耳可聽的，就應當聽！」

藏寶、尋珠、撒網的比喻

44「天國好像寶貝藏在地裏，人遇見了就把它藏起來，歡歡喜喜地去變賣一切所有的，買這塊地。

45天國又好像買賣人尋找好珠子，

46遇見一顆重價的珠子，就去變賣他一切所有的，買了這顆珠子。

47天國又好像網撒在海裏，聚攏各樣水族，

48網既滿了，人就拉上岸來，坐下，揀好的收在器具裏，將不好的丟棄了。

49世界的末了也要這樣。天使要出來，從義人中把惡人分別出來，

50丟在火爐裏；在那裏必要哀哭切齒了。」

新舊的東西

51耶穌說：「這一切的話你們都明白了嗎？」他們說：「我們明白了。」

52他說：「凡文士受教作天國的門徒，就像一個家主從他庫裏拿出新舊的東西來。」

拿撒勒人厭棄耶穌

53耶穌說完了這些比喻，就離開那裏，

54來到自己的家鄉，在會堂裏教訓人，甚至他們都希奇，說：「這人從哪裏有這等智慧和異能呢？

55這不是木匠的兒子嗎？他母親不是叫馬利亞嗎？他弟兄們不是叫雅各、約西、 西門、猶大嗎？

56他妹妹們不是都在我們這裏嗎？這人從哪裏有這一切的事呢？」

57他們就厭棄他。耶穌對他們說：「大凡先知，除了本地本家之外，沒有不被人尊敬的。」

58耶穌因為他們不信，就在那裏不多行異能了。

The Parable of the Sower

1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.

2Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore.

3And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed.

4And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.

5Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow.

6But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings.

8Still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.

9He who has ears,let him hear.”

The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables

10Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?”

11He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

13This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see;though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’

14In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

15For this people’s heart has grown callous;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.’

16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.

17For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men 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

18Consider, then, the parable of the sower:

19When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sownalong the path.

20The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.

21But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.

22The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

23But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”

The Parable of the Weeds

24Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.

25But while everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and slipped away.

26When the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared.

27The 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. So the servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

29‘No,’ he said, ‘if you pull the weeds now, you might 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 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 a man took and planted in his field.

32Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

The Parable of the Leaven

33He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour, until all of it was leavened.”

I Will Open My Mouth in Parables

34Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell them anything 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 foundation of the world.”

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

36Then Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

37He replied, “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.

38The field is the world, and the good seed represents the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons 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.

40As the weeds are collected and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of the age.

41The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness.

42And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

The Parables of the Treasure and the Pearl

44The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field.

45Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.

46When he found one very precious pearl, he went away and sold all he had and bought it.

The Parable of the Net

47Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and caught all kinds of fish.

48When it was full, the men pulled it ashore. Then they sat down and sorted the good fish into containers, but threw the bad away.

49So will it be at the end of the age: The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous

50and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51Have you understood all these things?” “Yes,” they answered.

52Then He told them, “For this reason, every scribe who has been discipled in the kingdom of heaven is like a homeowner who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”

The Rejection at Nazareth

53When Jesus had finished these parables, He withdrew from that place.

54Coming to His hometown, He taught the people in their synagogue, and they were astonished. “Where did this man get such wisdom and 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 as well? Where then did this man get all these things?”

57And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”

58And He did not do many miracles there, because of their unbelief.