Matthew

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.

1The same day Jesus going out of the house, sat by the sea side.

2And great multitudes were gathered unto him, so that he went up into a boat and sat: and all the multitude stood on the shore.

3And he spoke to them many things in parables, saying: Behold the sower went forth to sow.

4And whilst he soweth some fell by the way side, and the birds of the air came and ate them up.

5And other some fell upon stony ground, where they had not much earth: and they sprung up immediately, because they had no deepness of earth.

6And when the sun was up they were scorched: and because they had not root, they withered away.

7And others fell among thorns: and the thorns grew up and choked them.

8And others fell upon good ground: and they brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.

9He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

10And his disciples came and said to him: Why speakest thou to them in parables?

11Who answered and said to them: Because to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven: but to them it is not given.

12For he that hath, to him shall be given, and he shall abound: but he that hath not, from him shall be taken away that also which he hath.

13Therefore do I speak to them in parables: because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14And the prophecy of Isaias is fulfilled in them, who saith: By hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive.

15For the heart of this people is grown gross, and with their ears they have been dull of hearing, and their eyes they have shut: lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

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

17For, amen, I say to you, many prophets and just men have desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things that you hear and have not heard them.

18Hear you therefore the parable of the sower.

19When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, there cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart: this is he that received the seed by the way side.

20And he that received the seed upon stony ground, is he that heareth the word, and immediately receiveth it with joy.

21Yet hath he not root in himself, but is only for a time: and when there ariseth tribulation and persecution because of the word, he is presently scandalized.

22And he that received the seed among thorns, is he that heareth the word, and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choketh up the word, and he becometh fruitless.

23But he that received the seed upon good ground, is he that heareth the word, and understandeth, and beareth fruit, and yieldeth the one an hundredfold, and another sixty, and another thirty.

24Another parable he proposed to them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seeds in his field.

25But while men were asleep, his enemy came and oversowed cockle among the wheat and went his way.

26And when the blade was sprung up, and had brought forth fruit, then appeared also the cockle.

27And the servants of the goodman of the house coming said to him: Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it cockle?

28And he said to them: An enemy hath done this. And the servants said to him: Wilt thou that we go and gather it up?

29And he said: No, lest perhaps gathering up the cockle, you root up the wheat also together with it.

30Suffer both to grow until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers: Gather up first the cockle, and bind it into bundles to burn, but the wheat gather ye into my barn.

31Another parable he proposed 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 is the least indeed of all seeds; but when it is grown up, it is greater than all herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come, and dwell in the branches thereof.

33Another parable he spoke to them: The kingdom of heaven is like to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened.

34All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes: and without parables he did not speak to them.

35That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.

36Then having sent away the multitudes, he came into the house, and his disciples came to him, saying: Expound to us the parable of the cockle of the field.

37Who made answer and said to them: He that soweth the good seed, is the Son of man.

38And the field, is the world. And the good seed are the children of the kingdom. And the cockle, are the children of the wicked one.

39And the enemy that sowed them, is the devil. But the harvest is the end of the world. And the reapers are the angels.

40Even as cockle therefore is gathered up, and burnt with fire: so shall it be at the end of the world.

41The Son of man shall send his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals, and them that work iniquity.

42And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43Then shall the just shine as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

44The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in a field. Which a man having found, hid it, and for joy thereof goeth, and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

45Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking good pearls.

46Who when he had found one pearl of great price, went his way, and sold all that he had, and bought it.

47Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a net cast into the sea, and gathering together of all kind of fishes.

48Which, when it was filled, they drew out, and sitting by the shore, they chose out the good into vessels, but the bad they cast forth.

49So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall go out, and shall separate the wicked from among the just.

50And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51Have ye understood all these things? They say to him: Yes.

52He said unto them: Therefore every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven, is like to a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure new things and old.

53And it came to pass: when Jesus had finished these parables, he passed from thence.

54And coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogues, so that they wondered and said: How came this man by this wisdom and miracles?

55Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brethren James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Jude:

56And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence therefore hath he all these things?

57And they were scandalized in his regard. But Jesus said to them: A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

58And he wrought not many miracles there, because of their unbelief.