The Parable of the Sower
3Then he told them many things in parables,13:3 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 sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.
5Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly since the soil wasn’t deep.
6But when the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.
7Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it.
Why Jesus Used Parables
11He answered, “Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know,13:11 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.13:12 Mt 25:29; Lk 8:18; 19:26; Jn 15:2; Jms 4:6
13That is why I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see,13:13 Dt 29:4; Is 42:19–20; Jr 5:21; Ezk 12:2 and hearing they do not listen or understand.13:13 Mt 15:10; 16:12; 17:13; Mk 8:21
14Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:
You will listen and listen,
but never understand;
you will look and look,
15
For 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, and
understand with their hearts,
and turn back —
16
“Blessed are your eyes
13:16–17
Lk 10:23–24
because they do see, and your ears because they do hear.13:16 Mt 16:17; Jn 20:29
17For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see but didn’t see them, to hear the things you hear but didn’t hear them.13:17 Jn 8:56; Heb 11:13; 1Pt 1:10–12
The Parable of the Sower Explained
19When anyone hears the word 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.13:19 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.13:20 Is 58:2; Ezk 33:31–32; Mk 6:20; Jn 5:35
21But he has no root and is short-lived. When distress or persecution13:21 Mk 4:17; 10:30; Ac 8:1; 13:50; Rm 8:35; 2Co 12:10 comes because of the word, immediately he falls away.
22Now the one sown among the thorns — this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age13:22 Rm 12:2; 2Tm 4:10; 1Jn 2:15 and the deceitfulness13:22 Or pleasure of wealth13:22 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 produce fruit and yields: some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty 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.13:24 Mt 18:23; 20:1; 25:1; Mk 4:26,30
25But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left.
26When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared.
28
“‘An enemy did this,’ he told them.
“‘So, do you want us to go and pull them up? ’ the servants asked him.
29
“‘No,’ he said. ‘When you pull 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 collect the wheat in my barn.’”
The Parables of the Mustard Seed and of the Leaven
31He13:31–32 Mk 4:30–32; Lk 13:18–19 presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven13:31 Mt 13:24; 17:20; Lk 17:6 is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.
Using Parables Fulfills Prophecy
34Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables, and he did not tell them anything without a parable,13:34 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.13:35 Some mss omit of the world13:35 Ps 78:213:35 Ps 78:2; Rm 16:25–26; 1Co 2:7; Eph 3:9; Col 1:26
Jesus Interprets the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds
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 children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one,13:38 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.13:39 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.13:40 Mt 24:3; 28:20
41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all who cause sin13:41 Or stumbling and those guilty of lawlessness.13:41 Or those who do lawlessness13:41 Zph 1:3; Mt 8:20; 18:7; 24:31
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and of the Priceless Pearl
45
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.
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,
13:47
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,13:49 Mt 13:39–40; 25:32
The Storehouse of Truth
They answered him, “Yes.”
Rejection at Nazareth
53When Jesus had finished these parables, he left there.
54He went to his hometown13:54–58 Mk 6:1–6; Lk 4:16–30 and began to teach them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?13:54 Mt 2:23; 4:23; 7:28
55Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?13:55 Mt 13:55; Mk 6:3; Lk 3:23; Jn 6:42 Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers James,13:55 Jms 1:1; Jd 1 Joseph,13:55 Other mss read Joses; Mk 6:3 Simon, and Judas?13:55 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.
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