The Parable of the Sower
(Mark 4:1-9; Luke 8:4-15)
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.
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.
The Purpose of Jesus' Parables
(Mark 4:10-12)
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:
15For 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.
16But 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.
The Parable of the Sower Explained
(Mark 4:13-20)
18Hear 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 Parable of the Weeds
(Ezekiel 17:1-10)
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.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
(Mark 4:30-34; Luke 13:18-19)
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.
The Parable of the Leaven
(Judges 20:18-23; 2 Samuel 2:12-32; 2 Chronicles 13:4-19; Luke 13:20-21)
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.
I will Open My Mouth in Parables
(Psalm 78:1-72)
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 Parable of the Weeds Explained
(Zephaniah 1:1-6)
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.
The Parables of the Treasure and Pearl
(Matthew 6:19-21)
44Again, 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.
45Again, 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 Parable of the Net
(Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11; John 1:35-42)
47Again, 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.
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
(Isaiah 61:1-11; Matthew 2:19-23; Mark 6:1-6; Luke 2:39-40; Luke 4:16-30)
53And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. 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.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
The Parable of the Sower
(Mark 4:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)
1 On that day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the seaside. 2 Great multitudes gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat, and sat, and all the multitude stood on the beach.
3 He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, a farmer went out to sow. 4 As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Others fell on rocky ground, where they didn’t have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth. 6 When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away. 7 Others fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables
(Isaiah 6:1–13; Mark 4:10–12; Luke 8:9–10)
10 The disciples came, and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 He answered them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them. 12 For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he has. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t hear, neither do they understand.
14 In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, ‘By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive:
15 for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and should turn again; and I would heal them.’
16 “But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. 17 For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them.
The Parable of the Sower Explained
(Mark 4:13–20; Luke 8:11–15)
18 “Hear, then, the parable of the farmer. 19 When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom, and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes, and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside. 20 What was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word, and immediately with joy receives it; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 What was sown among the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word, and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit, and brings forth, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.”
The Parable of the Weeds
(Ezekiel 17:1–10)
24 He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds also among the wheat, and went away. 26 But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then the darnel weeds appeared also. 27 The servants of the householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where did this darnel come from?’ 28 “He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them up?’ 29 “But he said, ‘No, lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel weeds, you root up the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First, gather up the darnel weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
(Mark 4:30–34; Luke 13:18–19)
31 He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field; 32 which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches.”
The Parable of the Leaven
(Luke 13:20–21)
33 He spoke another parable to them. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, until it was all leavened.”
I Will Open My Mouth in Parables
(Psalm 78:1–72)
34 Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes; and without a parable, he didn’t speak to them,
35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.”
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
(Zephaniah 1:1–6)
36 Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the darnel weeds of the field.” 37 He answered them, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, 38 the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the Kingdom; and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 As therefore the darnel weeds are gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
The Parables of the Treasure and the Pearl
44 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.
45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46 who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
The Parable of the Net
47 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet, that was cast into the sea, and gathered some fish of every kind, 48 which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach. They sat down, and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away. 49 So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come forth, and separate the wicked from among the righteous, 50 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.”
51 Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They answered him, “Yes, Lord.” 52 He said to them, “Therefore, every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things.”
The Rejection at Nazareth
(Mark 6:1–6; Luke 4:16–30)
53 It happened that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there. 54 Coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom, and these mighty works? 55 Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers, James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? 56 Aren’t all of his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all of these things?” 57 They were offended by him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and in his own house.” 58 He didn’t do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
The Parable of the Sower
(Mark 4:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore.
3 And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
5 Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings.
8 Still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.
9 He who has ears, a let him hear.”
The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables
(Isaiah 6:1–13; Mark 4:10–12; Luke 8:9–10)
10 Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?”
11 He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever 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. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
‘Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ b
14 In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled:
‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For 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.’ c
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For 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
(Mark 4:13–20; Luke 8:11–15)
18 Consider, then, the parable of the sower: 19 When 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 sown d along the path.
20 The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
22 The 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.
23 But 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
(Ezekiel 17:1–10)
24 Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and slipped away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared.
27 The 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. 30 Let 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
(Mark 4:30–34; Luke 13:18–19)
31 He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field. 32 Although 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
(Luke 13:20–21)
33 He 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
(Psalm 78:1–72)
34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable. 35 So 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.” e
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
(Zephaniah 1:1–6)
36 Then 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.”
37 He replied, “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40 As the weeds are collected and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The 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. 42 And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. f
He who has ears, let him hear.
The Parables of the Treasure and the Pearl
44 The 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.
45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. 46 When he found one very precious pearl, he went away and sold all he had and bought it.
The Parable of the Net
47 Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the men pulled it ashore. Then they sat down and sorted the good fish into containers, but threw the bad away.
49 So will it be at the end of the age: The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous, 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51 Have you understood all these things?”
“Yes,” they answered.
52 Then 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
(Mark 6:1–6; Luke 4:16–30)
53 When Jesus had finished these parables, He withdrew from that place. 54 Coming 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, g Simon, and Judas? 56 Aren’t all His sisters with us as well? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at Him.
But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own household is a prophet without honor.” 58 And He did not do many miracles there, because of their unbelief.
Footnotes:
9 a BYZ and TR ears to hear ; also in verse 43
13 b See Deuteronomy 29:4, Isaiah 42:20, Jeremiah 5:21, and Ezekiel 12:2.
15 c Isaiah 6:9–10 (see also LXX)
19 d Literally the one sown ; also in verses 20, 22, and 23
35 e Psalm 78:2 (see also LXX); SBL, NE, and WH do not include of the world .
43 f See Daniel 12:3.
55 g BYZ and TR Joses ; see Mark 6:3.
The Parable of the Sower
(Mark 4:1-9; Luke 8:4-15)
1And in that day Jesus, having gone forth from the house, was sitting by the sea, 2and gathered together unto him were many multitudes, so that he having gone into the boat did sit down, and all the multitude on the beach did stand,
3and he spake to them many things in similes, saying: 'Lo, the sower went forth to sow, 4and in his sowing, some indeed fell by the way, and the fowls did come and devour them, 5and others fell upon the rocky places, where they had not much earth, and immediately they sprang forth, through not having depth of earth, 6and the sun having risen they were scorched, and through not having root, they withered, 7and others fell upon the thorns, and the thorns did come up and choke them, 8and others fell upon the good ground, and were giving fruit, some indeed a hundredfold, and some sixty, and some thirty. 9He who is having ears to hear -- let him hear.'
The Purpose of Jesus' Parables
(Mark 4:10-12)
10And the disciples having come near, said to him, 'Wherefore in similes dost thou speak to them?' 11And he answering said to them that -- 'To you it hath been given to know the secrets of the reign of the heavens, and to these it hath not been given, 12for whoever hath, it shall be given to him, and he shall have overabundance, and whoever hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken from him. 13'Because of this, in similes do I speak to them, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor understand,
14and fulfilled on them is the prophecy of Isaiah, that saith, With hearing ye shall hear, and ye shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and ye shall not perceive,
15for made gross was the heart of this people, and with the ears they heard heavily, and their eyes they did close, lest they might see with the eyes, and with the ears might hear, and with the heart understand, and turn back, and I might heal them.
16'And happy are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear, 17for verily I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men did desire to see that which ye look on, and they did not see, and to hear that which ye hear, and they did not hear.
The Parable of the Sower Explained
(Mark 4:13-20)
18'Ye, therefore, hear ye the simile of the sower: 19Every one hearing the word of the reign, and not understanding -- the evil one doth come, and doth catch that which hath been sown in his heart; this is that sown by the way. 20'And that sown on the rocky places, this is he who is hearing the word, and immediately with joy is receiving it, 21and he hath not root in himself, but is temporary, and persecution or tribulation having happened because of the word, immediately he is stumbled. 22'And that sown toward the thorns, this is he who is hearing the word, and the anxiety of this age, and the deceitfulness of the riches, do choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. 23'And that sown on the good ground: this is he who is hearing the word, and is understanding, who indeed doth bear fruit, and doth make, some indeed a hundredfold, and some sixty, and some thirty.'
The Parable of the Weeds
(Ezekiel 17:1-10)
24Another simile he set before them, saying: 'The reign of the heavens was likened to a man sowing good seed in his field, 25and, while men are sleeping, his enemy came and sowed darnel in the midst of the wheat, and went away, 26and when the herb sprang up, and yielded fruit, then appeared also the darnel. 27'And the servants of the householder, having come near, said to him, Sir, good seed didst thou not sow in thy field? whence then hath it the darnel? 28And he saith to them, A man, an enemy, did this; and the servants said to him, Wilt thou, then, that having gone away we may gather it up? 29'And he said, No, lest -- gathering up the darnel -- ye root up with it the wheat, 30suffer both to grow together till the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the darnel, and bind it in bundles, to burn it, and the wheat gather up into my storehouse.'
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
(Mark 4:30-34; Luke 13:18-19)
31Another simile he set before them, saying: 'The reign of the heavens is like to a grain of mustard, which a man having taken, did sow in his field, 32which less, indeed, is than all the seeds, but when it may be grown, is greatest of the herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven do come and rest in its branches.'
The Parable of the Leaven
(Judges 20:18-23; 2 Samuel 2:12-32; 2 Chronicles 13:4-19; Luke 13:20-21)
33Another simile spake he to them: 'The reign of the heavens is like to leaven, which a woman having taken, hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.'
I will Open My Mouth in Parables
(Psalm 78:1-72)
34All these things spake Jesus in similes to the multitudes, and without a simile he was not speaking to them,
35that it might be fulfilled that was spoken through the prophet, saying, 'I will open in similes my mouth, I will utter things having been hidden from the foundation of the world.'
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
(Zephaniah 1:1-6)
36Then having let away the multitudes, Jesus came to the house, and his disciples came near to him, saying, 'Explain to us the simile of the darnel of the field.' 37And he answering said to them, 'He who is sowing the good seed is the Son of Man, 38and the field is the world, and the good seed, these are the sons of the reign, and the darnel are the sons of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is a full end of the age, and the reapers are messengers. 40'As, then, the darnel is gathered up, and is burned with fire, so shall it be in the full end of this age, 41the Son of Man shall send forth his messengers, and they shall gather up out of his kingdom all the stumbling-blocks, and those doing the unlawlessness, 42and shall cast them to the furnace of the fire; there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of the teeth. 43'Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the reign of their Father. He who is having ears to hear -- let him hear.
The Parables of the Treasure and Pearl
(Matthew 6:19-21)
44'Again, the reign of the heavens is like to treasure hid in the field, which a man having found did hide, and from his joy goeth, and all, as much as he hath, he selleth, and buyeth that field.
45'Again, the reign of the heavens is like to a man, a merchant, seeking goodly pearls, 46who having found one pearl of great price, having gone away, hath sold all, as much as he had, and bought it.
The Parable of the Net
(Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11; John 1:35-42)
47'Again, the reign of the heavens is like to a net that was cast into the sea, and did gather together of every kind, 48which, when it was filled, having drawn up again upon the beach, and having sat down, they gathered the good into vessels, and the bad they did cast out, 49so shall it be in the full end of the age, the messengers shall come forth and separate the evil out of the midst of the righteous, 50and shall cast them to the furnace of the fire, there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of the teeth.'
51Jesus saith to them, 'Did ye understand all these?' They say to him, 'Yes, sir.' 52And he said to them, 'Because of this every scribe having been discipled in regard to the reign of the heavens, is like to a man, a householder, who doth bring forth out of his treasure things new and old.'
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
(Isaiah 61:1-11; Matthew 2:19-23; Mark 6:1-6; Luke 2:39-40; Luke 4:16-30)
53And it came to pass, when Jesus finished these similes, he removed thence, 54and having come to his own country, he was teaching them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and were saying, 'Whence to this one this wisdom and the 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, to this one all these?' 57and they were stumbled at him. And Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is not without honour except in his own country, and in his own house:' 58and he did not there many mighty works, because of their unbelief.
The Favor of God Message paraphrase
The Parable of the Sower
¹ That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.
² Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.
³ Then He told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.
⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.
⁹ Whoever has ears, let them hear!”
The Purpose of Parables
¹⁰ The disciples came to Him and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?”
¹¹ He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
¹² Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.*
¹³ This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
¹⁴ In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
¹⁵ For this people’s heart has become calloused; 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.’
¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
¹⁷ For truly 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 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:
¹⁹ When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
²⁰ The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.
²¹ But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
²² The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.
²³ But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.”
The Parable of the Weeds
²⁴ Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
²⁵ But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.
²⁶ When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
²⁷ The 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.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
²⁹ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them.
³⁰ Let 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 and bring it into my barn.’”
The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast
³¹ He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.
³² Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”
³³ He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.”
Jesus Explains the Use of Parables
³⁴ Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; He did not say anything to them without using a parable.
³⁵ So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
³⁶ Then He left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
³⁷ He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.
³⁸ The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one,
³⁹ and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
⁴⁰ “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.
⁴¹ The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
⁴² They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
⁴³ Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.
⁴⁶ When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
The Parable of the Net
⁴⁷ “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish.
⁴⁸ When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away.
⁴⁹ This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous
⁵⁰ and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
A Prophet Without Honor
⁵¹ “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.
“Yes,” they replied.
⁵² He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
⁵³ When Jesus had finished these parables, He moved on from there.
⁵⁴ Coming to His hometown, He began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these 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?
⁵⁶ Aren’t all His sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”
⁵⁷ And they took offense at Him.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”
⁵⁸ And He did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Footnotes:
13:12: This reflects the principle of spiritual growth: those who receive and act on God’s revelation will receive more, but those who ignore it will lose even the understanding they had.
13:25: The enemy represents the devil, and the weeds symbolize the children of the evil one, who live among the righteous in the world.
13:32: The mustard seed, though tiny, symbolizes the Kingdom of Heaven’s growth from small beginnings to global reach, offering shelter and support to all who come to it.
13:35: This fulfillment of prophecy is from Psalm 78:2, where hidden truths from the past are revealed through parables.
13:39: The harvest is the end of the world when angels will separate the righteous from the wicked, much like harvesting crops and discarding the weeds.
13:46: The merchant’s discovery of the priceless pearl signifies the immense value of the Kingdom of Heaven, worth giving up everything to obtain.
13:57: Jesus was rejected in His hometown, reflecting how familiarity with Him often caused people to miss His divine nature and mission.
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