Matthew 13
13
The Story of the Farmer Scattering Seed
1That same day Jesus left the house and sat by the Sea of Galilee. 2The crowds that gathered around him were so large that he got into a boat and sat down to teach, while all the people stood on the shore to listen. 3Then he taught them many things by telling them stories. He said, “A farmer went out to plant his seed. 4As he scattered it, some fell on a path and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some seed fell in rocky places where there wasn’t much soil. Those plants came up quickly because the soil wasn’t very deep. 6But when the sun got hot, it burned the plants and they dried up, because they had no roots. 7Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and crowded out the plants. 8But still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop that was 100, 60, or 30 times more than what was planted. 9Whoever understands should take this to heart.”
10The disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do you tell stories when you speak to the people?”
11He answered, “Because they aren’t being given the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven the way you are. 12Whoever has this kind of knowledge will be given more, until they have a great deal of it. But if anyone lacks this kind of knowledge, even what little they have will be taken away from them. 13I tell stories when I speak to the people so that:
“They’ll look, but they won’t see.
They’ll listen, but they won’t hear or understand.
14These people are making the words of the prophet Isaiah come true.
“ ‘You’ll hear but never understand,
you’ll see but never know what you’re seeing.
15The hearts of these people have become stubborn.
They can barely hear with their ears
and they’ve closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
and understand with their hearts.
Then they might turn to the Lord, and he would heal them.’
16But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and blessed are your ears, because they hear. 17Truly I tell you, many prophets and godly people wanted to see what you’re seeing, but they didn’t see it, and they wanted to hear what you’re hearing, but they didn’t hear it.
18“Listen! Here’s what the story about the farmer means. 19When people hear the message about the kingdom, but they don’t understand it, the evil one comes and steals what was planted in their hearts. Those people are like the seed that landed on the path. 20The seed that fell on rocky places stands for other people who hear the message and receive it right away with joy. 21But because they have no roots, they last only a short time. When trouble or suffering comes because of the message, they quickly fall away from the faith. 22The seed that fell among the thorns stands for those who hear the message but then have it crowded out by the worries of this life and the false promises of wealth, which keep it from producing fruit. 23But the seed that fell on good soil stands for those who hear the message and understand what it means. They produce a crop that’s 100, 60, or 30 times more than what was planted.”
The Story of the Weeds
24Jesus told the crowd another story. He said, “Here’s what the kingdom of heaven is like. A man planted good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came, planted weeds among the wheat, and then slipped away. 26The wheat began to grow and form grain, but at the same time, weeds appeared.
27“The owner’s slaves came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you plant good seed in your field? Then where did these weeds come from?’
28“ ‘An enemy must have done it,’ he replied.
“The slaves asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?’
29“ ‘No,’ the owner answered, ‘because while you’re pulling up the weeds, you might pull up the wheat too. Let them both grow together until the harvest. 30Then I’ll tell the workers, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned. Then gather the wheat and put it in my barn.” ’ ”
The Stories of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast
31Jesus told the crowd another story. He said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in a field. 32It’s the smallest of all seeds, but when it grows, it becomes the largest of all garden plants. It turns into a tree, and birds come and rest in its branches.”
33Jesus told them one more story. “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast,” he said. “A woman mixed it into 60 pounds of flour, and the yeast worked its way through all of that dough.”
34Jesus taught the crowd all these things by telling stories. He didn’t say anything to them without using a story. 35So the words spoken by the prophet came true:
“I will open my mouth and tell stories.
I’ll speak about things that have been hidden since the world was created.”
Jesus Explains the Story of the Weeds
36Then Jesus left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and asked, “Please explain the story of the weeds in the field to us.”
37He replied, “The one who planted the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people who belong to the kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one, 39and the enemy who plants them is the devil. The harvest is the judgment day and the workers are angels.
40“The weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire. That’s how it will be on judgment day. 41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and everyone who does wrong. 42They’ll throw them into the blazing furnace, where people will weep and grind their teeth. 43Then God’s people will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Whoever understands should take this to heart.
The Stories of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
44“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure that was hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then he went and gladly sold everything he had to buy that field.
45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a trader who was looking for fine pearls. 46When he found one that was very valuable, he went away and sold everything he had so he could buy that pearl.
The Story of the Net
47“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake. It caught all kinds of fish. 48When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up onto the shore. Then they sat down and gathered the good fish into baskets, but they threw the bad fish away. 49That’s how it will be on judgment day. The angels will come and separate the people who did wrong from those who did right. 50They will throw the bad people into the blazing furnace, where they will weep and grind their teeth.
51“Do you understand all these things?” Jesus asked.
“Yes,” they replied.
52He said to them, “Every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings new treasures out of his storeroom along with the old ones.”
A Prophet Without Honor
53When Jesus had finished telling these stories, he moved on from there. 54He came to his hometown of Nazareth and began teaching the people in their synagogue. They were amazed and they asked, “Where did this man get so much wisdom? Where did he get the power to do miracles? 55Isn’t he the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas his brothers? 56Aren’t all his sisters with us too? Then where did this man get all these things?” 57And they couldn’t believe in Jesus because they were stuck on these questions.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own town and in his own home.”
58He didn’t do many miracles in Nazareth because the people there had so little faith.
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Matthew 13
13
1The same day went Iesus out of the house, and sate by the sea side. 2And great multitudes resorted vnto him, so that he went into a ship, and sate downe: and the whole multitude stoode on the shore. 3Then he spake many things to them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sowe. 4And as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the foules came and deuoured them vp. 5And some fell vpon stony grounde, where they had not much earth, and anon they sprong vp, because they had no depth of earth. 6And when the sunne was vp, they were parched, and for lacke of rooting, withered away. 7And some fell among thornes, and the thornes sprong vp, and choked them. 8Some againe fel in good ground, and brought forth fruite, one corne an hundreth folde, some sixtie folde, and another thirtie folde. 9He that hath eares to heare, let him heare. 10Then the disciples came, and said to him, Why speakest thou to them in parables? 11And he answered, and said vnto them, Because it is giuen vnto you, to know the secretes of the kingdome of heauen, but to the it is not giue. 12For whosoeuer hath, to him shalbe giuen, and he shall haue abundance: but whosoeuer hath not, from him shalbe taken away, euen that he hath. 13Therefore speake I to them in parables, because they seeing, doe not see: and hearing, they heare not, neither vnderstand. 14So in them is fulfilled the prophecie of Esaias, which prophecie saieth, By hearing, ye shall heare, and shall not vnderstand, and seeing, ye shall see, and shall not perceiue. 15For this peoples heart is waxed fat, and their eares are dull of hearing, and with their eyes they haue winked, lest they should see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and should vnderstand with their hearts, and should returne, that I might heale them. 16But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your eares, for they heare. 17For verely I say vnto you, that many Prophets, and righteous men haue desired to see those things which ye see, and haue not seene them, and to heare those things which ye heare, and haue not heard them. 18Heare ye therefore ye parable of ye sower. 19Whensoeuer any man heareth the woorde of that kingdome, and vnderstandeth it not, that euil one commeth, and catcheth away that which was sowen in his heart: and this is he which hath receiued the seede by the way side. 20And hee that receiued seede in the stonie grounde, is he which heareth the woorde, and incontinently with ioy receiueth it, 21Yet hath he no roote in himselfe, and dureth but a season: for assoone as tribulation or persecution commeth because of the woorde, by and by he is offended. 22And hee that receiued the seede among thornes, is hee that heareth the woorde: but the care of this worlde, and the deceitfulnesse of riches choke the word, and he is made vnfruitfull. 23But he that receiued the seede in the good ground, is he that heareth the worde, and vnderstandeth it, which also beareth fruite, and bringeth foorth, some an hundreth folde, some sixtie folde, and some thirtie folde. 24Another parable put hee foorth vnto them, saying, The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a man which sowed good seede in his fielde. 25But while men slept, there came his enemie, and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his waie. 26And when the blade was sprong vp, and brought forth fruite, then appeared the tares also. 27Then came the seruaunts of the housholder, and sayd vnto him, Master, sowedst not thou good seede in thy fielde? from whence then hath it tares? 28And hee said to them, Some enuious man hath done this. Then the seruants saide vnto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them vp? 29But he saide, Nay, lest while yee goe about to gather the tares, yee plucke vp also with them the wheat. 30Let both growe together vntill the haruest, and in time of haruest I will say to the reapers, Gather yee first the tares, and binde them in sheaues to burne them: but gather the wheate into my barne. 31Another parable he put foorth vnto them, saying, The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a graine of mustard seede, which a man taketh and soweth in his fielde: 32Which in deede is the least of all seedes: but when it is growen, it is the greatest among herbes, and it is a tree, so that the birdes of heauen come and builde in the branches thereof. 33Another parable spake hee to them, The kingdome of heauen is like vnto leauen, which a woman taketh and hideth in three pecks of meale, till all be leauened. 34All these thinges spake Iesus vnto the multitude in parables, and without parables spake he not to them, 35That it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the Prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables, and will vtter the thinges which haue beene kept secrete from the foundation of the worlde. 36Then sent Iesus the multitude away, and went into the house. And his disciples came vnto him, saying, Declare vnto vs the parable of the tares of that fielde. 37Then answered he, and saide to them, He that soweth the good seede, is the Sonne of man. 38And the field is the worlde, and the good seede are the children of the kingdome, and the tares are the children of that wicked one. 39And the enemie that soweth them, is the deuill, and the haruest is the end of the worlde, and the reapers be the Angels. 40As then the tares are gathered and burned in ye fire, so shall it be in the end of this world. 41The Sonne of man shall send forth his Angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which doe iniquitie, 42And shall cast them into a fornace of fire. There shalbe wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43Then shall the iust men shine as ye sunne in the kingdome of their Father. Hee that hath eares to heare, let him heare. 44Againe, the kingdom of heauen is like vnto a treasure hid in ye field, which when a man hath found, he hideth it, and for ioy thereof departeth and selleth all that he hath, and buieth that field. 45Againe, the kingdome of heauen is like to a marchant man, that seeketh good pearles, 46Who hauing found a pearle of great price, went and solde all that he had, and bought it. 47Againe, the kingdom of heauen is like vnto a drawe net cast into the sea, that gathereth of all kindes of things. 48Which, when it is full, men draw to lande, and sit and gather the good into vessels, and cast the bad away. 49So shall it be at the end of the world. The Angels shall goe foorth, and seuer the bad from among the iust, 50And shall cast them into a fornace of fire: there shalbe wailing, and gnashing of teeth. 51Iesus saide vnto them, Vnderstand yee all these things? They saide vnto him, Yea, Lord. 52Then sayd hee vnto them, Therefore euery Scribe which is taught vnto the kingdome of heauen, is like vnto an householder, which bringeth foorth out of his treasure things both newe and olde. 53And it came to passe, that when Iesus had ended these parables, he departed thence, 54And came into his owne countrey, and taught them in their Synagogue, so that they were astonied, and saide, Whence commeth this wisdome and great woorkes vnto this man? 55Is not this the carpenters sonne? Is not his mother called Marie, and his brethren Iames and Ioses, and Simon and Iudas? 56And are not his sisters all with vs? Whence then hath he all these things? 57And they were offended with him. Then Iesus said to them, A Prophet is not without honour, saue in his owne countrey, and in his owne house. 58And he did not many great woorkes there, for their vnbeliefes sake.
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