The Parable of the Sower
(Mark 4:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)

1The same day, went Iesus out of the house, & sate by the sea syde. 2And great multitudes were gathered together vnto hym, so greatly that he went and sate in a shippe, and the whole multitude stoode on the shore.

3And he spake many thynges to them in parables, saying: Beholde, the sower went foorth to sowe. 4And when he sowed, some seedes fell by the wayes side, and the fowles came, and deuoured them vp. 5Some fell vpon stony places, where they had not much earth, and anone they sprong vp, because they had no depenesse of earth. 6And when the sonne was vp, they caught heate, and because they had not roote, they wythered away. 7Agayne, some fell among thornes, and the thornes sprong vp and choked them. 8But some fell into good grounde, and brought foorth fruite, some an hundred folde, some sixtie folde, some thirtie folde. 9Who hath eares to heare, let hym heare.

The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables
(Isaiah 6:1–13; Mark 4:10–12; Luke 8:9–10)

10And the disciples came, and sayde vnto hym: Why speakest thou to them by parables? 11He aunswered and sayde vnto them: because it is geuen vnto you, to knowe the secretes of the kyngdome of heauen, but to them, it is not geuen. 12For whosoeuer hath, to hym shalbe geuen, and he shall haue more aboundaunce: But whosoeuer hath not, from hym shalbe taken away, euen that he hath. 13Therfore speake I to them in parables: because they seeyng, see not: and hearyng, they heare not: neither do they vnderstande.

14And in them is fulfylled the prophesie of Esaias, saying: by hearyng ye shall heare, and shall not vnderstande, and seeyng, ye shall see, & shall not perceaue.

15For this peoples heart is waxed grosse, and their eares are dull of hearyng, and their eyes haue they closed: lest at any tyme they shoulde see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and shoulde vnderstande with their heart, & shoulde conuert, that I myght heale them.

16But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your eares, for they heare. 17Ueryly I say vnto you, that many prophetes and ryghteous men haue desired to see those thynges which ye see, and haue not seene: and to heare those thynges which ye heare, and haue not hearde.

The Parable of the Sower Explained
(Mark 4:13–20; Luke 8:11–15)

18Heare ye therfore the similitude of the sower. 19When one heareth the worde of the kyngdome, and vnderstandeth it not, then commeth that euyll, and catcheth away that which was sowen in his heart: this is he, which receaued seede by the way syde. 20But he that receaued the seede into stony places, the same is he that heareth the worde, and anone with ioy, receaueth it: 21Yet hath he not roote in hym selfe, but dureth for a season: for when tribulation or persecution aryseth because of the worde, by and by he is offended. 22He also that receaued seede into the thornes, is he that heareth the worde: and the care of this worlde, and the disceiptfulnes of ryches, choke vp the worde, and so is he made vnfruitfull. 23But he that receaued seede into the good grounde, is he that heareth the worde, and vnderstandeth it, which also beareth fruite: and bryngeth foorth, some an hundred folde, some sixtie folde, some thirtie folde.

The Parable of the Weeds
(Ezekiel 17:1–10)

24Another parable put he foorth vnto them, saying: The kyngdome of heauen is likened vnto a man, which sowed good seede in his fielde. 25But whyle men slept, his enemye came & sowed tares among the wheate, and went his way. 26But when the blade was sprong vp, and had brought foorth fruite, then appeared the tares also. 27So, the seruauntes of the housholder came, and sayde vnto hym. Sir, diddest not thou sowe good seede in thy fielde? from whence then hath it tares? 28He sayde vnto them: the malicious man hath done this. The seruauntes sayde vnto hym: wylt thou then that we go, and gather them vp? 29But he sayde, nay: lest whyle ye gather vp the tares, ye rote vp also the wheate with them. 30Let both growe together vntyll the haruest: & in tyme of haruest, I wyl say to the reapers, gather ye together first the tares, and bynde them in bundels to burne them: but carrie the wheate into my barne.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed
(Mark 4:30–34; Luke 13:18–19)

31Another parable put he foorth vnto them, saying. The kyngdome of heauen is like to a grayne of mustard seede, which a man toke & sowed in his fielde. 32Which in dede is the least of all seedes: But when it is growen, it is the greatest among hearbes: and is a tree, so that the byrdes of the ayre come & make their nestes in the braunches therof.

The Parable of the Leaven
(Luke 13:20–21)

33Another parable spake he vnto them: The kyngdome of heauen is lyke vnto leuen, which a woman taketh & hydeth in three peckes of meale, tyll all be leuened.

I Will Open My Mouth in Parables
(Psalm 78:1–72)

34All these thynges spake Iesus vnto the people in parables: and without a parable spake he not vnto them.

35That it myght be fulfylled, which was spoken by the prophete, that sayth: I wyll open my mouth in parables, I wyll speake foorth thynges which haue ben kept secrete from the foundation of the worlde.

The Parable of the Weeds Explained
(Zephaniah 1:1–6)

36Then Iesus sent the people away, & went into the house: And his disciples came vnto hym, saying: Declare vnto vs the parable of the tares of the fielde. 37He aunswered and sayde vnto them: He that soweth the good seede, is the sonne of man. 38The fielde, is the worlde: & the good seede, they are the childre of ye kingdom: the tares, are the chyldren of ye wicked. 39The enemie that soweth them, is the deuyll: the haruest, is the ende of the worlde: the reapers, be the Angels. 40Euen as the tares therfore, are gathered and brent in the fyre: so shall it be in the ende of this worlde. 41The sonne of man shall sende foorth his Angels, and they shall gather out of his kyngdome, all thynges that offende, and them which do iniquitie: 42And shall cast them into a furnesse of fyre: There shalbe waylyng and gnasshyng of teeth. 43Then shall the ryghteous shine as the Sunne, in the kingdome of their father. Who hath eares to heare, let hym heare.

The Parables of the Treasure and the Pearl

44Agayne, the kyngdome of heauen is lyke vnto treasure hyd in the fielde: the which a man hath founde, and hyd, and for ioy therof, goeth and selleth all that he hath, and byeth the fielde.

45Agayne, the kyngdome of heauen is lyke vnto a marchaunt man, seekyng goodly pearles. 46Which, when he founde one precious pearle, went and solde all that he had, and bought it.

The Parable of the Net

47Agayne, the kyngdome of heauen is lyke vnto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of all kynde: 48Which when it was full, men drewe to lande, and sat downe, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. 49So shall it be at the ende of the world: The Angels shall come foorth, and seuer the bad from among the iuste: 50And shall cast them into a furnesse of fyre: there shalbe waylyng and gnasshyng of teeth.

51Iesus sayth vnto them: haue ye vnderstande all these thynges? They say vnto hym: yea Lorde. 52Then sayde he vnto them: Therfore, euery Scribe which is taught vnto the kyngdome of heauen, is lyke vnto a man that is an householder, whiche bryngeth foorth out of his treasure, thynges newe and olde.

The Rejection at Nazareth
(Mark 6:1–6; Luke 4:16–30)

53And it came to passe, that when Iesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. 54And when he came into his owne countrey, he taught them in their synagogues, in so much, that they were astonyed, and sayde: whence commeth this wysdome and powers vnto hym? 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 all his sisters with vs? whence hath he then all these thynges? 57And they were offended in hym. Iesus sayde vnto them: A prophete is not without honour, saue in his owne countrey, and in his owne house. 58And he did not many mightie workes there, because of their vnbeliefe.