Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version

1On that day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea.

1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.

2Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, while the whole crowd stood on the shore.

2And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach.

3Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "Consider the sower who went out to sow.

3And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow.

4As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.

4And as he sowed, some seeds 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.

5Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil,

6But when the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.

6but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.

7Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it.

7Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.

8Still other seed fell on good ground and produced fruit: some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown.

8Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

9Let anyone who has ears listen."

9He who has ears, let him hear.”

10Then the disciples came up and asked him, "Why are you speaking to them in parables?"

10Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”

11He answered, "Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, but it has not been given to them.

11And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

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.

12For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

13That is why I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand.

13This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

14Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says: You will listen and listen, but never understand; you will look and look, but never perceive.

14Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”

15For 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--and I would heal them.

15For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’

16"Blessed are your eyes because they do see, and your ears because they do hear.

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

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.

17For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

18"So listen to the parable of the sower:

18“Hear then the parable of the sower:

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.

19When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

20And the one sown on rocky ground--this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.

20As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy,

21But he has no root and is short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away.

21yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account 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 age and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

22As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves 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."

23As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

24He presented another parable to them: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.

24He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,

25But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left.

25but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

26When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared.

26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.

27The landowner's servants came to him and said, 'Master, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?'

27And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’

28"'An enemy did this,' he told them. "'So, do you want us to go and pull them up?' the servants asked him.

28He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’

29"'No,' he said. 'When you pull up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them.

29But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along 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.'"

30Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

31He presented another parable to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.

31He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.

32It's the smallest of all the seeds, but when grown, it's taller than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches."

32It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

33He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into fifty pounds of flour until all of it was leavened."

33He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

34Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables, and he did not tell them anything without a parable,

34All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable.

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.

35This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”

36Then he left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."

36Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.”

37He replied: "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man;

37He answered, “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,

38The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,

39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

40Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.

40Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.

41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all who cause sin and those guilty of lawlessness.

41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers,

42They will throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

42and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father's kingdom. Let anyone who has ears listen.

43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

44"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.

44“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

45"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.

45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,

46When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it.

46who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

47"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a large net thrown into the sea. It collected every kind of fish,

47“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.

48and when it was full, they dragged it ashore, sat down, and gathered the good fish into containers, but threw out the worthless ones.

48When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.

49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out, separate the evil people from the righteous,

49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous

50and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

50and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51"Have you understood all these things?" They answered him, "Yes."

51“Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.”

52"Therefore," he 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 out of his storeroom treasures new and old."

52And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

53When Jesus had finished these parables, he left there.

53And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there,

54He went to his hometown 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?

54and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?

55Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother called Mary, and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?

55Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

56And his sisters, aren't they all with us? So where does he get all these things?"

56And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”

57And they were offended by him. Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his household."

57And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.”

58And he did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

58And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.