New American Standard Bible 1995

New Living Translation

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

1Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake.

2And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach.

2A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore.

3And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, "Behold, the sower went out to sow;

3He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds.

4and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.

4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them.

5"Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil.

5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.

6"But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died.

7"Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out.

7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.

8"And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.

8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!

9"He who has ears, let him hear."

9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

10And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"

10His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”

11Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.

11He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.

12"For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.

12 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.

13"Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

13 That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.

14"In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, 'YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE;

14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, ‘When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend.

15FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.'

15 For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’

16"But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.

16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.

17"For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

17 I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.

18"Hear then the parable of the sower.

18 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds:

19"When 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 the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.

19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.

20"The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;

20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.

21yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.

21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.

22"And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.

23"And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty."

23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” Parable of the Wheat and Weeds

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

24Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field.

25"But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.

25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away.

26"But when the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also.

26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

27"The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?'

27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’

28"And he said to them, 'An enemy has done this!' The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?'

28 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed. “‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.

29"But he said, 'No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them.

29 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do.

30'Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn."'"

30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’” Parable of the Mustard Seed

31He presented another parable to them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field;

31Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field.

32and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR come and NEST IN ITS BRANCHES."

32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.” Parable of the Yeast

33He spoke another parable to them, "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three pecks of flour until it was all leavened."

33Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”

34All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He did not speak to them without a parable.

34Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables.

35This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: "I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES; I WILL UTTER THINGS HIDDEN SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD."

35This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet: “I will speak to you in parables. I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world. ” Parable of the Wheat and Weeds Explained

36Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field."

36Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.”

37And He said, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,

37Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed.

38and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;

38 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one.

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

39 The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.

40"So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age.

40 “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world.

41"The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness,

41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.

42and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

42 And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43"Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand! Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

44"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

44 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.

45"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls,

45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls.

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

46 When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it! Parable of the Fishing Net

47"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind;

47 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind.

48and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away.

48 When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away.

49"So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous,

49 That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous,

50and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

50 throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51"Have you understood all these things?" They said to Him, "Yes."

51 Do you understand all these things?” “Yes,” they said, “we do.”

52And Jesus said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old."

52Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.” Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

53When Jesus had finished these parables, He departed from there.

53When Jesus had finished telling these stories and illustrations, he left that part of the country.

54He came to His hometown and began teaching them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?

54He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, “Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?”

55"Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

55Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas.

56"And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?"

56All his sisters live right here among us. Where did he learn all these things?”

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."

57And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.”

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

58And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief.

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.