| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. | 1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. |
| 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. | 2Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore. |
| 3He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. | 3And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed. |
| 4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. | 4And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. |
| 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. | 5Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. |
| 6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. | 6But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. |
| 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. | 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings. |
| 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! | 8Still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold. |
| 9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” | 9He who has ears, let him hear.” |
| 10His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?” | 10Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?” |
| 11He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. | 11He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. |
| 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. | 12Whoever 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 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. | 13This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ |
| 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. | 14In 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 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.’ | 15For 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.’ |
| 16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. | 16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. |
| 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. | 17For 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. |
| 18 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: | 18Consider, then, the parable of the sower: |
| 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. | 19When 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 along the path. |
| 20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. | 20The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. |
| 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. | 21But 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 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. | 22The 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 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 | 23But 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.” |
| 24Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. | 24Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. |
| 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. | 25But while everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and slipped away. |
| 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew. | 26When the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared. |
| 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?’ | 27The 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 has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed. “‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked. | 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 replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. | 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. 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 | 30Let 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.’ ” |
| 31Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. | 31He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field. |
| 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 | 32Although 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.” |
| 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.” | 33He 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.” |
| 34Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. | 34Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable. |
| 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 | 35So 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.” |
| 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.” | 36Then 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.” |
| 37Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed. | 37He 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 people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. | 38The field is the world, and the good seed represents the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, |
| 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. | 39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. |
| 40 “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. | 40As 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 his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. | 41The 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 the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. | 42And 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 their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand! Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl | 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 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. | 44The 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 on the lookout for choice pearls. | 45Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. |
| 46 When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it! Parable of the Fishing Net | 46When he found one very precious pearl, he went away and sold all he had and bought it. |
| 47 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. | 47Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and caught all kinds of fish. |
| 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. | 48When 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 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, | 49So will it be at the end of the age: The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous, |
| 50 throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. | 50and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. |
| 51 Do you understand all these things?” “Yes,” they said, “we do.” | 51Have you understood all these things?” “Yes,” they answered. |
| 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 | 52Then 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.” |
| 53When Jesus had finished telling these stories and illustrations, he left that part of the country. | 53When Jesus had finished these parables, He withdrew from that place. |
| 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?” | 54Coming 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. |
| 55Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. | 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? |
| 56All his sisters live right here among us. Where did he learn all these things?” | 56Aren’t all His sisters with us as well? Where then did this man get all these things?” |
| 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.” | 57And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own household is a prophet without honor.” |
| 58And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief. | 58And He did not do many miracles there, because of their unbelief. |
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