Matthew 13:1-30 ▼

1 And in that day Jesus, having come out of the house, sat by the sea.

2 And many crowds were assembled together to him; therefore having entered into the ship, he sat down, and all the crowd stood upon the sea-shore.

3 And he spake to them many things in parables, saying, Behold, he, the sower, went forth to sow.

4 And in his sowing some truly fell by the way, and the flying things came and swallowed them down.

5 And others fell upon rocky places where it had not much earth, and quickly it sprang forth, for it had no depth of earth.

6 And the sun having risen, it was parched up; and for the not having a root, it was dried up.

7 And others fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them.

8 And others fell upon good earth and gave fruit, some truly a hundred, and some sixty, and some thirty.

9 He having ears to hear let him hear.

10 And the disciples having come near, said to him, Why speakest thou to them in parables?

11 And having answered, he said to them, For to you it was given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens, but to them it was not given.

12 For whoever has shall be given to him, and he shall have in excess; and whoever has not, also what he has shall be taken away from him.

13 For this I speak to them in parables: for seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14 And the prophecy of Esaias is filled up in them, saying, In hearing shall ye hear, and not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive.

15 For the heart of this people has been thickened, and with their ears have they heard heavily, and their eyes have they closed; lest perhaps they should see with the eyes, and hear with the ears, and understand with the heart, and turn back, and I should heal them.

16 But happy your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

17 For verily I say to you, that many prophets and just desired eagerly to see what ye see, and saw not; and to hear what ye hear, and heard not.

18 Therefore hear ye the parable of him sowing.

19 Every one hearing, and not understanding, the evil one comes, and carries off that sown in his heart. This is he having sown by the way.

20 And he having sown upon rocky places, this is he hearing the word, and quickly with joy receiving it;

21 And has no root in himself, but is for a time; and there being pressure or expulsion for the word, straightly is he offended.

22 And he having sown among thorns, this is he hearing the word; and the care of this time, and the deceit of riches, choke the word, and it is unfruitful.

23 But he having sown upon good earth is he hearing the word, and understanding; who indeed bears fruit, and who makes truly a hundred, and who sixty, and who thirty.

24 Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of the heavens was made like a man sowing good seed in his field:

25 And in men's sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares in the midst of the wheat, and went away.

26 And when the grass sprouted up and made fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27 And the servants of the master of the house having come, said to him, Lord, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field whence therefore has it tares?

28 And he said to them, A man, an enemy, has done this: and his servants said to him, Wilt thou therefore we, having departed, should gather them.

29 And he said, No; lest gathering the tares, ye root up the wheat together with them.

30 Suffer both to grow together till harvest; and in time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; and gather the wheat into my barn.