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

1Now on the same day, Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the sea-side: 2and many people were gathered together to bear Him, so that He went into a ship and sat down, and all the multitude stood upon the shore; and He spake to them many things in parables,

3saying, "Behold a sower went out to sow; 4and as he was sowing, some seeds fell by the way-side, and the birds came and ate them up: 5some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth; and they soon sprung up indeed, because they had no depth of earth; 6but when the sun rose, they were burnt up, and withered; because they had no root: 7and others fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked them: 8but others fell on good ground, and yielded fruit, some an hundred-fold, some sixty, and some thirty. 9He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

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

10And the disciples came to Him and said, Why dost thou speak to them in parables? 11And He answered them, saying, Because it is granted unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not granted: 12for whosoever really hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundantly; but whosoever thus hath not, even that which he hath, shall be taken away from him: 13for this reason I speak to them in parables; because though they see, they will not see; and though they hear, they will not hear, nor understand.

14And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, Ye shall hear by the hearing of the ear, and not understand; and in seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: for the heart of this people is grown stupid,

15and their ears are dull of hearing, and they have closed their eyes; least they should see at all with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

16But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear: 17for indeed I tell you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear what ye hear, and have not heard them.

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

18Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the word of the gospel-kingdom, 19and regardeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and snatcheth away that which was sown in his heart: this is he who received the seed as by the way-side. 20And he who received the seed as upon stony grounds, is one that heareth the word and immediately receiveth it with joy: 21yet hath he no root in himself, and therefore is but for a short season; and when affliction cometh, or persecution on account of the word, he is as soon disgusted. 22And he that received the seed among the thorns, is one that likewise heareth the word; but the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches choketh the word, and so it becometh unfruitful. 23But he who received the seed into good ground, is one that heareth and understandeth the word, who indeed beareth fruit, and yieldeth, like fertile lands, some an hundred-fold, some sixty, some thirty.

The Parable of the Weeds

24Another parable propounded He unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a man, who sowed good grain in his ground: 25but while men were asleep, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away. 26Now when the blade shot forth, and produced the corn, then the tares also appeared. 27So the servants came to their master, and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? whence then are the tares? 28And he said unto them, Some enemy hath done this. The servants therefore said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? 29But he said, No: least in plucking up the tares ye root up the corn along with them. 30Let both grow together till harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, First gather the weeds together, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but carry the wheat into my barn.

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

31Another parable delivered He unto them, saying, The gospel-kingdom is like a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed in his field. 32Which is indeed one of the lest of all seeds: but when it is grown, is the greatest among herbs, and even becometh a tree; so that the birds of the air come and lodge in it's branches.

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

33Another parable spake He unto them, saying, The gospel-kingdom is like leaven, which a woman took and put into a large quantity of dough, till the whole was leavened.

I Will Open My Mouth in Parables

34All these things spake Jesus in parables to the multitudes; and at this time He spake nothing to them without a parable:

35that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables, I will publish things which have been concealed from the foundation of the world.

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

36Then Jesus leaving the multitude went into the house; and his disciples came to Him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field: 37and He answered them, and said, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38the field is the world; the good seed are the children of my kingdom; and the tares are the children of the wicked one. 39The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40As therefore the tares are gathered together, and burnt in the fire; so shall it be in the end of the world: 41the Son of man will send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all that commit offences, and those who do iniquity, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire, 42and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43But the righteous shall then shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The Parables of the Treasure and the Pearl

44Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hid in a field, which a man having found conceals, and being rejoiced at it goes and sells all that he has, and purchases that field.

45Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking precious pearls, 46who, having found one of great value, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

The Parable of the Net

47Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net, that was cast into the sea, and inclosed fishes of various sorts; 48which, when it was full, they dragged to the shore, and sat down and gathered the good into vessels, and threw out the bad. 49So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and separate the wicked from among the righteous; 50and shall cast them into the fiery furnace, and there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

51Then saith Jesus unto them, Did ye understand all these? they say unto Him, Yes, Lord: and He said unto them, 52Therefore every teacher, who has been thus instructed in the knowledge of the kingdom of heaven, is like a master of a family, who brings forth out of his store things new and old.

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

53And when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence: 54and came into his own country, and taught them in their synagogues; so that they were amazed and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom and these powers? 55Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56and his sisters, are they not all here among us? from whence then hath this man all these things? 57So they were prejudiced against Him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is no where less honoured than in his own country, and in his own family. 58And he did not many miracles there, because of their unbelief.