The Parable of the Sower
1 On that day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the seaside. 2 Great multitudes gathered to him so that he entered into a boat and sat, and the multitude stood on the beach.
3 He spoke to them of many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow. 4 As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them.
5 Some fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up because the soil was shallow. 6 When the sun had risen, they were scorched, and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 Others fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them.
8 Others fell on good soil and yielded fruit: some 100 times as much, some 60, and some 30.
9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables
10 The disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
11 He answered them, “To you it is given, to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but to them, it is not given. 12 For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever does not have, even that which he has will be taken away from him. 13 This is the reason I speak to them in parables:
Seeing they do not see,
and hearing, they do not hear,
nor do they understand. a
14 In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says,
‘By hearing you will hear
and will in no way understand.
Seeing you will see
and will in no way perceive.
15 For this people’s heart has grown callous;
their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have closed their eyes;
or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their heart,
and would turn back;
and I would heal them.’ b
16 “But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. 17 For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see and did not see them, and to hear the things which you hear and did not hear them.”
The Parable of the Sower Explained
18 “Hear, then, the parable of the farmer. 19 When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside.
20 What was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word and immediately with joy receives it, 21 yet he has no root in himself but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
22 What was sown among the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
23 What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit and produces, some 100 times as much, some 60, and some 30.”
The Parable of the Weeds
24 Jesus set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed weeds also among the wheat and went away. 26 But when the blade of wheat sprang up and produced fruit, then the weeds appeared also.
27 The servants of the homeowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where did these weeds come from?’
28 “He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’
The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them up?’
29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the weeds, you root up the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the harvesters: First, gather up the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
31 He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, 32 which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than any garden plant and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”
The Parable of the Leaven
33 He spoke another parable to them. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast, which a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”
34 Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes, and without a parable, he did not speak to them, 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying,
“I will open my mouth in parables.
I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.” c
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
36 Then Jesus sent the multitudes away and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.”
37 He answered them, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 As therefore the weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom, all things that cause sin and those who do iniquity. 42 They will cast them into the furnace of fire where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The Parables of the Treasure and Pearl
44 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46 who, having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
The Parable of the Net
47 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net, that was cast into the sea and gathered fish of every kind, 48 which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach. They sat down and gathered the good ones into containers, but the bad ones they threw away.
49 So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked from among the righteous 50 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
51 Jesus said to them, “Do you understood all these things?”
They answered him, “Yes, Lord.”
52 He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a homeowner, who brings out of his treasure both new things and old things.”
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there. 54 Coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were amazed and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers, James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? 56 Aren’t all of his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all of these things?” 57 And they were offended by him.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and in his own house.” 58 He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
a Deuteronomy 29:4
b Isaiah 6:9-10
c Psalm 78:2