Matthew 13:3
New International Version
Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.

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

English Standard Version
And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow.

Berean Standard Bible
And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed.

Berean Literal Bible
And He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, "Behold, the one sowing went out to sow.

King James Bible
And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

New King James Version
Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow.

New American Standard Bible
And He told them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow;

NASB 1995
And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow;

NASB 1977
And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow;

Legacy Standard Bible
And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow;

Amplified Bible
He told them many things in parables, saying, “Listen carefully: a sower went out to sow [seed in his field];

Christian Standard Bible
Then he told them many things in parables, saying, “Consider the sower who went out to sow.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then He told them many things in parables, saying: “Consider the sower who went out to sow.

American Standard Version
And he spake to them many things in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went forth to sow;

Contemporary English Version
Then he taught them many things by using stories. He said: A farmer went out to scatter seed in a field.

English Revised Version
And he spake to them many things in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went forth to sow;

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then he used stories as illustrations to tell them many things. He said, "Listen! A farmer went to plant seed.

Good News Translation
He used parables to tell them many things. "Once there was a man who went out to sow grain.

International Standard Version
Then he began to tell them many things in parables. He said, "Listen! A farmer went out to sow.

Majority Standard Bible
And He told them many things in parables, saying, ?A farmer went out to sow his seed.

NET Bible
He told them many things in parables, saying: "Listen! A sower went out to sow.

New Heart English Bible
And he spoke to them many things in parables, saying, "Look, a farmer went out to sow.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he spoke many things to them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

Weymouth New Testament
He then spoke many things to them in figurative language. "The sower goes out," He said, "to sow.

World English Bible
He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, a farmer went out to sow.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and He spoke to them many things in allegories, saying, “Behold, the sower went forth to sow,

Berean Literal Bible
And He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, "Behold, the one sowing went out to sow.

Young's Literal Translation
and he spake to them many things in similes, saying: 'Lo, the sower went forth to sow,

Smith's Literal Translation
And he spake to them many things in parables, saying, Behold, he, the sower, went forth to sow.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he spoke to them many things in parables, saying: Behold the sower went forth to sow.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow seed.

New American Bible
And he spoke to them at length in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow.

New Revised Standard Version
And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And he spoke many things to them in parables, and said, Behold the sower went out to sow;

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he was speaking much with them in parables and he said, “Behold, a sower went out to sow.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
And he spoke many things to them in parables, saying: Behold, the sower went out to sow.

Godbey New Testament
And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, Behold a sower went out to sow.

Haweis New Testament
And he spake unto them many things in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went out to sow:

Mace New Testament
Then he talk'd to them much in parables, and said, a sower went out to sow.

Weymouth New Testament
He then spoke many things to them in figurative language. "The sower goes out," He said, "to sow.

Worrell New Testament
And He spake to them many things in parables, saying, "Behold, the sower went forth to sow.

Worsley New Testament
saying, "Behold a sower went out to sow;

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Parable of the Sower
2Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore. 3And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.…

Cross References
Mark 4:2-9
And He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said, / “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. / And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. ...

Luke 8:4-8
While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, He told them this parable: / “A farmer went out to sow his seed. And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, where it was trampled, and the birds of the air devoured it. / Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the seedlings withered because they had no moisture. ...

Isaiah 6:9-10
And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

Psalm 78:2
I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the beginning,

Ezekiel 17:2
“Son of man, pose a riddle; speak a parable to the house of Israel

Matthew 13:34-35
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable. / So 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.”

John 16:25
I have spoken these things to you in figures of speech. An hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you this way, but will tell you plainly about the Father.

Matthew 7:24-27
Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. / The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because its foundation was on the rock. / But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ...

Isaiah 55:10-11
For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, / so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.

Jeremiah 5:21
“Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.

Matthew 21:28-32
But what do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first one and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’ / ‘I will not,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went. / Then the man went to the second son and told him the same thing. ‘I will, sir,’ he said. But he did not go. ...

Matthew 22:1-14
Once again, Jesus spoke to them in parables: / “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. / He sent his servants to call those he had invited to the banquet, but they refused to come. ...

Matthew 25:1-13
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. / Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. / The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take along any extra oil. ...

Matthew 25:14-30
For it is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions. / To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent—each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey. / The servant who had received the five talents went at once and put them to work and gained five more. ...

Matthew 25:31-46
When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His glorious throne. / All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. / He will place the sheep on His right and the goats on His left. ...


Treasury of Scripture

And he spoke many things to them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

in.

Matthew 13:10-13,34,35,53
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? …

Matthew 22:1
And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

Matthew 24:32
Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

parables.

a sower.

Mark 4:2-9
And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, …

Luke 8:5-8
A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it…

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Earth Farmer Figurative Form Forth Goes Language Parables Seed Similes Sow Sower Story Teaching
Matthew 13
1. The parable of the sower and the seed;
18. the explanation of it.
24. The parable of the weeds;
31. of the mustard seed;
33. of the leaven;
36. explanation of the parable of the weeds.
44. The parable of the hidden treasure;
45. of the pearl;
47. of the drag net cast into the sea.
53. Jesus is a prophet without honor in his own country.














Then He told them many things in parables, saying
Then He told them
This phrase indicates a direct action by Jesus, emphasizing His role as a teacher and communicator of divine truths. The Greek word for "told" is "ἐλάλησεν" (elalēsen), which implies speaking or uttering words. This highlights the importance of verbal communication in the transmission of spiritual knowledge. Jesus, as the Word made flesh (John 1:14), uses His voice to convey the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. The act of telling signifies the intentionality and authority with which Jesus imparts His teachings.

many things
The phrase "many things" suggests the abundance and variety of teachings that Jesus shared. The Greek word "πολλά" (polla) indicates a multitude or a great number. This reflects the richness and depth of Jesus' teachings, which cover various aspects of life and spirituality. It underscores the comprehensive nature of His message, addressing the diverse needs and questions of His audience. The use of "many" also implies that the teachings of Jesus are inexhaustible, offering continuous revelation and insight to those who seek.

in parables
The term "parables" comes from the Greek word "παραβολαῖς" (parabolais), meaning a comparison or analogy. Parables are a distinctive teaching method used by Jesus to convey profound spiritual truths through simple, relatable stories. This method engages the listener's imagination and invites deeper reflection. Parables serve as a bridge between the known and the unknown, using familiar scenarios to reveal hidden truths about the Kingdom of God. Historically, parables were a common teaching tool in Jewish tradition, making Jesus' use of them both culturally relevant and spiritually impactful.

saying
The word "saying" introduces the content of Jesus' teaching. The Greek word "λέγων" (legōn) is a present participle, indicating an ongoing action. This suggests that Jesus' teachings are not just historical events but continue to speak to us today. The use of "saying" also implies authority and intentionality, as Jesus speaks with the purpose of instructing and transforming His listeners. It invites the audience to pay attention and engage with the message that follows, highlighting the importance of listening to and understanding the words of Christ.

(3) He spake many things unto them in parables.--This is the first occurrence of the word in St. Matthew's Gospel, and it is clear from the question of the disciples in Matthew 13:10 that it was in some sense a new form of teaching to them. There had been illustrations and similitudes before, as in that of the houses built on the sand and on the rock in Matthew 7:24-27, and that of the unclean spirit in Matthew 12:43-45, but now for the first time He speaks to the multitude in a parable, without an explanation. The word, which has passed through its use in the Gospels into most modern European languages (palabras, parole, parabel), means literally, a comparison. It had been employed by the Greek translators of the Old Testament for the Hebrew word mashed, which we commonly render by "proverb," and which, like the Greek parabole, has the sense of similitude. Of many, perhaps of most, Eastern proverbs it was true that they were condensed parables, just as many parables are expanded proverbs. (Comp. John 16:25; John 16:29.) In the later and New Testament use of the word, however, the parable takes the fuller form of a narrative embracing facts natural and probable in themselves, and in this respect differs from the fable which (as in those of 'sop and Phaedrus, or that of the trees choosing a king in Judges 9:8-15) does not keep within the limits even of possibility. The mode of teaching by parables was familiar enough in the schools of the Rabbis, and the Talmud contains many of great beauty and interest. As used by them, however, they were regarded as belonging to those who were receiving a higher education, and the son of Sirach was expressing the current feeling of the schools when he said of the tillers of the soil and the herdsmen of flocks that they "were not found where parables were spoken" (Ecclesiasticus 38:33). With what purpose our Lord now used this mode of instruction will appear in His answer to the question of the disciples. The prominence given in the first three Gospels to the parable that follows, shows how deep an impression it made on the minds of men, and so far justified the choice of this method of teaching by the divine Master. . . . Verse 3. - And he spake many things. Of which but a few are here recorded (cf. vers. 34, 51). Unto them in parables. Taking the expression in the widest sense, "speaking in parables" began in the very earliest ages, when natural or spiritual truths were described under figures taken from everyday life, and continues until the present time, more especially among Eastern nations. Interesting examples of such a method of instruction are to be seen in the Haggadoth (which are frequently parabolic narratives) of the Talmuds and other Jewish works. But both myth (cf. Alford) and parabolic Haggada share the common danger of being misunderstood as narratives which are intended to be taken literally, while in the parable, in the narrower sense of the word, such a confusion is hardly possible. For the narrative then suggests, either by its introduction or its structure, that it is only the mirror by which a truth can be seen, and is not the truth itself. Such parables also, though seldom even approaching in beauty to our Lord's, are very frequent in Jewish writings, though they come but seldom in the Old Testament (Isaiah 28:23-29; 2 Samuel 12:1-6; 2 Samuel 14:6-11; 1 Kings 20:35-40; comp. also Isaiah 5:1-7 and Ezekiel 17:1-10, which are rather allegories; and Judges 9:7-15 and 2 Kings 14:9, which are fables). (On the distinction of parable in the narrower sense from fable, myth, proverb, allegory, see Alford and Trench.) Weiss ('Life,' 2:115) thinks that the most profound reason of all which the Lord had for employing parables was that he wished to show that the same regulations which hold good for the world round us and ourselves in relation to the world and each other, hold good also in the higher ethical and religious life. But at the most this can have been a very subsidiary motive with him. Saying, Behold, a sower. Observe that our Lord enters upon his parable at once (contrast ver. 24). He will attract attention. Mark's "Hear ye" would have forwarded this. A sower; literally, the sower, as the Revised Version; i.e. the sower of whom I am about to speak (cf. Driver on 1 Samuel 19:13; also Matthew 1:23; Matthew 12:43). Went forth. In the Greek this verb comes first, as though our Lord wished to call attention, not so much to the sower himself as to his action. To sow. (For the minute adherence to actual life throughout the whole of this parable, see by all means Thomson's 'Land and the Book,' p. 82, edit. 1887; Stanley's 'Sinai and Palestine,' pp. 425, sqq., edit. 1868.)

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
And
Καὶ (Kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

He told
ἐλάλησεν (elalēsen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2980: A prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. Utter words.

them
αὐτοῖς (autois)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

many things
πολλὰ (polla)
Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 4183: Much, many; often.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

parables,
παραβολαῖς (parabolais)
Noun - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3850: From paraballo; a similitude, i.e. fictitious narrative, apothegm or adage.

saying,
λέγων (legōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3004: (a) I say, speak; I mean, mention, tell, (b) I call, name, especially in the pass., (c) I tell, command.

“A farmer
σπείρων (speirōn)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 4687: To sow, spread, scatter. Probably strengthened from spao; to scatter, i.e. Sow.

went out
ἐξῆλθεν (exēlthen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1831: To go out, come out. From ek and erchomai; to issue.

to sow his seed.
σπείρειν (speirein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 4687: To sow, spread, scatter. Probably strengthened from spao; to scatter, i.e. Sow.


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