New King James Version

New Living Translation

1On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.

1Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake.

2And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

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.

3Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow.

3He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds.

4And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.

4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them.

5Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.

5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.

6But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.

6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died.

7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.

7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.

8But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

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!

9He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

10And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

10His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”

11He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

11He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.

12For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

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.

13Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

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.

14And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive;

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.

15For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’

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.’

16But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;

16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.

17for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

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.

18“Therefore hear the parable of the sower:

18 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds:

19When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.

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.

20But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;

20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.

21yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

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.

22Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

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.

23But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

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

24Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;

24Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field.

25but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.

25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away.

26But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.

26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

27So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’

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?’

28He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’

28 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed. “‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.

29But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.

29 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do.

30Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

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

31Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field,

31Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field.

32which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

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

33Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”

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.”

34All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them,

34Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables.

35that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”

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

36Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”

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.”

37He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.

37Jesus replied, “The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed.

38The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.

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.

39The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.

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.

40Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.

40 “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world.

41The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,

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.

42and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

42 And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

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

44“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

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.

45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,

45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls.

46who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

46 When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it! Parable of the Fishing Net

47“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind,

47 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind.

48which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.

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.

49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just,

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,

50and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

50 throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”

51 Do you understand all these things?” “Yes,” they said, “we do.”

52Then He said to them, “Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”

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

53Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there.

53When Jesus had finished telling these stories and illustrations, he left that part of the country.

54When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?

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?”

55Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?

55Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas.

56And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?”

56All his sisters live right here among us. Where did he learn all these things?”

57So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.”

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.”

58Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

58And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.