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

1And in that day Jesus, having come out of the house, sat by the sea. 2And 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.

3And he spake to them many things in parables, saying, Behold, he, the sower, went forth to sow. 4And in his sowing some truly fell by the way, and the flying things came and swallowed them down. 5And others fell upon rocky places where it had not much earth, and quickly it sprang forth, for it had no depth of earth. 6And the sun having risen, it was parched up; and for the not having a root, it was dried up. 7And others fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them. 8And others fell upon good earth and gave fruit, some truly a hundred, and some sixty, and some thirty. 9He having ears to hear let him hear.

The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables
(Isaiah 6:1–13; Mark 4:10–12; Luke 8:9–10)

10And the disciples having come near, said to him, Why speakest thou to them in parables? 11And 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. 12For 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. 13For this I speak to them in parables: for seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14And 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.

15For 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.

16But happy your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17For 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.

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

18Therefore hear ye the parable of him sowing. 19Every 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. 20And he having sown upon rocky places, this is he hearing the word, and quickly with joy receiving it; 21And has no root in himself, but is for a time; and there being pressure or expulsion for the word, straightly is he offended. 22And 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. 23But 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.

The Parable of the Weeds
(Ezekiel 17:1–10)

24Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of the heavens was made like a man sowing good seed in his field: 25And in men's sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares in the midst of the wheat, and went away. 26And when the grass sprouted up and made fruit, then appeared the tares also. 27And 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? 28And 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. 29And he said, No; lest gathering the tares, ye root up the wheat together with them. 30Suffer 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.

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

31Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of the heavens is like a kernel of mustard, which a man taking, sowed in his field: 32Which truly is less than all seeds; but when it has grown, it is greater than vegetables, and becomes a tree, so that the flying things of heaven come and lodge in its young shoots.

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

33Another parable spake he to them; The kingdom of the heavens is like to leaven, which a woman having taken, hid in three measures of wheaten flour, till the whole was leavened.

I Will Open My Mouth in Parables
(Psalm 78:1–72)

34All these things spake Jesus in parables to the crowds; and without a parable spake he not to them.

35So that that spoken by the prophet might be filled up; saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will declare things having been hid from the foundation of the world.

The Parable of the Weeds Explained
(Zephaniah 1:1–6)

36Then Jesus having dismissed the crowds, went into the house; and his disciples came to him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field. 37And he having answered, said to them, He sowing the good seed is the Son of man: 38And the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; 39And the enemy having sowed them is the devil; and the harvest is the end of time; and the reapers are the messengers. 40As therefore the tares are gathered together and burnt in fire; so shall it be in the end of this time. 41The Son of man shall send forth his messengers, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals, and those doing iniquity; 42And they shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall there be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then shall the just emit a brilliant light as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He having ears to hear, let him hear.

The Parables of the Treasure and the Pearl

44Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like to a treasure hid in the field; which a man finding, concealed, and from his joy, he retires, and all things which he has he sells, and he purchases that field.

45Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like to a man, a wholesale merchant, seeking beautiful pearls: 46Who, finding one pearl of great value, having departed, he sold all things which he had, and purchased it.

The Parable of the Net

47Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like to a large sweep-net, cast into the sea, and having gathered of every kind: 48Which when it was filled, having raised up upon the shore, and having set down, they gathered the good things into vessels, and the rotten things they cast without. 49So shall it be in the end of time; the messengers shall come forth, and separate the evil from the midst of the just, 50And they shall cast them into a furnace of fire; there shall there be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51Jesus says to them, Have ye understood all these? They say to him, Yes, Lord. 52And he said to them, Therefore every scribe, having been a disciple in the kingdom of the heavens, is like to a man, master of a house, who casts out from his treasure new things and old.

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

53And it was when Jesus finished these parables, he removed thence. 54And having come into his native land, he taught them in their assembly, so that they were struck with amazement, and said, Whence to him this wisdom, and powers? 55Is not this the son of the carpenter? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then to him all these? 57And they were scandalized in him. And Jesus said to them, A prophet is not unhonoured, except in his native land, and in his house. 58And he did not many powers there, because of their unbelief.