English Standard Version

New Living Translation

1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.

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

2And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach.

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.

3And he told them many things in parables, saying: “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 seeds fell along the path, 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.

5Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil,

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

6but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since 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.

7Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.

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

8Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, 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, let him hear.”

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

10Then 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?”

11And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets 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 to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

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.

13This is why 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.

14Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never 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 this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would 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 truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed 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“Hear then 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, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

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.

20As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one 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 for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

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.

22As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves 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.

23As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another 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

24He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to 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 his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

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

26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.

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

27And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’

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.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’

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

29But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.

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

30Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, 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

31He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that 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.

32It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests 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

33He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, 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 said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable.

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

35This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since 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 he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds 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, “The one 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, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil 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.

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

40Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the 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 his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers,

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 throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping 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 like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, 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“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy 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 in search of fine pearls,

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

46who, on finding one pearl of great value, 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 net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish 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.

48When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.

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 out and separate the evil from the righteous

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 throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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

51“Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.”

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

52And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is 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

53And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there,

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

54and coming to his hometown 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 not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and 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 are not all his sisters 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?”

57And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.”

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.”

58And 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.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. 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.