Matthew 13:16-58 ▼

16 but happy are you that your eyes have sight; and that your ears have their hearing.

17 for I declare unto you, that many prophets and just men have desired to see what ye see, and have not seen it: and to hear what ye hear, and have not heard it.

18 Hear then the meaning of this parable of the sower.

19 when any one heareth the doctrine of the gospel, and considers it not, then comes the wicked one, and catches away what was sown in his heart: he is the person meant by the high-way, where some of the seed was sown: but the stony ground,

20 where other seed fell, denotes the man that heareth the word, and at first receives it with pleasure:

21 but having no root in him he has only an occasional faith: for as soon as any oppression or persecution arises upon account of the gospel, he presently relapses.

22 he that is meant by the thorny ground, where other seed fell, is one that heareth the word: which by cares of this life, and the deceitful love of riches, is soon stifled, and becomes unfruitful:

23 but the ground that received the grain, represents those, who hear the word, and consider it, who all become fruitful, some in one degree, and some in another.

24 Another parable he propos'd to them in these words, the state of the gospel in this world may be compar'd to a man who sowed good grain in his field:

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

26 but when the blade was sprung up, and bore grain, the tares appeared too.

27 so the servants of the yeoman came and said, Sir, did not you sow your field with good grain: how comes it then to have tares?

28 'tis some enemy, said he, has done this, the servants replied, shall we go then and pull them up?

29 no, said he, lest in pulling up the tares, you should root

30 up the wheat with them, let both grow together till the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will thus direct the reapers, first of all gather the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: then lodge the wheat in my barn.

31 He propos'd another parable to them, which was this; the gospel-state is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man took to sow in his field.

32 'tis one indeed of the smallest grains: but when it is grown, it is the largest of the pulse kind, and becomes a tree: so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches.

33 Another of his parables was this; the gospel-state is like unto leaven, which a woman took and mixt with three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

34 All these things spake Jesus to the multitude in parables, and did not discourse to them without some parable.

35 so that this saying of the prophet was fulfilled, "I will talk in parables, I will utter what has been kept secret from the foundation of the world."

36 Then Jesus leaving the multitude, went into the house: and his disciples coming to him, said, explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.

37 he answered them, he that soweth the good seed, is the son of man:

38 the field is the world: the good seed are the children of the kingdom: but the tares are the children of the wicked one:

39 the enemy that sowed them is the devil: the harvest is the conclusion of the age: and the reapers are the angels.

40 as then the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire; so shall it be at the conclusion of the age.

41 the son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all that make others offend, and those who do iniquity;

42 and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 then shall the just shine out like the sun, in the kingdom of their father, he that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hid in a field: a man finds this treasure and buries it again, then goes in great joy, sells all that he hath, and purchases that field.

45 Again, the heavenly kingdom is like a merchant-man, who is in quest of curious pearls:

46 and meeting with one of great value, presently sells all that he has to make the purchase.

47 Again, the gospel-kingdom is like a net that is cast into the sea, and draws all sorts of fish:

48 when it is full, they drag it to shore, then sit down, and pick out the good to lay by, but throw the bad away.

49 so it shall be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and after they have separated the wicked from the just,

50 they shall cast the wicked into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

51 Then Jesus said to them, have ye understood all this?

52 they reply'd, yes, Lord, then said he to them, thus every teacher who is instructed in the doctrine of the gospel, is like the master of a family, who taketh out of his treasure things new and old.

53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

54 and when he was come into his native country, he taught them in their synagogue, in such a manner that they cry'd out with astonishment, how came this man by all this wisdom, and extraordinary power?

55 is not this the carpenter's son? is not Mary his mother? and James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas, are they not his brothers?

56 and his sisters, don't they live just by us? how came he then by all this?

57 and they were scandaliz'd at him, but Jesus said to them, a prophet is not without honour, except in his own country and in his own family.

58 and he did not many miracles there, because of their incredulity.