Matthew 13:1-58

13  On that day Jesus, going out of the house, was sitting near the sea;  and there were gathered unto him large multitudes, so that he into a boat entered and was sitting, and all the multitude on the beach was standing.  And he spake unto them many things, in parables, saying: Lo! the sower went forth to sow,—  and as he sowed Some indeed fell by the pathway, and the birds came and devoured it;  And some fell on the rocky places, where it had not much earth,—and straightway it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth;  and the sun arising it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away;  And some fell upon the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it;  But some fell upon the good ground, and did yield fruit,—this indeed a hundred fold and that sixty, and the other thirty.  He that hath ears let him hear. 10  And the disciples coming near said to him, Wherefore in parables art thou speaking to them? 11  And he answering said, Because unto you hath it been given, to get to know the sacred secrets of the kingdom of the heavens,—whereas unto them hath it not been given. 12  For whosoever hath it shall be given to him and he shall be made to abound,—But whoever hath not even what he hath shall be taken from him. 13  For this reason in parables unto them do I speak,—because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not,—neither do they understand. 14  And again is being fulfilled in them the prophecy of Isaiah which saith,—They shall surely hear and yet will not understand, And surely see and yet not perceive; 15  For the heart of this people hath become dense And with their ears heavily have they heard, And their eyes have they closed,—Lest, once they should see with their eyes And with their ears should hear, And with their hearts should understand, and return; When I would certainly heal them. 16  But happy are your eyes that they see, And your ears that they hear; 17  For verily I say unto you—Many prophets and righteous men Have coveted to see what ye see and have not seen, And to hear what ye hear, and have not heard. 18  Hear ye then the parable of him that sowed:— 19  When anyone heareth the word of the kingdom and understandeth it not the wicked one cometh, and catcheth up that which hath been sown in his heart,—this is he by the pathway sown. 20  And he on the rocky places sown the same is he that heareth the word and straightway with joy receiveth it; 21  yet hath he no root in himself, but is only for a season,—and there arising tribulation or persecution because of the word straightway he findeth cause of stumbling. 22  And he among the thorns sown the same is he that heareth the word,—and the anxiety of the age and the deceit of riches choke up the word, and unfruitful it becometh. 23  But he on the good ground sown the same is he who doth hear and understand the word, who indeed beareth fruit and produceth,—this a hundred and that sixty, and the other thirty. 24  Another parable put he before them, saying—The kingdom of the heavens hath become like a man sowing good seed in his field; 25  and while men were sleeping his enemy came, and sowed over darnel in among the wheat,—and away he went. 26  And when the blade shot up and brought forth fruit then appeared the darnel also. 27  And the servants of the householder coming near said to him,—Sir! was it not good seed thou didst sow in thy field? Whence then hath it darnel? 28  And he said unto them—An enemy hath done this. And they say unto him—Wilt thou then that we go and collect it? 29  And he saith—Nay! lest at any time while collecting the darnel ye uproot along with it the wheat: 30  Suffer both to grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will say unto the reapers,—Collect ye first the darnel, and bind it into bundles with a view to the burning it up; but the wheat be gathering it into my barn. 31  Another parable put he before them, saying—The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; 32  which indeed is less than all seeds, but when grown is greater than garden-plants and becometh a tree,—so that the birds of heaven come and lodge among its branches. 33  Another parable [spake he unto them]:—The kingdom of the heavens is like unto leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until the whole was leavened. 34  All these things spake Jesus in parables unto the multitudes, and without a parable was he speaking nothing unto them: 35  that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying—I will open in parables my mouth, I will bring up things hidden from the foundation! 36  Then dismissing the multitudes he went into the house, and his disciples came near to him, saying—Make quite plain to us the parable of the darnel of the field. 37  And he answering said—He that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man; 38  And the field is the world, And the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom,—And the darnel seeds are the sons of the evil one; 39  And the enemy that sowed them is the adversary, And the harvest is the conclusion of an age, And the reapers are messengers. 40  Just therefore as collected is the darnel, and with fire is burned so will it be in the conclusion of the age:— 41  The Son of Man will send forth his messengers, and they will collect out of his kingdom all the causes of stumbling, and the doers of lawlessness, 42  and will cast them into the furnace of fire: there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43  Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears let him hear! 44  The kingdom of the heavens is like unto a treasure hid in the field, which a man finding hid,—and by reason of his joy withdraweth and selleth whatsoever he hath, and buyeth that field. 45  Again the kingdom of the heavens is like unto a merchant, seeking beautiful pearls,— 46  and finding one very precious pearl departing he at once sold all things whatsoever he had, and bought it. 47  Again the kingdom of the heavens is like unto a large drag-net cast into the sea and gathering of every kind,— 48  which when it was filled they dragged up on the beach, and sitting down collected the good into vessels, but the worthless forth they cast. 49  So will it be in the conclusion of the age: The messengers will come forth, and separate the wicked from among the righteous; 50  and will cast them into the furnace of fire: there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 51  Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea! 52  And he said unto them—Wherefore every scribe discipled unto the kingdom of the heavens is like unto a householder who putteth forth out of his treasure things new and old. 53  And it came to pass when Jesus had finished these parables he removed from thence; 54  and coming into his own city began teaching them in their synagogue, so that with astonishment were they being struck and were saying—Whence hath this one this wisdom and the mighty works? 55  Is not this one the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary, and are not his brethren—James and Joseph, and Simon and Judas? 56  and his sisters are they not all with us? Whence then hath this one all these things? 57  And they began to find cause of stumbling in him. But Jesus said unto them—A prophet is not without honour, save in his city, and in his house. 58  And he did not there many mighty works, because of their unbelief.

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