1The same day went Jesus out of the house , and sat by the sea side . 2And great multitudes were gathered together unto him , so that he went into a ship , and sat ; and the whole multitude stood on the shore . 3And he spake many things unto them in parables , saying , Behold , a sower went forth to sow ; 4And when he sowed , some seeds fell by the way side , and the fowls came and devoured them up : 5Some fell upon stony places , where they had not much earth : and forthwith they sprung up , because they had no deepness of earth : 6And when the sun was up , they were scorched ; and because they had no root , they withered away . 7And some fell among thorns ; and the thorns sprung up , and choked them : 8But other fell into good ground , and brought forth fruit , some an hundredfold , some sixtyfold , some thirtyfold . 9Who hath ears to hear , let him hear . 10And the disciples came , and said unto him , Why speakest thou unto them in parables ? 11He answered and said unto them , Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven , but to them it is not given . 12For whosoever hath , to him shall be given , and he shall have more abundance : but whosoever hath not , from him shall be taken away even that he hath . 13Therefore speak I to them in parables : because they seeing see not ; and hearing they hear not , neither do they understand . 14And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias , which saith , By hearing ye shall hear , and shall not understand ; and seeing ye shall see , and shall not perceive : 15For this people’s heart is waxed gross , and their ears are dull of hearing , and their eyes they have closed ; lest at any time they should see with their eyes , and hear with their ears , and should understand with their heart , and should be converted , and I should heal them . 16But blessed are your eyes , for they see : and your ears , for they hear . 17For verily I say unto you , That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see , and have not seen them ; and to hear those things which ye hear , and have not heard them. 18Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower . 19When any one heareth the word of the kingdom , and understandeth it not , then cometh the wicked one , and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart . This is he which received seed by the way side . 20But he that received the seed into stony places , the same is he that heareth the word , and anon with joy receiveth it ; 21Yet hath he not root in himself , but dureth for a while : for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word , by and by he is offended . 22He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word ; and the care of this world , and the deceitfulness of riches , choke the word , and he becometh unfruitful . 23But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word , and understandeth it ; which also beareth fruit , and bringeth forth , some an hundredfold , some sixty , some thirty .
The Purpose of Parables
24Another parable put he forth unto them , saying , The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field : 25But while men slept , his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat , and went his way . 26But when the blade was sprung up , and brought forth fruit , then appeared the tares also . 27So the servants of the householder came and said unto him , Sir , didst not thou sow good seed in thy field ? from whence then hath it tares ? 28He said unto them , An enemy hath done this . The servants said unto him , Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up ? 29But he said , Nay ; lest while ye gather up the tares , ye root up also the wheat with them . 30Let both grow together until the harvest : and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers , Gather ye together first the tares , and bind them in bundles to burn them : but gather the wheat into my barn .
The Parable of the Weeds
31Another parable put he forth unto them , saying , The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed , which a man took , and sowed in his field : 32Which indeed is the least of all seeds : but when it is grown , it is the greatest among herbs , and becometh a tree , so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof . 33Another parable spake he unto them ; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven , which a woman took , and hid in three measures of meal , till the whole was leavened . 34All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables ; and without a parable spake he not unto them : 35That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet , saying , I will open my mouth in parables ; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world . 36Then Jesus sent the multitude away , and went into the house : and his disciples came unto him , saying , Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field . 37He answered and said unto them , He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man ; 38The field is the world ; the good seed are the children of the kingdom ; but the tares are the children of the wicked one ; 39The enemy that sowed them is the devil ; the harvest is the end of the world ; and the reapers are the angels . 40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire ; so shall it be in the end of this world . 41The Son of man shall send forth his angels , and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend , and them which do iniquity ; 42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire : there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth . 43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father . Who hath ears to hear , let him hear .
The Parables of the Mustard Seed and Yeast
44Again , the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field ; the which when a man hath found , he hideth , and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath , and buyeth that field . 45Again , the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man , seeking goodly pearls : 46Who , when he had found one pearl of great price , went and sold all that he had , and bought it . 47Again , the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net , that was cast into the sea , and gathered of every kind : 48Which , when it was full , they drew to shore , and sat down , and gathered the good into vessels , but cast the bad away . 49So shall it be at the end of the world : the angels shall come forth , and sever the wicked from among the just , 50And shall cast them into the furnace of fire : there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth . 51Jesus saith unto them , Have ye understood all these things ? They say unto him , Yea , Lord . 52Then said he unto them , Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder , which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old .
Rejection at Nazareth
53And it came to pass , that when Jesus had finished these parables , he departed thence . 54And when he was come into his own country , he taught them in their synagogue , insomuch that they were astonished , and said , Whence hath this man this wisdom , and these mighty works ? 55Is not this the carpenter’s son ? 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 hath this man all these things ? 57And they were offended in him . But Jesus said unto them , A prophet is not without honour , save in his own country , and in his own house . 58And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief .