Matthew 13

1On that day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

1Later that day, Jesus left the house and sat down by the lake.

2And there were gathered unto him great multitudes, so that he entered into a boat, and sat; and all the multitude stood on the beach.

2Such a huge crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.

3And he spake to them many things in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went forth to sow;

3He told them many things using stories called parables, saying, 'Listen, a farmer went out to plant seeds.

4and as he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured them:

4As he scattered the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate them up.

5and others fell upon the rocky places, where they had not much earth: and straightway they sprang up, because they had no deepness of earth:

5Some fell on rocky ground where there wasn't much soil. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.

6and when the sun was risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

6But when the sun came up, the young plants were scorched and withered because they didn't have deep roots.

7And others fell upon the thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked them:

7Other seeds fell among thorn bushes, which grew up and choked the plants.

8and others fell upon the good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

8Still other seeds fell on good soil and produced a harvest—some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times more than what was planted.

9He that hath ears, let him hear.

9Anyone who has ears should listen and understand!'

10And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

10His disciples came to him and asked, 'Why do you use these parables when you speak to the people?'

11And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

11He answered, 'You have been permitted to understand the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but others have not.

12For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath.

12Those who have understanding will be given even more, and they will have plenty. But those who do not have understanding will lose even the little they have.

13Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

13I speak to them in parables because they look but don't really see, and they listen but don't really hear or understand.

14And unto them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall in no wise understand; And seeing ye shall see, and shall in no wise perceive:

14In them the prophecy of Isaiah is coming true: "You will listen and listen but never understand; you will look and look but never perceive."

15For this people’s heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them.

15For these people have closed their minds. They have plugged their ears and shut their eyes. Otherwise, their eyes might see, their ears might hear, and their hearts might understand; then they would turn to me, and I would heal them.

16But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.

16But your eyes are blessed because they see, and your ears are blessed because they hear.

17For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not; and to hear the things which ye hear, and heard them not.

17I tell you the truth, many prophets and godly people longed to see what you see but didn't, and to hear what you hear but didn't.

18Hear then ye the parable of the sower.

18Now, listen to the meaning of the story about the farmer planting seeds.

19When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the evil one, and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way side.

19When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and doesn't understand it, the evil one comes and snaps away the seed that was planted in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

20And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it;

20The seed falling on rocky ground represents the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.

21yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth.

21But since they have no roots, they only last a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly give up.

22And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

22The seed falling among the thorns represents the person who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the lure of wealth choke the message, making it unproductive.

23And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

23But the seed falling on good ground is the person who hears the word and understands it. This person produces a harvest that is thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times what was sown.

24Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man that sowed good seed in his field:

24Jesus told them another story: 'The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field.

25but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away.

25But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat and then slipped away.

26But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

26When the wheat grew and started to produce grain, the weeds appeared too.

27And the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares?

27The farmer’s workers came to him and said, "Sir, didn't you plant good seed in your field? Where did these weeds come from?"

28And he said unto them, An enemy hath done this. And the servants say unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

28"An enemy did this," he replied. The workers asked, "Do you want us to go and pull them up?"

29But he saith, Nay; lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the wheat with them.

29"No," he answered, "because while you are pulling the weeds, you might uproot the wheat with them.

30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.

30Let them both grow together until the harvest. At that time, I will tell the harvesters to collect the weeds first and tie them in bundles to be burned, then gather the wheat into my barn."

31Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

31He told them another story: 'The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field.

32which indeed is less than all seeds; but when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven come and lodge in the branches thereof.

32It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it grows, it becomes the largest of garden plants. It grows into a tree so that birds can come and nest in its branches.'

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 it was all leavened.

33He told them yet another story: 'The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked its way through all the dough.'

34All these things spake Jesus in parables unto the multitudes; and without a parable spake he nothing unto them:

34Jesus used parables to tell all these things to the crowds. In fact, he did not speak to them without using a parable.

35that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.

35This fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will speak in parables; I will explain things hidden since the world was created."

36Then he left the multitudes, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

36Then Jesus left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, 'Explain to us the story about the weeds in the field.'

37And he answered and said, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

37He answered, 'The one who plants 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;

38The field is the world, and the good seeds are the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one.

39and the enemy that sowed them is the devil: and the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are angels.

39The enemy who planted the weeds is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are angels.

40As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of the world.

40Just 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 shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity,

41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his kingdom everything that causes sin and everyone who does evil.

42and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

42The angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear.

43Then the God-fearing people will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Anyone who has ears should listen!

44The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field; which a man found, and hid; and in his joy he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

44The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy he went and sold everything he owned to buy that field.

45Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls:

45Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for high-quality pearls.

46and having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

46When he found one very valuable pearl, he went and sold everything he had to buy it.

47Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

47Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a large net that was thrown into the sea and caught all kinds of fish.

48which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away.

48When it was full, the fishermen pulled it onto the shore. They sat down and put the good fish into baskets but threw the bad ones away.

49So shall it be in the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the righteous,

49That is how it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the godly people.

50and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

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

51Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea.

51"Do you understand all these things?" Jesus asked. "Yes," they replied.

52And he said unto them, Therefore every scribe who hath been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

52Then he said to them, "Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a homeowner who brings out of his storeroom both new and old treasures."

53And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

53When Jesus had finished telling these parables, he left that place.

54And coming 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?

54He went to his hometown and began teaching the people in their synagogue. They were amazed and asked, 'Where did this man get this wisdom and the power to do these miracles?'

55Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas?

55'Isn't this the carpenter’s son? Isn't his mother named Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?'

56And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

56'And his sisters, don't they all live here among us? Where did he get all these things?'

57And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house.

57And they were deeply offended by him. But Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and in his own family.'

58And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

58And he did not perform many miracles there because they didn't believe in him.