Matthew, 13

1. The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

1. That same day Jesus left the house and sat down by the lakeside.

2. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

2. As many people gathered around him, he got in a boat. There he sat while the whole crowd stood on the shore,

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

3. and he spoke to them in parables about many things.

4. And when he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

4. Jesus said, "The sower went out to sow and, as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path and the birds came and ate them up.

5. Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

5. Other seeds fell on rocky ground where there was little soil, and the seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was not deep.

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

6. But as soon the sun rose the plants were scorched and withered because they had no roots.

7. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

7. Again other seeds fell among thistles; and the thistles grew and choked the plants.

8. But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

8. Still other seeds fell on good soil and produced a crop; some produced a hundredfold, others sixty and others thirty.

9. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

9. If you have ears, then hear!"

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

10. Then his disciples came to him with the question, "Why do you speak to them in parables?"

11. He 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.

11. Jesus answered, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but not to these people.

12. For 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.

12. For the one who has, will be given more and he will have in abundance. But the one who does not have will be deprived of even what he has.

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

13. That is why I speak to them in parables, because they look and do not see; they hear, but they do not listen or understand.

14. And 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:

14. In them the words of the prophet Isaiah are fulfilled: Much as you hear, you do not understand; much as you see, you do not perceive.

15. For 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.

15. For the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears hardly hear and their eyes dare not see. If they were to see with their eyes, hear with their ears and understand with their heart, they would turn back and I would heal them.

16. But 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.

17. For 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].

17. For I tell you that many prophets and upright people would have longed to see the things you see, but they did not, and to hear the things you hear, but they did not hear it.

18. Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

18. Now listen to the parable of the sower.

19. When 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.

19. When a person hears the message of the Kingdom but without taking it to himself, the devil comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed that fell along the footpath.

20. But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

20. The seed that fell on rocky ground stands for the one who hears the word and accepts it at once with joy.

21. Yet 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.

21. But this fickle and has no roots. No sooner is he harassed or persecuted because of the word, than he gives up.

22. He 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.

22. The seed that fell among the thistles is the one who hears the word, but then the worries of this life and the love of money choke the word, and it does not bear fruit.

23. But 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.

23. As for the seed that fell on good soil it is the one who hears the word and understands it; this bears fruit and produces a hundred, or sixty, or thirty times more."

24. Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

24. Jesus told them another parable, "The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.

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

25. While everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and left.

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

26. When the plants sprouted and produced grain, the weeds also appeared.

27. So 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?

27. Then the servants of the owner came to him and said: 'Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? Where did the weeds come from?'

28. He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

28. He answered them: 'This is the work of an enemy.' They asked him: 'Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?'

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

29. He told them: 'No, when you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat with them.

30. Let 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.

30. Let them just grow together until harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the workers: Pull up the weeds first, tie them in bundles and burn them; then gather the wheat into my barn."

31. Another 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:

31. Jesus put another parable before them, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, that a man took and sowed in his field.

32. Which 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.

32. It is smaller than all other seeds, but once it has fully grown, it is bigger than any garden plant; like a tree, the birds come and rest in its branches."

33. Another 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.

33. He told them another parable, "The kingdom of heaven is like the yeast which a woman took and buried in three measures of flour until the whole mass of dough began to rise."

34. All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

34. Jesus taught all this to the crowds by means of parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.

35. That 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.

35. So what the Prophet had said was fulfilled: I will speak in parables. I will proclaim things kept secret since the beginning of the world.

36. Then 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.

36. Then he sent the crowds away and went into the house. And his disciples came to him saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."

37. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

37. Jesus answered them, "The one who sows 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];

38. The field is the world; the good seed are the people of the Kingdom; the weeds are those who follow the evil one.

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

39. The enemy who sows them is the devil; the harvest is the end of time and the workers are the angels.

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

40. Just as the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of time.

41. The 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;

41. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom all that is scandalous and all who do evil.

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

42. And these will be thrown in the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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

43. Then the just will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. If you have ears, then hear.

44. Again, 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.

44. The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. The one who finds it buries it again; and so happy is he, that he goes and sells everything he has, in order to buy that field.

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

45. Again the kingdom of heaven is like a trader who is looking for fine pearls.

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

46. Once he has found a pearl of exceptional quality, he goes away, sells everything he has and buys it.

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

47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a big fishing net let down into the sea, in which every kind of fish has been caught.

48. Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

48. When the net is full, it is dragged ashore. Then they sit down and gather the good fish in buckets, but throw the worthless ones away.

49. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

49. That is how it will be at the end of time; the angels will go out to separate the wicked from the just

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

50. and throw them into the blazing furnace, where they will weep and gnash their teeth."

51. Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

51. Jesus asked, "Have you understood all these things?" "Yes," they answered.

52. Then 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.

52. So he said to them, "You will see that every teacher of the Law who becomes a disciple of the Kingdom is like a householder who can produce from his store things both new and old."

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

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

54. And 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?

54. He went to his hometown and taught the people in their synagogue. They were amazed and said, "Where did he get this wisdom and these special powers?

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

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

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

56. Aren't all his sisters living here? How did he get all this?"

57. And 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.

57. And so they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, "The only place where prophets are not welcome is their hometown and in their own family."

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

58. And he did not perform many miracles there because of their lack of faith.