Matthew 11-13
New Living Translation
Jesus and John the Baptist
11 When Jesus had finished giving these instructions to his twelve disciples, he went out to teach and preach in towns throughout the region.
2 John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, 3 “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting,[a] or should we keep looking for someone else?”
4 Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen— 5 the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” 6 And he added, “God blesses those who do not fall away because of me.[b]”
7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. “What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind? 8 Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people with expensive clothes live in palaces. 9 Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet. 10 John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say,
‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
and he will prepare your way before you.’[c]
11 “I tell you the truth, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is! 12 And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing,[d] and violent people are attacking it. 13 For before John came, all the prophets and the law of Moses looked forward to this present time. 14 And if you are willing to accept what I say, he is Elijah, the one the prophets said would come.[e] 15 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!
16 “To what can I compare this generation? It is like children playing a game in the public square. They complain to their friends,
17 ‘We played wedding songs,
and you didn’t dance,
so we played funeral songs,
and you didn’t mourn.’
18 For John didn’t spend his time eating and drinking, and you say, ‘He’s possessed by a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man,[f] on the other hand, feasts and drinks, and you say, ‘He’s a glutton and a drunkard, and a friend of tax collectors and other sinners!’ But wisdom is shown to be right by its results.”
Judgment for the Unbelievers
20 Then Jesus began to denounce the towns where he had done so many of his miracles, because they hadn’t repented of their sins and turned to God. 21 “What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse. 22 I tell you, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you.
23 “And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead.[g] For if the miracles I did for you had been done in wicked Sodom, it would still be here today. 24 I tell you, even Sodom will be better off on judgment day than you.”
Jesus’ Prayer of Thanksgiving
25 At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. 26 Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way!
27 “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”
28 Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”
A Discussion about the Sabbath
12 At about that time Jesus was walking through some grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, so they began breaking off some heads of grain and eating them. 2 But some Pharisees saw them do it and protested, “Look, your disciples are breaking the law by harvesting grain on the Sabbath.”
3 Jesus said to them, “Haven’t you read in the Scriptures what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He went into the house of God, and he and his companions broke the law by eating the sacred loaves of bread that only the priests are allowed to eat. 5 And haven’t you read in the law of Moses that the priests on duty in the Temple may work on the Sabbath? 6 I tell you, there is one here who is even greater than the Temple! 7 But you would not have condemned my innocent disciples if you knew the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’[h] 8 For the Son of Man[i] is Lord, even over the Sabbath!”
Jesus Heals on the Sabbath
9 Then Jesus went over to their synagogue, 10 where he noticed a man with a deformed hand. The Pharisees asked Jesus, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” (They were hoping he would say yes, so they could bring charges against him.)
11 And he answered, “If you had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t you work to pull it out? Of course you would. 12 And how much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Yes, the law permits a person to do good on the Sabbath.”
13 Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored, just like the other one! 14 Then the Pharisees called a meeting to plot how to kill Jesus.
Jesus, God’s Chosen Servant
15 But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them, 16 but he warned them not to reveal who he was. 17 This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him:
18 “Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen.
He is my Beloved, who pleases me.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not fight or shout
or raise his voice in public.
20 He will not crush the weakest reed
or put out a flickering candle.
Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.
21 And his name will be the hope
of all the world.”[j]
Jesus and the Prince of Demons
22 Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see. 23 The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?”
24 But when the Pharisees heard about the miracle, they said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan,[k] the prince of demons.”
25 Jesus knew their thoughts and replied, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A town or family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 26 And if Satan is casting out Satan, he is divided and fighting against himself. His own kingdom will not survive. 27 And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. 28 But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. 29 For who is powerful enough to enter the house of a strong man and plunder his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder his house.
30 “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.
31 “So I tell you, every sin and blasphemy can be forgiven—except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which will never be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks against the Son of Man can be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, either in this world or in the world to come.
33 “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, its fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. 34 You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. 35 A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. 36 And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. 37 The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”
The Sign of Jonah
38 One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.”
39 But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
41 “The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah. Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent. 42 The queen of Sheba[l] will also stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for she came from a distant land to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Now someone greater than Solomon is here—but you refuse to listen.
43 “When an evil[m] spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, seeking rest but finding none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ So it returns and finds its former home empty, swept, and in order. 45 Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before. That will be the experience of this evil generation.”
The True Family of Jesus
46 As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 47 Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak to you.”[n]
48 Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49 Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. 50 Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”
Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed
13 Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. 2 A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore. 3 He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. 4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. 5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! 9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
10 His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”
11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets[o] of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. 12 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. 13 That is why I use these parables,
For they look, but they don’t really see.
They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.
14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,
‘When you hear what I say,
you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
you will not comprehend.
15 For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes—
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them.’[p]
16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.
18 “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds: 19 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts. 20 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 21 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. 22 The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced. 23 The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
Parable of the Wheat and Weeds
24 Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.
27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’
28 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.
“‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.
29 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”
Parable of the Mustard Seed
31 Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.”
Parable of the Yeast
33 Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”
34 Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. 35 This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet:
“I will speak to you in parables.
I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world.[q]”
Parable of the Wheat and Weeds Explained
36 Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.”
37 Jesus replied, “The Son of Man[r] is the farmer who plants the good seed. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one. 39 The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world,[s] and the harvesters are the angels.
40 “Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!
Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
44 “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.
45 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. 46 When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!
Parable of the Fishing Net
47 “Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind. 48 When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away. 49 That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous, 50 throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51 Do you understand all these things?”
“Yes,” they said, “we do.”
52 Then he added, “Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old.”
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
53 When Jesus had finished telling these stories and illustrations, he left that part of the country. 54 He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, “Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?” 55 Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph,[t] Simon, and Judas. 56 All his sisters live right here among us. Where did he learn all these things?” 57 And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him.
Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.” 58 And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief.
Footnotes
- 11:3 Greek Are you the one who is coming?
- 11:6 Or who are not offended by me.
- 11:10 Mal 3:1.
- 11:12 Or the Kingdom of Heaven has suffered from violence.
- 11:14 See Mal 4:5.
- 11:19 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
- 11:23 Greek to Hades.
- 12:7 Hos 6:6 (Greek version).
- 12:8 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
- 12:18-21 Isa 42:1-4 (Greek version for 42:4).
- 12:24 Greek Beelzeboul; also in 12:27. Other manuscripts read Beezeboul; Latin version reads Beelzebub.
- 12:42 Greek The queen of the south.
- 12:43 Greek unclean.
- 12:47 Some manuscripts do not include verse 47. Compare Mark 3:32 and Luke 8:20.
- 13:11 Greek the mysteries.
- 13:14-15 Isa 6:9-10 (Greek version).
- 13:35 Some manuscripts do not include of the world. Ps 78:2.
- 13:37 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
- 13:39 Or the age; also in 13:40, 49.
- 13:55 Other manuscripts read Joses; still others read John.
Matthew 11-13
New American Standard Bible
John’s Questions
11 (A)When Jesus had finished [a]giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He went on from there (B)to teach and [b]preach in their cities.
2 (C)Now while in prison, (D)John heard about the works of Christ, and he sent word by his disciples, 3 and said to Him, “Are You (E)the Coming One, or are we to [c]look for someone else?” 4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5 (F)those who are blind receive sight and those who limp walk, those with leprosy are cleansed and those who are deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the (G)poor have the [d]gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is [e]any person who (H)does not [f]take offense at Me.”
Jesus’ Tribute to John
7 As these disciples of John were going away, Jesus began speaking to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into (I)the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 [g]But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ [h]palaces! 9 [i]But what did you go out to see? (J)A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and one who is more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it [j]is written:
11 Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 And (L)from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has been treated violently, and violent men take it by force. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is (M)Elijah who [l]was to come. 15 (N)The one who has ears to hear, [m]let him hear.
16 “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces, who call out to the other children, 17 and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a song of mourning, and you did not [n]mourn.’ 18 For John came neither (O)eating nor (P)drinking, and they say, ‘(Q)He has a demon!’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a [o]heavy drinker, (R)a friend of tax collectors and [p]sinners!’ And yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
The Unrepenting Cities
20 Then He began to reprimand the cities in which most of His [q](S)miracles were done, because they did not repent. 21 “(T)Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, (U)Bethsaida! For if the [r]miracles that occurred in you had occurred in (V)Tyre and (W)Sidon, they would have repented long ago in [s](X)sackcloth and ashes. 22 Nevertheless I say to you, (Y)it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on (Z)the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, (AA)Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will be (AB)brought down to (AC)Hades! For if the [t]miracles that occurred in you had occurred in (AD)Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 Nevertheless I say to you that (AE)it will be more tolerable for the land of (AF)Sodom on the day of judgment, than for you.”
Come to Me
25 [u](AG)At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, (AH)Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that (AI)You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and have revealed them to infants. 26 Yes, (AJ)Father, for this way was well pleasing in Your sight. 27 (AK)All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father (AL)except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son determines to reveal Him.
28 “(AM)Come to Me, all [v]who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and (AN)learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and (AO)you will find [w]rest for your souls. 30 For (AP)My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.”
Sabbath Questions
12 [x](AQ)At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to (AR)pick the heads of grain and eat. 2 Now when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, “Look, Your disciples are doing what (AS)is not lawful to do on a Sabbath!” 3 But He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions— 4 how he entered the house of God, and (AT)they ate the [y]consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? 5 Or have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple [z]violate the Sabbath, and yet are innocent? 6 But I say to you that something (AU)greater than the temple is here. 7 But if you had known what this [aa]means: ‘(AV)I desire [ab]compassion, [ac]rather than sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned [ad]the innocent.
Lord of the Sabbath
8 For (AW)the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
9 (AX)Departing from there, He went into their synagogue. 10 And a man was there whose hand was withered. And they questioned [ae]Jesus, asking, “(AY)Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might bring charges against Him. 11 But He said to them, “(AZ)What man [af]is there among you who [ag]has a sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will he not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 (BA)How much more valuable then is a person than a sheep! So then, it is lawful to do [ah]good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then He *said to the man, “Stretch out your hand!” (BB)He stretched it out, and it was restored to [ai]normal, like the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and [aj](BC)conspired against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.
15 But Jesus, [ak]aware of this, withdrew from there. Many followed Him, and (BD)He healed them all, 16 and (BE)warned them not to [al]tell who He was. 17 This happened so that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet would be fulfilled:
18 “(BF)Behold, My [am]Servant whom I [an]have chosen;
(BG)My Beloved in whom My soul [ao]delights;
(BH)I will put My Spirit upon Him,
(BI)And He will proclaim [ap]justice to the [aq]Gentiles.
19 (BJ)He will not quarrel, nor cry out;
Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets.
20 (BK)A bent reed He will not break off,
And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish,
Until He [ar]leads [as]justice to victory.
21 (BL)And in His name the [at]Gentiles will hope.”
The Pharisees Rebuked
22 (BM)Then a (BN)demon-possessed man who was blind and unable to speak was brought to [au]Jesus, and He healed him so that the man who was unable to speak talked and [av]could see. 23 And all the crowds were amazed and were saying, “This man cannot be the (BO)Son of David, can he?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man (BP)casts out demons only by [aw]Beelzebul the ruler of the demons.”
25 (BQ)And (BR)knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if (BS)Satan is casting out Satan, he [ax]has become divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if (BT)by [ay]Beelzebul I cast out the demons, (BU)by whom do your sons cast them out? Therefore, they will be your judges. 28 But (BV)if I cast out the demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 Or, how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first ties up the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.
The Unpardonable Sin
30 (BW)The one who is not with Me is against Me; and the one who does not gather with Me scatters.
31 “(BX)Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32 (BY)And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in (BZ)this age or in the age to come.
Words Reveal Character
33 “Either [az]assume the tree to be good as well as its fruit good, or [ba]assume the tree to be bad as well as its fruit bad; for (CA)the tree is known by its fruit. 34 (CB)You [bb]offspring of vipers, how can you, being evil, express any good things? (CC)For the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart. 35 (CD)The good person brings out of his good treasure good things; and the evil person brings out of his evil treasure evil things. 36 But I tell you that for every [bc]careless word that people [bd]speak, they will give an account of it on the (CE)day of judgment. 37 For [be]by your words you will be justified, and [bf]by your words you will be condemned.”
The Desire for Signs
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, (CF)we want to see a [bg]sign from You.” 39 But He answered and said to them, “(CG)An evil and adulterous generation craves a [bh]sign; and so no [bi]sign will be given to it except the [bj]sign of Jonah the prophet; 40 for just as (CH)Jonah was in the stomach of the sea monster for three days and three nights, so will (CI)the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for (CJ)three days and three nights. 41 (CK)The men of Nineveh will stand up with this generation at the judgment, and will condemn it because (CL)they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and behold, something (CM)greater than Jonah is here. 42 (CN)The Queen of the South will rise up with this generation at the judgment and will condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and behold, something (CO)greater than Solomon is here.
43 “(CP)Now when the unclean spirit comes out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came’; and when it comes, it finds it unoccupied, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings along with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they come in and live there; and (CQ)the last condition of that person becomes worse than the first. That is the way it will also be with this evil generation.”
Changed Relationships
46 (CR)While He was still speaking to the crowds, behold, His (CS)mother and (CT)brothers were standing outside, seeking to speak to Him. 47 [[bk]Someone said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak to You.”] 48 But [bl]Jesus replied to the one who was telling Him and said, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?” 49 And extending His hand toward His disciples, He said, “Behold: My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother, and sister, and mother.”
Jesus Teaches in Parables
13 On that day Jesus had gone out of (CU)the house and was sitting (CV)by the sea. 2 And large crowds gathered to Him, so (CW)He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach.
3 And He told them many things in (CX)parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and they sprang up immediately, because they had no depth of soil. 6 But after the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 Others fell [bm]among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. 8 But others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a (CY)hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much. 9 (CZ)The one who has ears, [bn]let him hear.”
An Explanation for Parables
10 And the disciples came up and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 And [bo]Jesus answered them, “(DA)To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. 12 (DB)For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while (DC)seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And [bp]in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,
‘[bq](DD)You shall keep on listening, [br]but shall not understand;
And [bs]you shall keep on looking, [bt]but shall not perceive;
15 (DE)For the heart of this people has become dull,
With their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
Understand with their heart, and return,
And I would heal them.’
16 (DF)But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 For truly I say to you that (DG)many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
The Sower Explained
18 “(DH)Listen then to the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears (DI)the [bu]word of the kingdom and does not understand it, (DJ)the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one sown with seed beside the road. 20 The one sown with seed on the rocky places, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution occurs because of the [bv]word, immediately he [bw](DK)falls away. 22 And the one sown with seed among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, and the anxiety of (DL)the [bx]world and the (DM)deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it [by]becomes unfruitful. 23 But the one sown with seed on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces, some (DN)a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much.”
Weeds among Wheat
24 Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “(DO)The kingdom of heaven [bz]is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed [ca]weeds among the wheat, and left. 26 And when the [cb]wheat sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also became evident. 27 And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? [cc]How then does it have weeds?’ 28 And he said to them, ‘[cd]An enemy has done this!’ The slaves *said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he *said, ‘No; while you are gathering up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them; but (DP)gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
The Mustard Seed
31 He presented another parable to them, saying, “(DQ)The kingdom of heaven is like (DR)a mustard seed, which a person took and sowed in his field; 32 and this is smaller than all the other seeds, but when it is fully grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that (DS)the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.”
The Leaven
33 He spoke another parable to them: “(DT)The kingdom of heaven is like [ce]leaven, which a woman took and hid in (DU)three [cf]sata of flour until it was all leavened.”
34 All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He did not speak anything to them (DV)without a parable. 35 This was so that what was spoken through the prophet would be [cg]fulfilled:
“(DW)I will open My mouth in parables;
I will proclaim things hidden since the foundation of the world.”
The Weeds Explained
36 Then He left the crowds and went into (DX)the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “(DY)Explain to us the parable of the [ch]weeds of the field.” 37 And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is (DZ)the Son of Man, 38 and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are (EA)the sons of the kingdom; and the weeds are (EB)the sons of (EC)the evil one; 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is (ED)the [ci]end of the age; and the reapers are angels. 40 So just as the weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at (EE)the [cj]end of the age. 41 (EF)The Son of Man (EG)will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom [ck]all (EH)stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, 42 and they (EI)will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place (EJ)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 (EK)Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. (EL)The one who has ears, [cl]let him hear.
Hidden Treasure
44 “(EM)The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from [cm]joy over it he goes and (EN)sells everything that he has, and buys that field.
A Costly Pearl
45 “Again, (EO)the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46 and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold everything that he had and bought it.
A Dragnet
47 “Again, (EP)the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; 48 and when it was filled, they pulled it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. 49 So it will be at (EQ)the [cn]end of the age: the angels will come forth and remove the wicked from among the righteous, 50 and they (ER)will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place (ES)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51 “Have you understood all these things?” They *said to Him, “Yes.” 52 And [co]Jesus said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure new things and old.”
Jesus Revisits Nazareth
53 (ET)When Jesus had finished these parables, He departed from there. 54 And (EU)He came to [cp]His hometown and (EV)began teaching them in their synagogue, with the result that (EW)they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man acquire this wisdom and these [cq]miraculous powers? 55 Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is (EX)His mother not called Mary, and His (EY)brothers, James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? 56 And (EZ)His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man acquire all these things?” 57 And they took (FA)offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “(FB)A prophet is not dishonored except in his [cr]hometown and in his own household.” 58 And He did not do many [cs]miracles there because of their unbelief.
Footnotes
- Matthew 11:1 Or commanding
- Matthew 11:1 Or proclaim
- Matthew 11:3 Or wait for
- Matthew 11:5 Or good news
- Matthew 11:6 Lit whoever
- Matthew 11:6 Or stumble over Me
- Matthew 11:8 Or Well then,
- Matthew 11:8 Lit houses
- Matthew 11:9 Or Well then,
- Matthew 11:10 Lit has been written
- Matthew 11:10 Lit before Your face
- Matthew 11:14 Or is going to come
- Matthew 11:15 Or hear! Or listen!
- Matthew 11:17 Lit beat the breast
- Matthew 11:19 Or wine drinker
- Matthew 11:19 I.e., irreligious Jews
- Matthew 11:20 Or works of power
- Matthew 11:21 Or works of power
- Matthew 11:21 I.e., symbols of mourning
- Matthew 11:23 Or works of power
- Matthew 11:25 Or On that occasion
- Matthew 11:28 Or who work to exhaustion
- Matthew 11:29 Or a resting place
- Matthew 12:1 Or On that occasion
- Matthew 12:4 Lit loaves of presentation
- Matthew 12:5 Or profane
- Matthew 12:7 Lit is
- Matthew 12:7 Or mercy
- Matthew 12:7 Lit and not
- Matthew 12:7 Plural in the Gr
- Matthew 12:10 Lit Him
- Matthew 12:11 Lit will be from you
- Matthew 12:11 Lit will have
- Matthew 12:12 Lit well
- Matthew 12:13 Lit health
- Matthew 12:14 Lit took counsel
- Matthew 12:15 Lit knowing
- Matthew 12:16 Lit make Him known
- Matthew 12:18 Lit Child
- Matthew 12:18 Lit chose
- Matthew 12:18 Or took pleasure
- Matthew 12:18 Or judgment
- Matthew 12:18 Or nations
- Matthew 12:20 Or brings forth
- Matthew 12:20 Or judgment
- Matthew 12:21 Or nations
- Matthew 12:22 Lit Him
- Matthew 12:22 Lit saw
- Matthew 12:24 Or Beezebul; meaning uncertain, perhaps lord prince, referring to Satan
- Matthew 12:26 Lit was
- Matthew 12:27 See note v 24
- Matthew 12:33 Lit make
- Matthew 12:33 Lit make
- Matthew 12:34 Or brood
- Matthew 12:36 Or useless
- Matthew 12:36 Lit will speak
- Matthew 12:37 Or in accordance with
- Matthew 12:37 Or in accordance with
- Matthew 12:38 I.e., confirming miracle
- Matthew 12:39 I.e., confirming miracle
- Matthew 12:39 I.e., confirming miracle
- Matthew 12:39 I.e., confirming miracle
- Matthew 12:47 This verse is not found in early mss
- Matthew 12:48 Lit He
- Matthew 13:7 Lit upon
- Matthew 13:9 Or hear! Or listen!
- Matthew 13:11 Lit He
- Matthew 13:14 Lit for them
- Matthew 13:14 Lit With a hearing you shall hear; a Heb idiom
- Matthew 13:14 Lit and
- Matthew 13:14 Lit Seeing you shall see
- Matthew 13:14 Lit and
- Matthew 13:19 I.e., message
- Matthew 13:21 I.e., message
- Matthew 13:21 I.e., from the faith
- Matthew 13:22 Or age
- Matthew 13:22 Or proves to be unfruitful
- Matthew 13:24 Lit has been compared to
- Matthew 13:25 Prob. darnel, a weed resembling wheat
- Matthew 13:26 Lit grass
- Matthew 13:27 Lit From where
- Matthew 13:28 Lit A hostile person
- Matthew 13:33 I.e., fermented dough
- Matthew 13:33 A Gr term for a Heb measure, totaling about 48 lb. or 22 kg of flour
- Matthew 13:35 Lit fulfilled, saying
- Matthew 13:36 Prob. darnel, a weed resembling wheat
- Matthew 13:39 Or consummation
- Matthew 13:40 Or consummation
- Matthew 13:41 Or everything that is offensive
- Matthew 13:43 Or hear! Or listen!
- Matthew 13:44 Or his joy, he goes
- Matthew 13:49 Or consummation
- Matthew 13:52 Lit He
- Matthew 13:54 Or His own part of the country
- Matthew 13:54 Or miracles
- Matthew 13:57 Or own part of the country
- Matthew 13:58 Or works of power
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
