³⁴ But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, ^(A)He explained all things to His disciples.

Jesus Christ Has Overcome the World

²⁵ “These things I have spoken to you in figurative language; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figurative language, but I will tell you ^(A)plainly about the Father.

²⁷ And beginning at ^(A)Moses and ^(B)all the Prophets, He ^[a]expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

The Purpose of Parables^(A)

^10 (B)But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.

^15 (A)Then Peter answered and said to Him, “Explain this parable to us.”

¹⁶ So Jesus said, ^(B)“Are you also still without understanding? ¹⁷ Do you not yet understand that ^(C)whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated? ¹⁸ But ^(D)those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. ^19 (E)For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. ²⁰ These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

The Parable of the Tares Explained

³⁶ Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”

³⁷ He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. ^38 (A)The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are ^(B)the sons of the wicked one. ³⁹ The enemy who sowed them is the devil, ^(C)the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. ⁴⁰ Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send out His angels, ^(D)and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, ^42 (E)and will cast them into the furnace of fire. ^(F)There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. ^43 (G)Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. ^(H)He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

The Scriptures Opened

⁴⁴ Then He said to them, ^(A)“These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” ⁴⁵ And ^(B)He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.

⁴⁶ Then He said to them, ^(C)“Thus it is written, ^[a]and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,

The Purpose of Parables^(A)

^9 (B)Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?”

¹⁰ And He said, “To you it has been given to know the ^[a]mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that

^17 (A)When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. ¹⁸ So He said to them, ^(B)“Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, ¹⁹ because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, ^[a]thus purifying all foods?” ²⁰ And He said, ^(C)“What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. ^21 (D)For from within, out of the heart of men, ^(E)proceed evil thoughts, ^(F)adulteries, ^(G)fornications, murders, ²² thefts, ^(H)covetousness, wickedness, ^(I)deceit, ^(J)lewdness, an evil eye, ^(K)blasphemy, ^(L)pride, foolishness. ²³ All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”