Matthew 13:3
New Living Translation
3 He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds.
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Matthew 13:3
New International Version
3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.
Mark 4:2-9
New Living Translation
2 He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. 4 As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. 5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. 8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” 9 Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
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Mark 4:2-9
New International Version
2 He taught them many things by parables,(A) and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.(B) 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”(C)
9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”(D)
Mark 4:13
New Living Translation
13 Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables?
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Mark 4:13
New International Version
13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?
Matthew 13:34-35
New Living Translation
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.[a]”
Matthew 13:34-35
New International Version
34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.(A) 35 So was fulfilled(B) what was spoken through the prophet:
Footnotes
- Matthew 13:35 Psalm 78:2
Luke 8:5-8
New Living Translation
5 “A farmer went out to plant his seed. As he scattered it across his field, some seed fell on a footpath, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it. 6 Other seed fell among rocks. It began to grow, but the plant soon wilted and died for lack of moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up with it and choked out the tender plants. 8 Still other seed fell on fertile soil. This seed grew and produced a crop that was a hundred times as much as had been planted!” When he had said this, he called out, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”
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Luke 8:5-8
New International Version
5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. 6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”
When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”(A)
Mark 4:33
New Living Translation
33 Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand.
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Mark 4:33
New International Version
33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.(A)
Matthew 13:53
New Living Translation
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
53 When Jesus had finished telling these stories and illustrations, he left that part of the country.
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Matthew 13:53
New International Version
Matthew 13:10-13
New Living Translation
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[a] 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.
Footnotes
- 13:11 Greek the mysteries.
Matthew 13:10-13
New International Version
10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven(A) has been given to you,(B) but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.(C) 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.(D)
2 Samuel 12:1-7
New Living Translation
Nathan Rebukes David
12 So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: “There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. 2 The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. 3 The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man’s own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. 4 One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man’s lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest.”
5 David was furious. “As surely as the Lord lives,” he vowed, “any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! 6 He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity.”
7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul.
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2 Samuel 12:1-7
New International Version
Nathan Rebukes David(A)
12 The Lord sent Nathan(B) to David.(C) When he came to him,(D) he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, 3 but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
4 “Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”
5 David(E) burned with anger(F) against the man(G) and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives,(H) the man who did this must die! 6 He must pay for that lamb four times over,(I) because he did such a thing and had no pity.”
7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!(J) This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘I anointed(K) you(L) king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.
Mark 12:12
New Living Translation
12 The religious leaders[a] wanted to arrest Jesus because they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 12:12 Greek They.
Mark 12:12
New International Version
12 Then the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd;(A) so they left him and went away.(B)
Ezekiel 24:3-14
New Living Translation
3 Then give these rebels an illustration with this message from the Sovereign Lord:
“Put a pot on the fire,
and pour in some water.
4 Fill it with choice pieces of meat—
the rump and the shoulder
and all the most tender cuts.
5 Use only the best sheep from the flock,
and heap fuel on the fire beneath the pot.
Bring the pot to a boil,
and cook the bones along with the meat.
6 “Now this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
What sorrow awaits Jerusalem,
the city of murderers!
She is a cooking pot
whose corruption can’t be cleaned out.
Take the meat out in random order,
for no piece is better than another.
7 For the blood of her murders
is splashed on the rocks.
It isn’t even spilled on the ground,
where the dust could cover it!
8 So I will splash her blood on a rock
for all to see,
an expression of my anger
and vengeance against her.
9 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
What sorrow awaits Jerusalem,
the city of murderers!
I myself will pile up the fuel beneath her.
10 Yes, heap on the wood!
Let the fire roar to make the pot boil.
Cook the meat with many spices,
and afterward burn the bones.
11 Now set the empty pot on the coals.
Heat it red hot!
Burn away the filth and corruption.
12 But it’s hopeless;
the corruption can’t be cleaned out.
So throw it into the fire.
13 Your impurity is your lewdness
and the corruption of your idolatry.
I tried to cleanse you,
but you refused.
So now you will remain in your filth
until my fury against you has been satisfied.
14 “I, the Lord, have spoken! The time has come, and I won’t hold back. I will not change my mind, and I will have no pity on you. You will be judged on the basis of all your wicked actions, says the Sovereign Lord.”
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Ezekiel 24:3-14
New International Version
3 Tell this rebellious people(A) a parable(B) and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Put on the cooking pot;(C) put it on
and pour water into it.
4 Put into it the pieces of meat,
all the choice pieces—the leg and the shoulder.
Fill it with the best of these bones;(D)
5 take the pick of the flock.(E)
Pile wood beneath it for the bones;
bring it to a boil
and cook the bones in it.(F)
6 “‘For this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Woe(G) to the city of bloodshed,(H)
to the pot now encrusted,
whose deposit will not go away!
Take the meat out piece by piece
in whatever order(I) it comes.(J)
7 “‘For the blood she shed is in her midst:
She poured it on the bare rock;
she did not pour it on the ground,
where the dust would cover it.(K)
8 To stir up wrath and take revenge
I put her blood on the bare rock,
so that it would not be covered.
9 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says:
“‘Woe to the city of bloodshed!
I, too, will pile the wood high.
10 So heap on the wood
and kindle the fire.
Cook the meat well,
mixing in the spices;
and let the bones be charred.
11 Then set the empty pot on the coals
till it becomes hot and its copper glows,
so that its impurities may be melted
and its deposit burned away.(L)
12 It has frustrated all efforts;
its heavy deposit has not been removed,
not even by fire.
13 “‘Now your impurity is lewdness. Because I tried to cleanse you but you would not be cleansed(M) from your impurity, you will not be clean again until my wrath against you has subsided.(N)
14 “‘I the Lord have spoken.(O) The time has come for me to act.(P) I will not hold back; I will not have pity,(Q) nor will I relent.(R) You will be judged according to your conduct and your actions,(S) declares the Sovereign Lord.(T)’”
Psalm 78:2
New Living Translation
2 for I will speak to you in a parable.
I will teach you hidden lessons from our past—
Psalm 78:2
New International Version
2 I will open my mouth with a parable;(A)
I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
Psalm 49:4
New Living Translation
4 I listen carefully to many proverbs
and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp.
Psalm 49:4
New International Version
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