The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and of the Priceless Pearl

⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.^(A)

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. ⁴⁶ When he found one priceless^[a] pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it.^(B)

The Parable of the Net

⁴⁷ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a large net thrown into the sea. It collected every kind of fish,^{(C) 48} and when it was full, they dragged it ashore, sat down, and gathered the good fish into containers, but threw out the worthless ones. ⁴⁹ So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out, separate the evil people from the righteous,^{(D) 50} and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^(E)

The Storehouse of Truth

⁵¹ “Have you understood all these things?”^[b]

They answered him, “Yes.”

⁵² “Therefore,” he said to them, “every teacher of the law^[c] who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom treasures new and old.”^(F)

Rejection at Nazareth

⁵³ When Jesus had finished these parables, he left there. ⁵⁴ He went to his hometown^(G) and began to teach them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?^{(H) 55} Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?^(I) Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers James,^(J) Joseph,^[d] Simon, and Judas?^{(K) 56} And his sisters, aren’t they all with us? So where does he get all these things?” ⁵⁷ And they were offended by him.

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his household.”^{(L) 58} And he did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

John the Baptist Beheaded

14 At that time^(M) Herod the tetrarch^(N) heard the report about Jesus. ² “This is John the Baptist,” he told his servants. “He has been raised from the dead, and that’s why miraculous powers are at work in him.”^(O)

³ For Herod had arrested John, chained^[e] him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,^{(P) 4} since John had been telling him, “It’s not lawful^(Q) for you to have her.” ⁵ Though Herod wanted to kill John, he feared the crowd since they regarded John as a prophet.^(R)

⁶ When Herod’s birthday celebration came, Herodias’s daughter danced before them^[f] and pleased Herod. ⁷ So he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. ⁸ Prompted by her mother, she answered, “Give me John the Baptist’s head here on a platter.” ⁹ Although the king regretted it, he commanded that it be granted because of his oaths and his guests. ¹⁰ So he sent orders and had John beheaded in the prison. ¹¹ His head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. ¹² Then his disciples came, removed the corpse,^[g] buried it, and went and reported to Jesus.

Feeding of the Five Thousand

¹³ When Jesus heard about it,^(S) he withdrew from there by boat to a remote place to be alone. When the crowds heard this, they followed him on foot from the towns.