The Parable of the Sower

13 That same day Jesus went out of the house (A)and sat beside the sea. And great crowds gathered about him, (B)so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. And (C)he told them many things in parables, saying: (D)“A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, but (E)when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, (F)they withered away. Other seeds fell among (G)thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some (H)a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (I)He who has ears,[a] let him hear.”

The Purpose of the Parables

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, (J)“To you it has been given to know (K)the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 (L)For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, (M)even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because (N)seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, (O)nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

(P)“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,
    and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people's heart has grown dull,
    and with their ears (Q)they can barely hear,
    and (R)their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
    and hear with their ears
and (S)understand with their heart
    and (T)turn, and I would heal them.’

16 But (U)blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 (V)For truly, I say to you, (W)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 Parable of the Sower Explained

18 (X)“Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of (Y)the kingdom and (Z)does not understand it, (AA)the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately (AB)receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but (AC)endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately (AD)he falls away.[b] 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but (AE)the cares of (AF)the world and (AG)the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and (AH)understands it. He indeed (AI)bears fruit and yields, in one case (AJ)a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”

The Parable of the Weeds

24 He put another parable before them, saying, (AK)“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds[c] among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants[d] of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, (AL)‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, (AM)“Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

The Mustard Seed and the Leaven

31 He put another parable before them, saying, (AN)“The kingdom of heaven is like (AO)a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

33 He told them another parable. (AP)“The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in (AQ)three measures of flour, till it was (AR)all leavened.”

Prophecy and Parables

34 (AS)All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:[e]

(AT)“I will open my mouth in parables;
    (AU)I will utter what has been hidden (AV)since the foundation of the world.”

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

36 Then he left the crowds and went into (AW)the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, (AX)“Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is (AY)the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are (AZ)the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. (BA)The harvest is (BB)the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds (BC)are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at (BD)the end of the age. 41 (BE)The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all (BF)causes of sin and (BG)all law-breakers, 42 (BH)and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place (BI)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then (BJ)the righteous will shine like the sun (BK)in the kingdom of their Father. (BL)He who has ears, let him hear.

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure

44 “The kingdom of heaven (BM)is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy (BN)he goes and sells all that he has and (BO)buys that field.

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding (BP)one pearl of great value, (BQ)went and sold all that he had and (BR)bought it.

The Parable of the Net

47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is (BS)like a net that was thrown into the sea and (BT)gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, (BU)men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at (BV)the end of the age. The angels will come out and (BW)separate the evil from the righteous 50 (BX)and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place (BY)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

New and Old Treasures

51 (BZ)“Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52 And he said to them, “Therefore every (CA)scribe (CB)who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who (CC)brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 (CD)and coming to (CE)his hometown (CF)he taught them in their synagogue, so that (CG)they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 (CH)Is not this (CI)the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not (CJ)his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And (CK)they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, (CL)“A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, (CM)because of their unbelief.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:9 Some manuscripts add here and in verse 43 to hear
  2. Matthew 13:21 Or stumbles
  3. Matthew 13:25 Probably darnel, a wheat-like weed
  4. Matthew 13:27 Or bondservants; also verse 28
  5. Matthew 13:35 Some manuscripts Isaiah the prophet

13 On that day, having gone out of the bais, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach sat beside the lake.

And many multitudes gathered together to him so that he got into a sirah (boat) to sit down, and the entire multitude stood along the shore.

And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach told them many things in meshalim (parables), saying Hinei! The Sower went out to sow [seeds].

And while he sowed, on the one hand, this [seed] fell along the road, and the birds having come, devoured them.

And others fell upon the rocky places, where there is not much soil, and immediately it sprouts on account of the lack of the soil’s depth.

And when the shemesh (sun) arose, the zera (seed) was scorched, and because it did not have a root, it withered.

And others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.

But others fell on the adamah tovah (good ground), and they yielded fruit: the one, one hundred, the other, sixty, the other, thirty.

The one having oznayim (spiritual ears), let him hear!

10 And, approaching, the talmidim said to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Why in meshalim (parables) are you speaking to them?

11 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach answered them, Because to you it has been granted to have daas of the razim (mysteries) of the Malchut HaShomayim, but to those it has not been granted.

12 For whoever has, [more] will be given to him, and he will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him (see Mt 25:14-29).

13 For this reason in meshalim I am speaking to them, for while seeing they do not see, and [while] hearing they do not hear, nor do they have binah (understanding).

14 And in them is fulfilled the nevuah (prophecy) of Yeshayah HaNavi, saying, SHIMU SHAMOA VAL TAVINU UREU RAO VAL TEIDAU (In hearing you will hear and by no means understand, and seeing you will see and by no means perceive).

15 HASHMEIN LEV HAAM HAZEH VAZNAV HACHBEID VEINAV HASHA, PEN YIREH VEINAV UVEAZNAV YISHMAH ULEVAVO YAVIN, VSHAV NRAFAH LOH. (For the heart of this people has been made dull, and with [their] ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes are shut, lest they see with the their eyes and with [their] ears they hear, and with the lev (heart) they understand and they turn and I will give them refuah [healing] YESHAYAH 6:9-10).

16 But ashrey are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.

17 For truly I say to you that many Neviim and tzaddikim desired to see what you see, and they did not see [it], and to hear what you hear, and they did not hear it.

18 You, therefore, listen to the mashal of the sower.

19 When anyone hears the Dvar HaMalchut and does not have binah, HaRah (the Evil one) comes and seizes that which was sown in his lev (heart). This is the zera (seed) sown along the path.

20 And the zera sown upon the rocky places is the person listening to the Dvar Hashem and immediately with simcha receives it.

21 Yet he has no root in himself but is short-lived, and when ES TZARAH comes or persecution on account of the Dvar Hashem, immediately he ceases being a maamin Meshichi (Messianic believer) and becomes meshummad (apostate), falling away and giving up the [true Orthodox Jewish] faith. [YIRMEYAH 30:7]

22 And the [zera] sown among the thorns is the one hearing the dvar (word), and the rogez HaOlam Hazeh (the anxiety of this age, DEVARIM 28:65) and the mirmah (deceit) of riches, choke the Dvar Hashem and it becomes unfruitful. [YESHAYAH 53:9]

23 And the zera sown upon the adamah tovah (the good ground), this is the one who hears the Dvar Hashem and, understanding [it], indeed bears pri and, one produces a hundred, the other sixty, the other thirty.

24 Another mashal Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach placed before them, saying, The Malchut HaShomayim is like a man sowing zera tov (good seed) in his field.

25 But while men slept, his oyev (enemy) came and oversowed weeds in between the wheat and went away.

26 But when the wheat sprouted and produced pri, then the weeds also appeared.

27 So the servants of the Baal Bayit said to him, Adoneinu, did you not sow zera tov (good seed) in your field? How then does it have weeds?

28 And he said to them, An oyev did this. So the servants say to him, Do you want us to go and pull them all?

29 But he says, No, lest gathering the weeds you should uproot the wheat together with them.

30 Permit both to grow together until the Katzir (harvest); and in time of the Katzir, I will say to the kotzerim, Collect first the weeds, and bind them into bundles to burn them. But the wheat gather into my storehouse.

31 Another mashal Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach placed before them, saying, The Malchut HaShomayim is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field.

32 This that is indeed less than all the zeraim (seeds), but when it grows, it is larger than the garden vegetables and it becomes an etz (tree), so that the OPH HASHOMAYIM IYOV 35:11) come and dwell in its branches.

33 Another mashal Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach spoke to them. The Malchut HaShomayim is like seor (leaven), which having taken, a woman hid in three satas of wheat flour until the whole was leavened.

34 All these things Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach spoke in meshalim to the multitudes. And apart from meshalim Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach did not speak to them:

35 So that might be fulfilled what was spoken through the Navi, saying, EFTCHA VMASHAL PI AVIAH CHIDOT (I will open my mouth with parables, I will utter things having been hidden) from the foundation of the world. [TEHILLIM 78:2]

36 Then having sent away the multitudes, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach came into the bais (house). And Moshiach’s talmidim approached him, saying, Explain to us the mashal of the weeds of the field.

37 And answering, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said, The Sower of the zera tov is the Ben HaAdam (Moshiach).

38 The field is HaOlam Hazeh. And the zera tov, the good seed, these are the Bnei HaMalchut, and the weeds, these are the bnei HaRah (sons of the Evil one, BERESHIS 3:15).

39 And the Oyev (the Enemy) sowing them is Hasatan. And the Katzir (Harvest), this is HaKetz HaOlam (the end of the age). And the kotzerim (reapers, harvesters) are malachim (angels).

40 As the weeds are pulled up and gathered and are consumed with Eish (Fire), so also it will be at the Ketz HaOlam.

41 The Ben HaAdam [Moshiach] will send forth his malachim, and they will pull up and gather out of the Moshiach’s Malchut all the things making meshummad (apostate) and the ones who are without Torah and antinomian.

42 And Moshiach’s malachim will throw them into the furnace of Eish; there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.

43 Then the tzaddikim will shine as the shemesh (sun) in the Malchut of their Father. The one having oznayim (spiritual ears), let him hear.

44 The Malchut HaShomayim is like otzar (treasure) hidden in the field, which, having found, a man hid. And from the simcha he experienced, he goes away and sells everything he has and buys that field.

45 Again, the Malchut HaShomayim is like a merchant searching for fine pearls.

46 And having found one precious peninah (pearl), he went away and liquidated everything he had and acquired it.

47 Again, the Malchut HaShomayim is like a reshet (net) having been cast into the lake, a reshet collecting and gathering dagim (fish) of all descriptions,

48 which, when this reshet (net) was filled, they hoisted it upon the shore, sat down, collected the tov (good) into a creel, and the rah (evil), they threw out.

49 Thus it will be at HaKetz HaOlam Hazeh (The End of This World). The malachim will go out and they will separate the reshaim from among the tzaddikim.

50 And they will throw the reshaim into the furnace of Eish. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51 Did you have binah of all these things? They say to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Ken.

52 So Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, Therefore, every sofer (scribe, Torah teacher, rabbi) who becomes a talmid of the Malchut HaShomayim is like a man [who is] a Baal Bayit, who takes out of his otzar (treasure), chadashot (new things) and also yeshanot (old things).

53 And it came about when Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach finished these meshalim, that he went away from there.

54 And having come into Moshiach’s shtetl, he began ministering as a moreh (teacher) in their shul, so that they were amazed and said, From where did this chochmah come to this one, this chochmah and these moftim (miracles, wonders, omens)?

55 Is this not the ben hanaggar (the carpenter’s son)? Is not his Em called Miryam? And are not his achim Yaakov*, Yosef, Shimon and Yehuda**?

56 And are not his achayot (sisters) with us? From where, therefore, came to this one all these things?

57 And they were taking offense at Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach. But Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, A Navi (prophet) is not without honor except in his hometown and in his bais.

58 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach did not accomplish in that place many moftim, because of their lack of emunah (faith) and bitachon (trust).