³ And ^(A)he told them many things in parables, saying: ^(B)“A sower went out to sow.

² And ^(A)he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: ³ “Listen! Behold, ^(B)a sower went out to sow. ⁴ And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. ⁵ Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. ⁶ And ^(C)when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, ^(D)it withered away. ⁷ Other seed fell among ^(E)thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. ⁸ And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and ^(F)a hundredfold.” ⁹ And he said, ^(G)“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

^13 (A)And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?

^5 (A)“A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. ⁶ And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, ^(B)it withered away, because it had no moisture. ⁷ And some fell among ^(C)thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. ⁸ And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded ^(D)a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, ^(E)“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

^33 (A)With many such parables he spoke ^(B)the word to them, ^(C)as they were able to hear it.

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

⁵³ And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there,

Prophecy and Parables

^34 (A)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:^[a]

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, ^(A)“To you it has been given to know ^(B)the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. ^12 (C)For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, ^(D)even what he has will be taken away. ¹³ This is why I speak to them in parables, because ^(E)seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, ^(F)nor do they understand.

³ And ^(A)utter a parable to ^(B)the rebellious house and say to them, Thus says the Lord God:

⁶ “Therefore thus says the Lord God: ^(E)Woe to the bloody city, to ^(F)the pot whose corrosion is in it, and whose corrosion has not gone out of it! Take out of it piece after piece, without making any choice.^{[b] 7} For the blood she has shed is in her midst; she put it on ^(G)the bare rock; ^(H)she did not pour it out on the ground to cover it with dust. ⁸ To rouse my wrath, to take vengeance, I have set on the bare rock the blood she has shed, that it may not be covered. ⁹ Therefore thus says the Lord God: Woe to the bloody city! ^(I)I also will make the pile great. ¹⁰ Heap on the logs, kindle the fire, boil the meat well, mix in the spices,^[c] and let the bones be burned up. ¹¹ Then set it empty upon the coals, that it may become hot, and its copper may burn, ^(J)that its uncleanness may be melted in it, its corrosion consumed. ^12 (K)She has wearied herself with toil;^[d] its abundant corrosion does not go out of it. Into the fire with its corrosion! ¹³ On account of your unclean lewdness, because I would have cleansed you and you were not cleansed from your uncleanness, ^(L)you shall not be cleansed anymore till ^(M)I have satisfied my fury upon you. ^14 (N)I am the Lord. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; ^(O)I will not spare; ^(P)I will not relent; ^(Q)according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares the Lord God.”