Matthew 13
International Children’s Bible
A Story About Planting Seed
13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Large crowds gathered around him. So Jesus got into a boat and sat, while the people stayed on the shore. 3 Then Jesus used stories to teach them many things. He said: “A farmer went out to plant his seed. 4 While he was planting, some seed fell by the road. The birds came and ate all that seed. 5 Some seed fell on rocky ground, where there wasn’t enough dirt. That seed grew very fast, because the ground was not deep. 6 But when the sun rose, the plants dried up because they did not have deep roots. 7 Some other seed fell among thorny weeds. The weeds grew and choked the good plants. 8 Some other seed fell on good ground where it grew and became grain. Some plants made 100 times more grain. Other plants made 60 times more grain, and some made 30 times more grain. 9 Let those with ears use them and listen!”
Why Jesus Used Stories to Teach
10 The followers came to Jesus and asked, “Why do you use stories to teach the people?”
11 Jesus answered, “Only you can know the secret truths about the kingdom of heaven. Other people cannot know these secret truths. 12 The person who has something will be given more. And he will have all he needs. But the person who does not have much, even what he has will be taken from him. 13 This is why I use stories to teach the people: They see, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really understand. 14 So they show that the things Isaiah said about them are true:
‘You will listen and listen, but you will not understand.
You will look and look, but you will not learn.
15 For these people have become stubborn.
They do not hear with their ears.
And they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might really understand
what they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears.
They might really understand in their minds.
If they did this, they would come back to me and be forgiven.’ Isaiah 6:9-10
16 But you are blessed. You understand the things you see with your eyes. And you understand the things you hear with your ears. 17 I tell you the truth. Many prophets and good people wanted to see the things that you now see. But they did not see them. And many prophets and good people wanted to hear the things that you now hear. But they did not hear them.
Jesus Explains the Seed Story
18 “So listen to the meaning of that story about the farmer. 19 What is the seed that fell by the road? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching about the kingdom but does not understand it. The Evil One comes and takes away the things that were planted in that person’s heart. 20 And what is the seed that fell on rocky ground? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching and quickly accepts it with joy. 21 But he does not let the teaching go deep into his life. He keeps it only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching he accepted, then he quickly gives up. 22 And what is the seed that fell among the thorny weeds? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching but lets worries about this life and love of money stop that teaching from growing. So the teaching does not produce fruit[a] in that person’s life. 23 But what is the seed that fell on the good ground? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching and understands it. That person grows and produces fruit, sometimes 100 times more, sometimes 60 times more, and sometimes 30 times more.”
A Story About Wheat and Weeds
24 Then Jesus told them another story. He said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who planted good seed in his field. 25 That night, when everyone was asleep, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat. Then the enemy went away. 26 Later, the wheat grew and heads of grain grew on the wheat plants. But at the same time the weeds also grew. 27 Then the man’s servants came to him and said, ‘You planted good seed in your field. Where did the weeds come from?’ 28 The man answered, ‘An enemy planted weeds.’ The servants asked, ‘Do you want us to pull up the weeds?’ 29 The man answered, ‘No, because when you pull up the weeds, you might also pull up the wheat. 30 Let the weeds and the wheat grow together until the harvest time. At harvest time I will tell the workers this: First gather the weeds and tie them together to be burned. Then gather the wheat and bring it to my barn.’”
Stories of Mustard Seed and Yeast
31 Then Jesus told another story: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. A man plants the seed in his field. 32 That seed is the smallest of all seeds. But when it grows, it is one of the largest garden plants. It becomes a tree, big enough for the wild birds to come and make nests in its branches.”
33 Then Jesus told another story: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman mixes into a big bowl of flour. The yeast makes all the dough rise.”
34 Jesus used stories to tell all these things to the people. He always used stories to teach people. 35 This is as the prophet said:
“I will speak using stories;
I will tell things that have been secret since the world was made.” Psalm 78:2
Jesus Explains About the Wheat and Weeds
36 Then Jesus left the crowd and went into the house. His followers came to him and said, “Explain to us the meaning of the story about the weeds in the field.”
37 Jesus answered, “The man who planted the good seed in the field is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world. And the good seed are all of God’s children in the kingdom. The weeds are those people who belong to the Evil One. 39 And the enemy who planted the bad seed is the devil. The harvest time is the end of the age. And the workers who gather are God’s angels.
40 “The weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire. It will be this way at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels. They will gather out of his kingdom all who cause sin and all who do evil. 42 The angels will throw them into the blazing furnace. There the people will cry and grind their teeth with pain. 43 Then the good people will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let those with ears use them and listen!
Stories of a Treasure and a Pearl
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. One day a man found the treasure, and then he hid it in the field again. The man was very happy to find the treasure. He went and sold everything that he owned to buy that field.
45 “Also, the kingdom of heaven is like a man looking for fine pearls. 46 One day he found a very valuable pearl. The man went and sold everything he had to buy that pearl.
A Story of a Fishing Net
47 “Also, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was put into the lake. The net caught many different kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled the net to the shore. They sat down and put all the good fish in baskets. Then they threw away the bad fish. 49 It will be this way at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the evil people from the good people. 50 The angels will throw the evil people into the blazing furnace. In that place the people will cry and grind their teeth with pain.”
51 Jesus asked his followers, “Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes, we understand.”
52 Then Jesus said to them, “So every teacher of the law who has been taught about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house. He has both new things and old things saved in his house. And he brings out both those new things and old things.”
Jesus Goes to His Hometown
53 When Jesus finished teaching with these stories, he left there. 54 He went to the town where he grew up. He taught the people in the synagogue, and they were amazed. They said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and this power to do miracles? 55 He is only the son of the carpenter. And his mother is Mary. His brothers are James, Joseph, Simon and Judas. 56 And all his sisters are here with us. So where does this man get all these things?” 57 And the people refused to accept Jesus.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own town or in his own home.”
58 The people there did not believe in Jesus. So Jesus did not do many miracles there.
Footnotes
- 13:22 produce fruit To produce fruit means to have in your life the good things God wants.
Matthew 13
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
The Parable of the Sower
13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat there; and the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched; and since they had no root they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell upon thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 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, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to him who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.[b] 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says:
‘You shall indeed hear but never understand,
and you shall indeed see but never perceive.
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and their ears are heavy of hearing,
and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should perceive with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their heart,
and turn for me to heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 Truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous men 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 “Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in his heart; this is what was sown along the path. 20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.[c] 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
The Parable of Weeds among the Wheat
24 Another parable he put before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds 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 householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has it weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants[e] said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘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, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
31 Another parable he put before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field; 32 it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”
The Parable of the Yeast
33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened.”
The Use of Parables
34 All this Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed he said nothing to them without a parable. 35 This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet:[f]
“I will open my mouth in parables,
I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”
Jesus Explains the Parable of the Weeds
36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of man; 38 the field is the world, and the good seed means the sons of the kingdom; the weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. 41 The Son of man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all evildoers, 42 and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Three Parables
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; 48 when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, 50 and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.
Treasures New and Old
51 “Have you understood all this?” They said to him, “Yes.” 52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”[g]
The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth
53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his own country he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brethren[h] James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
Footnotes
- Matthew 13:9 Other ancient authorities add here and in verse 43 to hear
- 13.12 To those well-disposed Jews who have made good use of the old covenant will now be given the perfection of the new. On the other hand, from those who have rejected God’s advances will now be taken away even that which they have, because the old covenant is passing away.
- Matthew 13:21 Or stumbles
- Matthew 13:27 Or slaves
- Matthew 13:28 Or slaves
- Matthew 13:35 Other ancient authorities read the prophet Isaiah
- 13.52 This is Matthew’s ideal: that the learned Jew should become the disciple of Jesus and so add the riches of the new covenant to those of the old, which he already possesses; cf. verse 12.
- 13.55 See note on Mt 12.46.
Matteus 13
Swedish New Living Bible (Nya Levande Bibeln)
Liknelsen om lantbrukaren som sådde säd
13 Senare samma dag gick Jesus hemifrån och ner till stranden,
2-3 där en stor folkmassa snart samlades. Därför steg han i en båt och började undervisa från den, medan folket lyssnade på stranden. Han använde sig av många bilder, som till exempel denna:En lantbrukare gick ut på sina åkrar för att så.
4 När han sådde föll en del av kornen på stigen bredvid, och fåglarna kom och åt upp dem.
5 Och en del föll där marken var stenig och där det bara fanns tunt med jord. Plantorna växte snabbt i den grunda jorden,
6 men i den heta solen torkade de och vissnade och dog, för de hade ytliga rötter.
7 Andra korn föll bland törnbuskarna, och buskarna kvävde de ömtåliga stråna.
8 Men en del föll i den goda jorden och gav trettio, sextio och till och med hundra gånger så mycket säd som han hade sått.
9 Lägg märke till vad jag säger!
Jesus förklarar liknelsen om sådden
10 Senare kom hans lärjungar och frågade: Varför använder du dig alltid av sådana här liknelser?
11 Då förklarade han för dem: Det är bara ni som har fått gåvan att förstå min undervisning om himmelriket. Andra har inte fått den gåvan.
12-13 Den som har ska få mer, sa han till dem, så att han kommer att äga mycket. Men de som inget äger, ska bli av med också det lilla de har. Det är därför som jag använder dessa berättelser, så att människor ska höra och se, men ändå inte förstå.
14 Detta stämmer med Jesajas profetia: 'De hör, men förstår inte. De tittar på, men ser ändå inte!
15 För deras hjärtan är hårda och likgiltiga, deras hörsel är avtrubbad, och de har slutit sina ögon.
16 Därför ser de inte och hör inte. De förstår inte och vänder sig inte till Gud igen så att jag kan bota dem! Men ni kan känna er lyckliga för era ögon kan se, och era öron kan höra.
17 Många profeter och rättfärdiga män har längtat efter att se vad ni har sett, och höra vad ni har hört, men inte fått det.
18 Här är förklaringen till berättelsen om lantbrukaren som sådde säd:
19 Den hårda stigen, där en del av säden föll, liknar den människas hjärta, som hör de goda nyheterna om riket men inte tar dem på allvar. Och genast är djävulen där och plockar bort säden ur hjärtat.
20 Den grunda, steniga marken är som den människas hjärta som hör budskapet och tar emot det med verklig glädje,
21 men som inte har så mycket djup i sig att rötterna kan utvecklas. Efter en tid, då svårigheter eller förföljelser kommer, avtar entusiasmen och hon överger sin tro.
22 Marken som var täckt av törnbuskar kan jämföras med en människa som hör budskapet, men låter vardagens bekymmer förkväva Guds ord. Hon gör mindre och mindre för Gud.
23 Men den goda jorden liknar den människas hjärta, som lyssnar till budskapet och förstår det och går ut och för trettio, sextio eller till och med hundra andra in i Guds rike.
Liknelsen om tistlarna och vetet
24 Detta är en annan bild som Jesus använde:Himmelriket kan liknas vid en åker i vilken en lantbrukare sådde god säd.
25 Men en natt då han sov kom hans fiende och sådde tistlar bland vetet.
26 När säden började växa, växte också tistlarna.
27 Lantbrukarens män kom och berättade detta för honom: Herre, åkern som du sådde den goda säden på är full av tistlar!
28 En fiende måste ha sått dem, förklarade han.Då frågade männen: Ska vi rycka upp tistlarna?
29 Nej, svarade han, ni kommer att skada vetet om ni gör det.
30 Låt båda två växa tillsammans tills det blir dags att skörda. Då ska jag säga till skördemännen att sortera bort tistlarna och bränna upp dem och sedan samla in vetet i ladan.
Liknelsen om senapsfröet
31-32 Och här följer ännu en annan av hans bilder:Himmelriket är som ett litet senapsfrö som sås i en åker. Det är det minsta av alla frön. Men det blir störst bland kryddväxterna. Det lilla fröet växer snart upp till ett träd dit fåglarna kommer och finner skydd.
Liknelsen om jästen
33 Han använde sig också av denna bild:Med himmelriket är det som när en kvinna bakar bröd. Hon tar en viss mängd mjöl och blandar samman det med lite jäst och arbetar sedan degen tills jästen helt har trängt igenom den.
34-35 Jesus använde hela tiden dessa bilder när han talade till folket. Han talade faktiskt aldrig till dem utan att åtminstone ta med någon sådan liknelse, eftersom profeterna hade sagt: Jag ska tala i liknelser, jag ska förkunna hemligheter, gömda sedan tidens början.
Jesus förklarar liknelsen om tistlarna och vetet
36 Sedan gick han in i huset och lämnade folkskaran utanför, men hans lärjungar bad honom förklara bilden om tistlarna och vetet.
37 Det ska jag göra, sa han. Det är jag som är lantbrukaren och jag sår den goda säden.
38 Åkern är världen, och säden representerar gudsrikets människor. Tistlarna är de människor som tillhör djävulen.
39 Fienden, som sådde tistlarna bland vetet, är djävulen. Skörden är tidens slut, och skördemännen är änglarna.
40 På samma sätt som tistlarna skiljs från vetet och bränns upp, så ska det vara vid tidens slut.
41 Jag ska sända ut mina änglar, och de ska rensa ut allt ont från Guds rike och allt som leder till synd.
42 De onda människorna ska de kasta i den brinnande ugnen. Där kommer man att gråta och skära tänder.
43 Men de rättfärdiga kommer att lysa som solen i sin Fars rike. Lyssna på vad jag säger!
Liknelsen om skatten i åkern
44 Himmelriket är som en skatt som en man upptäcker i en åker. I sin iver säljer han allt han äger för att få tillräckligt med pengar för att kunna köpa åkern och på så sätt få tag i skatten.
Liknelsen om pärluppköparen
45 Med himmelriket är det också som när en pärluppköpare är på jakt efter dyrbara pärlor.
46 Han gör ett verkligt fynd och får tag på en mycket värdefull pärla. Då säljer han allt för att kunna köpa den.
Liknelsen om fisknätet
47-48 Himmelriket liknar också ett nät som en fiskare kastar ut i vattnet och får upp fisk av olika slag, både bra och dåliga. När nätet är fullt drar han upp det på stranden och sätter sig ner och sorterar fisken. De ätbara fiskarna lägger han i en korg, men de andra slänger han bort.
49 Så kommer det att vara vid tidens slut. Änglarna ska komma och skilja de onda människorna från de goda människorna och
50 kasta de onda i den brinnande ugnen. Där kommer man att gråta och klaga.
51 Förstår ni det? Ja, sa de, det gör vi.
52 Då tillade han: Det betyder att varje judisk laglärare, som har blivit en lärjunge i Guds rike nu av egen erfarenhet kan berätta om både det nya och det gamla.
Människorna i Nasaret vägrar att tro
53-54 När Jesus hade berättat detta återvände han till sin hemstad Nasaret i Galileen och undervisade där i synagogan och förvånade alla med sin visdom och de under han gjorde.
55 Hur är detta möjligt? undrade folket. Han är ju bara en snickarson, och vi känner hans mor, Maria, och hans bröder Jakob, Josef, Simon och Judas.
56 Och hans systrar bor här. Var har han fått allt ifrån?
57 Och de retade sig på honom.Då sa Jesus till dem: En profet blir erkänd överallt utom i sin egen hemstad och bland sitt eget folk!
58 Och eftersom de inte trodde på honom gjorde han bara några få under där.
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