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Matthew 13
New Catholic Bible

Chapter 13

Jesus Teaches in Parables[a]

The Day of Parables. 1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the side of the lake. 2 However, such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables.[b]

The Parable of the Sower.[c] He said: “A sower went out to sow. 4 As he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil. They sprouted quickly, since the soil had very little depth, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched, and since they lacked roots, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 But some seeds fell on rich soil and produced a crop—some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown. 9 He who has ears, let him hear!”

10 The Reason for Parables.[d] Then his disciples approached and asked him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 He replied, “To you has been granted knowledge of the mysteries[e] of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. 12 To the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance. As for the one who does not have, even what little he has will be taken away. 13 The reason I speak to them in parables is that they see but do not perceive and they listen but do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:

‘You will indeed hear but not understand,
    you will indeed look but never see.
15 For this people’s heart has become hardened;
    they have stopped up their ears
    and they have shut their eyes,
so that they might not see with their eyes
    and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
    and then turn to me,
    and I would heal them.’

16 The Privilege of Discipleship.[f]“But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

18 The Explanation of the Parable of the Sower.[g]“Therefore listen to the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart; that is the seed sown on the path. 20 As for the seed sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. 21 But such a person has no deep root, and he endures for only a short time. When some trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, he immediately falls away.

22 “The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but worldly cares and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. 23 However, the seed sown in rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

24 The Parable of the Weeds.[h] He then proposed another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 While everyone was asleep, his enemy came, sowed weeds[i] among the wheat, and then went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and ripened, the weeds also appeared.

27 “The owner’s servants came to him and asked, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where then did these weeds come from?’ 28 He answered, ‘One of my enemies has done this.’ The servants then asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?’

29 “He replied, ‘No, because in gathering the weeds you might uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let them both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time, I will tell the reapers, “Collect the weeds first and tie them in bundles to be burned. Then gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

31 The Parable of the Mustard Seed.[j] He proposed still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of plants and becomes a tree large enough for the birds to come and make nests in its branches.”[k]

33 The Parable of the Yeast.[l] And he offered them yet another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until it was completely leavened.”

34 The Use of Parables.[m] Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables. Indeed he never spoke to them except in parables. 35 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet:

“I will open my mouth to speak in parables;
    I will proclaim what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”

36 Explanation of the Parable of the Weeds.[n] Then he dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are angels.

40 “Just as the weeds are collected and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of the world. 41 The Son of Man will send forth his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all who cause sin and all whose deeds are evil. 42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

44 The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl.[o]“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure buried in a field, which a man found and buried again. Then in his joy he went off and sold everything he had and bought that field.

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went off and sold everything he had and bought it.

47 The Parable of the Net.[p]“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea where it caught fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, they hauled it ashore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish into baskets but discarded those that were worthless. 49 Thus will it be at the end of the world. The angels will go forth and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51 Conclusion.[q]“Have you understood all this?” he asked. They answered, “Yes.” 52 Then he said to them, “Therefore, every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings forth from his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”

The Authentic Faith of Those Converted[r]

Jesus Encounters Mixed Receptions[s]

53 Jesus Is Rejected at Nazareth.[t] When Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from that district.

54 He came to his hometown, and he began to teach the people in the synagogue. They were astonished and wondered, “Where did this man get such wisdom and these mighty deeds? 55 Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? Are not James and Joseph and Simon and Judas his brethren? 56 And are not all his sisters here with us? Where then did this man get all this?” 57 And so they took offense at him.

But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is always treated with honor except in his hometown and in his own house.” 58 And he did not work many mighty deeds there because of their lack of faith.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:1 This is the beginning of the Third Discourse in Matthew’s Gospel, which includes seven parables of Jesus about the kingdom of heaven, a plan hidden in God and only incompletely manifested to us (13:10-17, 34f; see Eph 3:4ff). Each parable presents a different aspect of the kingdom and helps us to perceive the multifaceted reality that is growing among us throughout history. However, there is no point in looking for a meaning in every detail of a parable; it is more profitable to look for the essential message.
  2. Matthew 13:3 Parables: stories that are illustrative comparisons between religious truths and events of everyday life. Those told by Jesus are so living, direct, and natural as to be unforgettable. They bear witness to a true poetic and pedagogical genius. The Synoptic Gospels contain some 30 parables. John’s Gospel contains no parables but makes good use of other figures of speech.
  3. Matthew 13:3 At this period, seed was scattered everywhere on as yet uncultivated ground, before any plowing was done and without the sower having a clear idea of whether it would take root. Some seed was wasted, but the sower was not discouraged, knowing that the harvest would come and this was all that counted. In the Old Testament, the harvest was a symbol of the Messianic age (see Ps 126:5-6; Am 9:13).
  4. Matthew 13:10 The parables make use of a language that is clear and rich for those whose heart is open but obscure and deceptive for those whose heart is closed. Already Jesus sees the new community, where his message is richness of life, separating itself from official Judaism, which will lose even that which it has, i.e., its role as custodian of God’s Covenant. The Word of Christ always works in a twofold way; it fills those who accept it but leads to the hardening up of those who refuse it.
  5. Matthew 13:11 Mysteries: also translated as “secrets.” The word is used in Dan 2:18, 19, 27 and in the Dead Sea Scrolls to designate a divine plan or decree affecting the course of history that can be known only when revealed. In this case, the secret or mystery is that the kingdom is already present in the ministry of Jesus.
  6. Matthew 13:16 The disciples, unlike the unbelieving crowds, have seen and heard what many prophets and righteous people of the Old Testament longed to see . . . and to hear without having their longing filled.
  7. Matthew 13:18 It is not enough for us to hear the word; we must accept it with all its demands so that it may transform our existence. The four types of persons described in the parable are: (1) those who never accept the word of the kingdom (v. 19); (2) those who believe for a while but fall away because of persecution (vv. 20-21); (3) those who believe, but in whom the word is choked by worldly cares and the lure of riches (v. 22); and (4) those who hear the word and produce an abundant crop (v. 23).
  8. Matthew 13:24 The parable of the weeds is proper to Matthew. Through it Jesus teaches that the Last Judgment (of which the “harvest” is a common metaphor), i.e., the separation of the good from the wicked, is to be awaited with patience. The explanation is given in Mt 13:37-43.
  9. Matthew 13:25 Weeds: probably darnel, which looks very much like wheat while it is young, but can later be distinguished.
  10. Matthew 13:31 The mustard seed is the smallest one used by the Palestinian farmers and gardeners of that day, but it could reach a height of some ten or twelve feet. Thus, the kingdom of heaven, notwithstanding the humble ministry of Jesus, is already dawning and in the end will be shown in all its magnificence.
  11. Matthew 13:32 Tree . . . its branches: an allusion to Dan 4:21, indicating that the kingdom of heaven will become worldwide and people from all nations will find refuge therein (see also Ezek 17:23; 31:6; Dan 2:35, 44f; 7:27; Rev 11:15).
  12. Matthew 13:33 The parable of the yeast is an invitation to faith in the efficacy of the ministry of Jesus. Despite its modest and unspectacular character, it constitutes a stage in the eschatological coming of the kingdom of God. The greatness of the kingdom is shown by the enormous amount of flour, enough to feed well over a hundred people.
  13. Matthew 13:34 Matthew stresses that Jesus speaks in parables to reveal God and his kingdom; in this way he shows that the Messiah fulfills the Scriptures. The “prophet” is, in this case, the psalmist (see Ps 78:2).
  14. Matthew 13:36 The explanation of the parable of the weeds stresses the Last Judgment in which Christ and those who have believed in him will triumph over the forces of evil. It thus teaches one to be converted without delay and to remain steadfast in faith till the end.
  15. Matthew 13:44 The parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl reveal the hidden character of the kingdom of heaven and its great worth. It represents the supreme value to which human beings must aspire.
  16. Matthew 13:47 The parable of the net repeats the teaching of the parable of the weeds, with its emphasis upon the final exclusion of the wicked from the kingdom. It thus calls for an authentic conversion on the part of the listeners.
  17. Matthew 13:51 To those who believe, the parables reveal God’s mysterious plan for human beings. Thus, the teacher of the law, the scribe, once he has become a disciple, knows how to see the link between the Old and the New Testaments and is enriched by their basic harmony.
  18. Matthew 13:53 A new and tragic phase in the life of Jesus, and therefore also in the life of the kingdom, begins here and illustrates the accounts and words of this fourth part of the Gospel. The drama is infused with a growing intensity. Christ hides himself from the enthusiasm of the crowds who want him to embrace their hope for national freedom. This stirs up hostility and leads to defection. The kingdom that he proclaims is suspect in the eyes of the defenders of legalism and traditions; not even his disciples have a good understanding of the life that he teaches. Powerless, they live under this tension, which prepares for the Passion, and their incredulity will even contribute to it; but they still remain the core of the new community of believers.
  19. Matthew 13:53 The main purpose of this section is to place the Person of Jesus at the center of the mystery of the kingdom of God. The evangelist shows Jesus receiving a mixed reception, beginning with his rejection at Nazareth and the execution of the Baptist (Mt 13:53—14:12). He then alludes to the Eucharistic mystery in the accounts of the multiplication of the loaves (Mt 14:19; 15:36), and the walking on the water (Mt 14:22-33). Finally, he reports the doctrinal conflict between Jesus and the religious authorities (Mt 15:1-20) and raises anew the question of the sign of Jonah (Mt 16:1-4; see note on Mt 12:38ff). This sign will later be explained as referring to the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus (Mt 16:21ff), which must occur before the kingdom of God reaches a new stage (Mt 16:28). This is the message of the Scriptures (Mt 17:5).
  20. Matthew 13:53 At Nazareth, everyone knows the mother of Jesus and his brothers and sisters, i.e., his closest relatives, as it was customary to say in those days (see note on Mt 12:46). He thus has his place in this little village. But how can the villagers be expected to acknowledge the Messiah in one of their compatriots? God’s action and word manifested among men is the mystery of the Incarnation; this seems too human. Even the believer might hesitate in believing in the Lord present among us, in the places and times in which daily life unfolds.
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Matthew 13
Legacy Standard Bible

The Parable of the Sower

13 On that day Jesus went out of (A)the house and was sitting (B)by the sea. 2 And [a]large crowds gathered to Him, so (C)He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach.

3 And He spoke many things to them in (D)parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. 5 And others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7 And others fell [b]among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. 8 And others fell on the good soil and were yielding [c]a crop, some a (E)hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. 9 (F)He who has ears, [d]let him hear.”

The Purpose of the Parables

10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 And [e]Jesus answered and said to them, “(G)To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 (H)For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while (I)seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,

‘[f](J)You will keep on hearing, [g]but will not understand;
[h]You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;
15 (K)For the heart of this people has become dull,
And with their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Lest they would see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart and return,
And I would heal them.’

16 (L)But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 For truly I say to you that (M)many prophets and righteous men desired 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 “(N)Hear then the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears (O)the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, (P)the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road. 20 And the one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he [i](Q)falls away. 22 And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, and the worry of (R)the [j]world and the (S)deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 23 And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some (T)a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”

The Parable of Tares Among Wheat

24 He presented another parable to them, saying, “(U)The kingdom of heaven [k]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 [l]tares among the wheat, and went away. 26 But when the [m]wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. 27 The slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? [n]How then does it have tares?’ 28 And he said to them, ‘An [o]enemy has done this!’ The slaves *said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he *said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but (V)gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

Parables of the Mustard Seed and Leaven

31 He presented another parable to them, saying, “(W)The kingdom of heaven is like (X)a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; 32 and this is the [p]smallest of all seeds, but when it is fully grown, it is the [q]largest of the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that (Y)the birds of the [r]air come and nest in its branches.”

33 He spoke another parable to them, “(Z)The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in [s](AA)three sata of flour until it was all leavened.”

34 All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He was not speaking to them (AB)without a parable 35 so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying,

“(AC)I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.”

The Parable of Tares Explained

36 Then He left the crowds and went into (AD)the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “(AE)Explain to us the parable of the [t]tares of the field.” 37 And He answered and said, “The one who sows the good seed is (AF)the Son of Man, 38 and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are (AG)the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are (AH)the sons of (AI)the evil one; 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is (AJ)the [u]end of the age; and the reapers are angels. 40 So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at (AK)the [v]end of the age. 41 (AL)The Son of Man (AM)will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom [w]all (AN)stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, 42 and (AO)will throw them into the fiery furnace; in that place (AP)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 (AQ)Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. (AR)He who has ears, [x]let him hear.

A Hidden Treasure

44 “(AS)The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid again; and from joy over it he goes and (AT)sells all that he has and buys that field.

A Costly Pearl

45 “Again, (AU)the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, 46 and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

A Dragnet

47 “Again, (AV)the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea, and gathering fish of every kind; 48 and when it was filled, they drew it up on the beach; and they sat down and gathered the good fish into containers, but the bad they threw away. 49 So it will be at (AW)the [y]end of the age; the angels will come forth and [z]take out the wicked from among the righteous, 50 and (AX)will throw them into the fiery furnace; in that place (AY)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51 “Have you understood all these things?” They *said to Him, “Yes.” 52 And He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old.”

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

53 [aa](AZ)Now it happened that when Jesus had finished these parables, He departed from there. 54 (BA)And He came to [ab]His hometown and (BB)began teaching them in their synagogue, so that (BC)they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these [ac]miraculous powers? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not (BD)His mother called Mary, and His (BE)brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And (BF)His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they were taking (BG)offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “(BH)A prophet is not without honor except in his [ad]hometown and in his own household.” 58 And He did not do many [ae]miracles there because of their unbelief.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:2 Lit many
  2. Matthew 13:7 Lit upon
  3. Matthew 13:8 Lit fruit
  4. Matthew 13:9 Or hear!, listen!; Gr imperative
  5. Matthew 13:11 Lit He
  6. Matthew 13:14 Lit With a hearing you will hear
  7. Matthew 13:14 Lit and
  8. Matthew 13:14 Lit Seeing you will see
  9. Matthew 13:21 Lit is caused to stumble
  10. Matthew 13:22 Or age
  11. Matthew 13:24 Lit was compared to
  12. Matthew 13:25 Or darnel, a weed resembling wheat
  13. Matthew 13:26 Lit grass
  14. Matthew 13:27 Lit From where
  15. Matthew 13:28 Lit enemy man
  16. Matthew 13:32 Lit smaller
  17. Matthew 13:32 Lit larger
  18. Matthew 13:32 Or sky
  19. Matthew 13:33 Approx. 48 lb. or 39 l, a saton was approx. 16 lb. or 13 l
  20. Matthew 13:36 Or darnel, a weed resembling wheat
  21. Matthew 13:39 Or consummation
  22. Matthew 13:40 Or consummation
  23. Matthew 13:41 Or everything that is offensive
  24. Matthew 13:43 Or hear!, listen!; Gr imperative
  25. Matthew 13:49 Or consummation
  26. Matthew 13:49 Or separate
  27. Matthew 13:53 Lit And
  28. Matthew 13:54 Or His own part of the country
  29. Matthew 13:54 Or miracles
  30. Matthew 13:57 Or own part of the country
  31. Matthew 13:58 Or works of power
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Matthew 13
New English Translation

The Parable of the Sower

13 On that day after Jesus went out of the house, he sat by the lake.[a] 2 And such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat[b] to sit while[c] the whole crowd stood on the shore. 3 He[d] told them many things in parables,[e] saying: “Listen![f] A sower went out to sow.[g] 4 And as he sowed, some seeds[h] fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other[i] seeds fell on rocky ground[j] where they did not have much soil. They sprang up quickly because the soil was not deep.[k] 6 But when the sun came up, they were scorched, and because they did not have sufficient root, they withered. 7 Other seeds fell among the thorns,[l] and they grew up and choked them.[m] 8 But other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. 9 The one who has ears had better listen!”[n]

10 Then[o] the disciples came to him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 He replied,[p] “You have been given[q] the opportunity to know[r] the secrets[s] of the kingdom of heaven, but they have not. 12 For whoever has will be given more, and will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.[t] 13 For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand. 14 And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

‘You will listen carefully[u] yet will never understand,
you will look closely[v] yet will never comprehend.
15 For the heart of this people has become dull;
they are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes,
so that they would not see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’[w]

16 “But your eyes are blessed[x] because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For I tell you the truth,[y] many prophets and righteous people longed to see[z] what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

18 “So listen to the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one[aa] comes and snatches what was sown in his heart;[ab] this is the seed sown along the path. 20 The[ac] seed sown on rocky ground[ad] is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. 21 But he has no root in himself and does not endure;[ae] when[af] trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away. 22 The[ag] seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth[ah] choke the word,[ai] so it produces nothing. 23 But as for the seed sown on good soil, this is the person who hears the word and understands. He bears fruit, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.”[aj]

The Parable of the Weeds

24 He presented them with another parable:[ak] “The kingdom of heaven is like a person who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and sowed darnel[al] among the wheat and went away. 26 When[am] the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the darnel also appeared. 27 So the slaves[an] of the landowner[ao] came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the darnel come from?’ 28 He said, ‘An enemy has done this!’ So[ap] the slaves replied, ‘Do you want us to go and gather it?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, since in gathering the darnel you may uproot the wheat along with it. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At[aq] harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First collect the darnel and tie it in bundles to be burned, but then gather[ar] the wheat into my barn.”’”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

31 He gave[as] them another parable:[at] “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed[au] that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest garden plant and becomes a tree,[av] so that the wild birds[aw] come and nest in its branches.”[ax]

The Parable of the Yeast

33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with[ay] three measures[az] of flour until all the dough had risen.”[ba]

The Purpose of Parables

34 Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the crowds; he did not speak to them without a parable. 35 This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet:[bb]

“I will open my mouth in parables,
I will announce what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.”[bc]

Explanation for the Disciples

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 darnel[bd] in the field.” 37 He[be] answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world and the good seed are the people[bf] of the kingdom. The poisonous weeds[bg] are the people[bh] of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 As[bi] the poisonous weeds[bj] are collected and burned with fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom everything that causes sin as well as all lawbreakers.[bk] 42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace,[bl] where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.[bm] The one who has ears had better listen![bn]

Parables on the Kingdom of Heaven

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field.

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. 46 When he found a pearl of great value, he went out and sold everything he had and bought it.

47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea that caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, they pulled it ashore, sat down, and put the good fish into containers and threw the bad away. 49 It will be this way at the end of the age. Angels will come and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace,[bo] where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

51 “Have you understood all these things?” They replied, “Yes.” 52 Then he said to them, “Therefore every expert in the law[bp] who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his treasure what is new and old.”

Rejection at Nazareth

53 Now when[bq] Jesus finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Then[br] he came to his hometown[bs] and began to teach the people[bt] in their synagogue.[bu] They[bv] were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers? 55 Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother named Mary?[bw] And aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? 56 And aren’t all his sisters here with us? So where did he get all this?” 57 And so they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own house.” 58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:1 sn Here lake refers to the Sea of Galilee.
  2. Matthew 13:2 sn See the note at Matt 4:21 for a description of the first-century fishing boat discovered in 1986 near Tiberias on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.
  3. Matthew 13:2 tn Grk “and all the crowd.” The clause in this phrase, although coordinate in terms of grammar, is logically subordinate to the previous clause.
  4. Matthew 13:3 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
  5. Matthew 13:3 sn Though parables can contain a variety of figures of speech (cf. the remainder of chapter 13), many times they are simply stories that attempt to teach spiritual truth (which is unknown to the hearers) by using a comparison with something known to the hearers. In general, parables usually advance a single idea, though there may be many parts and characters in a single parable and subordinate ideas may expand the main idea further. The beauty of using the parable as a teaching device is that it draws the listener into the story, elicits an evaluation, and demands a response.
  6. Matthew 13:3 tn Grk “Behold.”
  7. Matthew 13:3 sn A sower went out to sow. The background for this well-known parable, drawn from a typical scene in the Palestinian countryside, is a field through which a well-worn path runs. Sowing would occur in late fall or early winter (October to December) in the rainy season, looking for sprouting in April or May and a June harvest. The use of seed as a figure for God’s giving life has OT roots (Isa 55:10-11). The point of the parable of the sower is to illustrate the various responses to the message of the kingdom of God.
  8. Matthew 13:4 tn In Matthew’s version of this parable, plural pronouns are used to refer to the seed in v. 4 (ἅ…αὐτά [ha…auta]), although the collective singular is used in v. 5 and following (indicated by the singular verbs like ἔπεσεν [epesen]). For the sake of consistency in English, plural pronouns referring to the seed are used in the translation throughout the Matthean account. In both Mark and Luke the collective singular is used consistently throughout (cf. Mark 4:1-9; Luke 8:4-8).
  9. Matthew 13:5 tn Here and in vv. 7 and 8 δέ (de) has not been translated.
  10. Matthew 13:5 sn The rocky ground in Palestine would be a limestone base lying right under the soil.
  11. Matthew 13:5 tn Grk “because it did not have depth of earth.”
  12. Matthew 13:7 sn Palestinian weeds like these thorns could grow up to 6 feet in height and have a major root system.
  13. Matthew 13:7 sn That is, crowded out the good plants.
  14. Matthew 13:9 tn The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 11:15; 13:43; Mark 4:9, 23; Luke 8:8; 14:35).
  15. Matthew 13:10 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
  16. Matthew 13:11 tn Grk “And answering, he said to them.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  17. Matthew 13:11 tn This is an example of a “divine passive,” with God understood to be the source of the revelation (see ExSyn 437-38).
  18. Matthew 13:11 tn Grk “to you it has been given to know.” The dative pronoun occurs first, in emphatic position in the Greek text, although this position is awkward in contemporary English.
  19. Matthew 13:11 tn Grk “the mysteries.”sn The key term secrets (μυστήριον, mustērion) can mean either (1) a new revelation or (2) a revealing interpretation of existing revelation as in Dan 2:17-23, 27-30. Jesus seems to be explaining how current events develop old promises, since the NT consistently links the events of Jesus’ ministry and message with old promises (Rom 1:1-4; Heb 1:1-2). The traditional translation of this word, “mystery,” is misleading to the modern English reader because it suggests a secret which people have tried to uncover but which they have failed to understand (L&N 28.77).
  20. Matthew 13:12 sn What he has will be taken from him. The meaning is that the one who accepts Jesus’ teaching concerning his person and the kingdom will receive a share in the kingdom now and even more in the future, but for the one who rejects Jesus’ words, the opportunity that that person presently possesses with respect to the kingdom will someday be taken away forever.
  21. Matthew 13:14 tn Grk “with hearing,” a cognate dative that intensifies the action of the main verb “you will listen” (ExSyn 168-69).
  22. Matthew 13:14 tn Grk “look by looking.” The participle is redundant, functioning to intensify the force of the main verb.
  23. Matthew 13:15 sn A quotation from Isa 6:9-10. Thus parables both conceal or reveal depending on whether one is open to hearing what they teach.
  24. Matthew 13:16 sn This beatitude highlights the great honor bestowed on the disciples to share in this salvation.
  25. Matthew 13:17 tn Grk “truly (ἀμήν, amēn) I say to you.”
  26. Matthew 13:17 sn This is what past prophets and righteous people had wanted very much to see, yet the fulfillment had come to the disciples. This remark is like 1 Pet 1:10-12 or Heb 1:1-2.
  27. Matthew 13:19 sn Interestingly, the synoptic parallels each use a different word for Satan here: Mark 4:15 has “Satan,” while Luke 8:12 has “the devil.” This illustrates the fluidity of the gospel tradition in often using synonyms at the same point of the parallel tradition.
  28. Matthew 13:19 sn The word of Jesus has the potential to save if it germinates in a person’s heart, something the devil is very much against.
  29. Matthew 13:20 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  30. Matthew 13:20 tn Grk “The one sown on rocky ground, this is the one.” The next two statements like this one have this same syntactical structure.
  31. Matthew 13:21 tn Grk “is temporary.”
  32. Matthew 13:21 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  33. Matthew 13:22 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  34. Matthew 13:22 tn Grk “the deceitfulness of riches.” Cf. BDAG 99 s.v. ἀπάτη 1, “the seduction which comes from wealth.”
  35. Matthew 13:22 sn That is, their concern for spiritual things is crowded out by material things.
  36. Matthew 13:23 tn The Greek is difficult to translate because it switches from a generic “he” to three people within this generic class (thus, something like: “Who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one instance a hundred times, in another, sixty times, in another, thirty times”).
  37. Matthew 13:24 tn Grk “He set before them another parable, saying.” The participle λέγων (legōn) is redundant and has not been translated.
  38. Matthew 13:25 tn Or “sowed poisonous weeds”; KJV “tares.” The Greek term ζιζάνιον (zizanion) is generally understood to refer to darnel (Lolium temulentum), an especially undesirable weed that bears an uncanny resemblance to wheat until the ears of grain appear (L&N 3.30; BDAG 429 s.v.). So close is the resemblance to genuine wheat that darnel is sometimes called “false wheat.” Darnel is considered poisonous; ingesting the weed causes feelings of drunkenness and can prove fatal. Under Roman law the sowing of such poisonous plants in someone else’s field was specifically prohibited (C. Keener, The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary [Eerdmans, 2009], 387). A number of recent English translations use “weeds,” but this does not convey the poisonous nature of darnel or the similarity in appearance to wheat.
  39. Matthew 13:26 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  40. Matthew 13:27 tn See the note on the word “slave” in 8:9.
  41. Matthew 13:27 sn The term landowner here refers to the owner and manager of a household.
  42. Matthew 13:28 tn Here δέ (de) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of the owner’s statement.
  43. Matthew 13:30 tn Here καί (kai) has not been translated.
  44. Matthew 13:30 tn Grk “burned, but gather”; “then” has been added to the English translation to complete the sequence begun by “First collect.”
  45. Matthew 13:31 tn Grk “put before.”
  46. Matthew 13:31 tn Grk “He set before them another parable, saying.” The participle λέγων (legōn) is redundant and has not been translated.
  47. Matthew 13:31 sn The mustard seed was noted for its tiny size.
  48. Matthew 13:32 sn This is rhetorical hyperbole, since technically a mustard plant is not a tree. This could refer to one of two types of mustard plant popular in Palestine and would be either ten or twenty-five ft (3 or 7.5 m) tall.
  49. Matthew 13:32 tn Grk “the birds of the sky” or “the birds of the heaven”; the Greek word οὐρανός (ouranos) may be translated either “sky” or “heaven,” depending on the context. The idiomatic expression “birds of the sky” refers to wild birds as opposed to domesticated fowl (cf. BDAG 809 s.v. πετεινόν).
  50. Matthew 13:32 sn The point of the parable seems to be that while the kingdom of God may appear to have insignificant and unnoticeable beginnings (i.e., in the ministry of Jesus), it will someday (i.e., at the second advent) be great and quite expansive. The kingdom, however, is not to be equated with the church, but rather the church is an expression of the kingdom. Also, there is important OT background in the image of a small plant that grew and became a tree: Ezek 17:22-24 pictures the reemergence of the Davidic house where people can find calm and shelter. Like the mustard seed, it would start out small but grow to significant size.
  51. Matthew 13:33 tn Grk “hid in.”
  52. Matthew 13:33 sn This measure was a saton, the Greek name for the Hebrew term “seah.” Three of these was a very large quantity of flour, since a saton is a little over 16 pounds (7 kg) of dry measure (or 13.13 liters). So this was over 47 lbs (21 kg) of flour total, enough to feed over a hundred people.
  53. Matthew 13:33 tn Grk “it was all leavened.”sn The parable of the yeast and the dough teaches that the kingdom of God will start small but eventually grow to permeate everything. Jesus’ point was not to be deceived by its seemingly small start, the same point made in the parable of the mustard seed, which preceded this one.
  54. Matthew 13:35 tc A few significant mss (א* Θ ƒ1, 13 33) identify the prophet as Isaiah, a reading that is significantly harder than the generic “prophet” because the source of this prophecy is not Isaiah but Asaph in Ps 78. Jerome mentioned some mss that had “Asaph” here, though none are known to exist today. This problem is difficult because of the temptation for scribes to delete the reference to Isaiah in order to clear up a discrepancy. Indeed, the vast majority of witnesses have only “the prophet” here (א1 B C D L W Γ Δ 0233 0242 565 579 700 1241 1424 M lat sy co). However, as B. M. Metzger points out, “if no prophet were originally named, more than one scribe might have been prompted to insert the name of the best known prophet—something which has, in fact, happened elsewhere more than once” (TCGNT 27). In light of the paucity of evidence for the reading ᾿Ησαΐου, as well as the proclivity of scribes to add his name, it is probably best to consider the shorter reading as authentic.tn Grk “was spoken by the prophet, saying.” The participle λέγοντος (legontos) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
  55. Matthew 13:35 sn A quotation from Ps 78:2.
  56. Matthew 13:36 tn Or “poisonous weeds.” See the note on the word “darnel” in 13:25.
  57. Matthew 13:37 tn Grk “And answering, he said.” This construction is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation. Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
  58. Matthew 13:38 tn Grk “the sons of the kingdom.” This idiom refers to people who should properly be, or were traditionally regarded as, a part of God’s kingdom. L&N 11.13 translates the phrase: “people of God’s kingdom, God’s people.”
  59. Matthew 13:38 tn Or “The darnels.” Here “poisonous weeds” contrasts with “the good seed” mentioned previously in the verse.
  60. Matthew 13:38 tn Grk “the sons of the evil one.” See the preceding note on the phrase “people of the kingdom” earlier in this verse, which is the opposite of this phrase. See also L&N 9.4; 11.13; 11.14.
  61. Matthew 13:40 tn Grk “Therefore as.” Here οὖν (oun) has not been translated.
  62. Matthew 13:40 tn Or “the darnels.”
  63. Matthew 13:41 tn Grk “the ones who practice lawlessness.”
  64. Matthew 13:42 sn A quotation from Dan 3:6.
  65. Matthew 13:43 sn An allusion to Dan 12:3.
  66. Matthew 13:43 tn The translation “had better listen!” captures the force of the third person imperative more effectively than the traditional “let him hear,” which sounds more like a permissive than an imperative to the modern English reader. This was Jesus’ common expression to listen and heed carefully (cf. Matt 11:15; 13:9; Mark 4:9, 23; Luke 8:8; 14:35).
  67. Matthew 13:50 sn An allusion to Dan 3:6.
  68. Matthew 13:52 tn Or “every scribe.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in 2:4. It is possible that the term translated “expert in the law” (traditionally, “scribe”) here is a self-description used by the author, Matthew, to represent his role in conveying the traditions about Jesus to his intended audience. See David E. Orton, The Understanding Scribe [JSNTSup].
  69. Matthew 13:53 tn Grk “Now it happened that when.” The introductory phrase καὶ ἐγένετο (kai egeneto, “it happened that”) is redundant in contemporary English and has not been translated.
  70. Matthew 13:54 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”
  71. Matthew 13:54 sn Jesus’ hometown (where he spent his childhood years) was Nazareth, about 20 miles (30 km) southwest of Capernaum.
  72. Matthew 13:54 tn Grk “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
  73. Matthew 13:54 sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23. Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and the relation of both to OT fulfillment.
  74. Matthew 13:54 tn Grk “synagogue, so that they.” Here ὥστε (hōste) has not been translated. Instead a new sentence was started in the translation.
  75. Matthew 13:55 sn The reference to Jesus as the carpenter’s son is probably derogatory, indicating that they knew Jesus only as a common laborer like themselves. The reference to his mother…Mary (even though Jesus’ father was probably dead by this point) appears to be somewhat derogatory, for a man was not regarded as his mother’s son in Jewish usage unless an insult was intended (cf. Judg 11:1-2; John 6:42; 8:41; 9:29).
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