Chronological
Simple Stories, Profound Truths
13 On that day after Yeshua left the house, He was sitting by the sea. 2 And large crowds gathered around Him; so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd stood on the shore. 3 And He told them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, a sower went out to spread some seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some seeds fell by the road; and the birds came and ate them up. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they didn’t have much soil. They sprang up immediately, because the soil wasn’t deep. 6 But when the sun came up, they were scorched; and because they had no roots, they withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew and choked them out. 8 But others fell on good soil and were producing fruit. They yielded a crop—some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears,[a] let him hear.”
10 Then the disciples came to Him and said, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
11 And He replied to them, “To you has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given and he will have plenty. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 For this reason I speak to them in parables,
because seeing they do not see,
and hearing they do not hear nor do they understand.
14 “And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,
‘You will keep on hearing
but will never understand;
you will keep looking,
but will never see.
15 For the heart of this people has become dull,
their ears can barely hear, and they have shut their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts.
Then they would turn back,
and I would heal them.’[b]
16 “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 Amen, I tell you, many a prophet and tzaddik longed to see what you are seeing and did not see, and to hear what you are hearing and did not hear.”
Parable of the Sower Explained
18 “You then, hear the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one having been sown along the road.
20 “The one sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. 21 Yet he has no root himself but lasts only a short while; and when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away.
22 “But the one sown among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word; and the worries of the world and the seduction of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
23 “Now the one sown on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands. He indeed bears fruit, yielding a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty times what was sown.”
Yeshua Tells More Parables
24 He presented to them another parable, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while the men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 Now when the stalk sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. 27 So the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’ 28 But he replied, ‘An enemy did this.’ Now the slaves say to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go out and gather them up?’ 29 But he says, ‘No, for while you are gathering up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time, I will tell the reapers, “First, gather up the weeds and tie them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
31 He presented to them another parable, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 It’s the smallest of all seeds; yet when it’s full grown, it’s greater than the other herbs. It becomes like a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”[c]
33 He told them another parable, “The kingdom of heaven is like hametz, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”
34 All these things Yeshua spoke to the crowds in parables. And apart from a parable, He wasn’t speaking to them, 35 in order to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet, saying,
“I will open My mouth in parables,
I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.”[d]
36 Then He sent the crowds away and went into the house. His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.”
37 He answered, “The one sowing the good seed is the Son of Man, 38 and the field is the world. And the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the weeds are the sons of the evil one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Therefore just as the weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks[e] and those who practice lawlessness. 42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace[f]; in that place will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun[g] in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear!
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid. And because of his joy, he goes out and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. 46 Upon finding a pearl of great value, he went out and sold all that he had and bought it.
47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea, gathering things of every kind. 48 When it was filled, they pulled it ashore; and they sat down and gathered up the good into containers, but threw the bad away. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth and separate the wicked from among the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace;[h] in that place will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51 “Have you understood all these things?”
They said to Him, “Yes.”
52 Then He said to them, “Therefore every Torah scholar discipled for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure both new things and old.”
Unbelief in the Hometown Synagogue
53 Now when Yeshua had finished these parables, He left that place. 54 Coming into His hometown, He began to teach them in their synagogue so that they were amazed. “Where did this fellow get this wisdom and these mighty works?” they said. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother called Miriam, and His brothers Jacob and Joseph and Simon and Judah? 56 And His sisters, aren’t they all with us? So where does He get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at Him.
But Yeshua 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 mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Sowing Good News from Town to Town
8 Soon afterward, Yeshua began traveling throughout towns and villages, preaching and proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God. The twelve were also with Him. 2 And certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Miriam, the one called Magdalene, out of whom seven demons had gone; 3 Joanna, the wife of Kuza, Herod’s finance minister; Susanna; and many others—were supporting them out of their own resources.
4 And when a large crowd was gathering and those from various towns were traveling to Him, He spoke by means of a parable. 5 “The sower went out to spread his seed. As he sowed, some fell beside the road and was trampled; and the birds of the air ate it up. 6 And other seed fell on rock; when it came up, that seed withered away because it had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 And other seed fell into the good soil; and when it came up, it produced fruit a hundredfold.” While saying these things, He would call out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
9 Now His disciples were asking Him what this parable meant. 10 Then Yeshua said to them, “To you has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to the others it is given in parables,[a] in order that
‘Seeing, they may
not see,
and hearing, they may
not understand.’[b]
11 “Now the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. 12 Those beside the road are the ones who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 But those on the rocky places are the ones who, when they hear, accept the word with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a season, and in a time of testing fall away. 14 Now that which fell into the thorns are those who were hearing; but as they go along the way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and they do not bear mature fruit. 15 But the seed in the good soil are those with a praiseworthy and good heart, who have heard the word and hold it fast and bear fruit with patient endurance.
16 “Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it with some object or places it under a bed. But he puts it on a lampstand so that all those who enter may be able to see the light. 17 For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor secret that shall not be known and come into open view. 18 So pay attention how you listen. For whoever has, to him more will be given. And whoever does not have, even what he supposes he has will be taken away from him.”
19 Yeshua’s mother and brothers came to Him, but were not able to reach Him through the crowd. 20 Now it was reported to Him, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see You.”
21 But answering, He said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who are hearing the word of God and doing it.”
Crossing a Stormy Sea
22 Now on one of those days Yeshua and His disciples got into a boat, and He said to them, “Let’s move to the other side of the lake.” So they set out. 23 Then as they were sailing, He fell asleep. A violent windstorm came down on the lake, and they were swamped with water and in danger.
24 They came to Yeshua and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re perishing!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging wave of water. Then they stopped, and it became calm.[c]
25 Then Yeshua said to them, “Where is your faith?” But they were afraid and marveled, saying to one another, “Who then is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey Him!”
Not Welcome in the Gerasenes
26 They sailed over to the country of the Gerasenes, which is on the opposite side of the Galilee. 27 A demon-plagued man from the town met Yeshua as He was coming out onto the land. The man hadn’t worn any clothing for a long time and was living not in a house but in the tombs.
28 Seeing Yeshua, he cried out and fell down before Yeshua, and with a loud voice said, “What’s between You and me, Yeshua, Ben El Elyon? I’m begging You, do not torment me!” 29 For Yeshua commanded the defiling spirit to come out of the man. For many times it had seized him so that, even though he was restrained and bound with chains and shackles, he would break the chains and be driven by the demons into the desert.
30 Yeshua questioned him, “What is your name?”
“Legion,” he said, for many demons had entered him. 31 They kept begging Him not to command them to depart into the abyss. [d] 32 Now a large herd of pigs was feeding on the mountain. The demons urged Yeshua to let them enter these pigs, and He gave them permission. 33 Then the demons came out of the man and entered into the pigs. The herd rushed down the cliff into the lake and was drowned. 34 But when the herdsmen saw what happened, they ran away and reported it in the town and countryside.
35 People went out to see what had happened. They came to Yeshua and found the man from whom the demons had gone—clothed and in his right mind, sitting at the feet of Yeshua. And they were frightened. 36 Now those who had seen it reported how the demon-plagued man had been restored. 37 And all the people from the region surrounding the Gerasenes asked Yeshua to go away from them because they were overcome by great fear. So He got into a boat and returned.
38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with Yeshua. But Yeshua sent him away, saying, 39 “Return to your home, and describe all that God has done for you.” So he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole town all that Yeshua had done for him.
Interrupted on the Way to a Miracle
40 As Yeshua returned, the crowd welcomed Him, for they were all expecting Him. 41 And here came a man named Jairus, a leader in the synagogue. Falling at Yeshua’s feet, he begged Him to come to his house, 42 because his only daughter, about twelve years old, was dying. But as He made His way, the masses were crushing in upon Him.
43 And there was a woman with a blood flow for twelve years,[e] who could not be healed by anyone. 44 She came up from behind and touched the tzitzit of Yeshua’s garment. Immediately, her blood flow stopped. 45 Yeshua said, “Who touched Me?”
When everyone denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds are surrounding You and pressing in!”
46 But Yeshua said, “Someone touched Me, for I recognized power going out from Me.” 47 Then seeing that she did not escape notice, the woman came trembling and fell prostrate before Him. In the presence of all the people, she confessed why she had touched Him and how she had been healed immediately. 48 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in shalom.”
49 While He was still speaking, someone comes from the house of the synagogue leader, saying, “Your daughter has died. Don’t bother the Teacher anymore.”
50 But hearing this, Yeshua replied to him, “Do not fear—just keep trusting, and she shall be restored.”
51 When Yeshua came into the house, He didn’t let anyone enter with Him except Peter, John, Jacob, and the child’s father and mother. 52 And everyone was weeping and lamenting her; but He said, “Don’t weep, for she didn’t die but is sleeping.” 53 But they were ridiculing Him, knowing she had died.
54 But Yeshua, took her by the hand and called out, saying, “Child, get up!” 55 Her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. Yeshua ordered food to be given to her to eat. 56 Her parents were utterly astonished, but He ordered them to say nothing of what had happened.
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.