Chronological
A Story About Planting Seed(A)
13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake [C the Sea of Galilee]. 2 Large crowds gathered around him, so he got into a boat and sat down, while the people stood on the shore. 3 Then Jesus used ·stories [parables] to teach them many things. He said: “A ·farmer [sower] went out to ·plant [sow] his seed. 4 While he was ·planting [sowing], some seed fell ·by the road [along the path], and the birds came and ate it all up. 5 Some seed fell on rocky ground, where there wasn’t much dirt. That seed ·grew [sprang up] very fast, because the ground was not deep. 6 But when the sun rose, the plants ·dried up [were scorched and withered], because they did not have deep roots. 7 Some other seed fell among thorny weeds, which grew and choked the good plants. 8 Some other seed fell on good ground where it grew and produced ·a crop [grain]. Some plants made a hundred times more, some made sixty times more, and some made thirty times more. 9 ·Let those with ears use them and listen [L The one who has ears to hear, let him hear].”
Why Jesus Used Stories to Teach(B)
10 The ·followers [disciples] came to Jesus and asked, “Why do you ·use stories to teach the people [L speak to them in parables]?”
11 Jesus answered, “·You have been chosen [L It has been granted/given to you] to ·know [understand] the ·secrets [mysteries] about the kingdom of heaven, but ·others cannot know these secrets [L it has not been given/granted to those others]. 12 Those who ·have understanding [L have] will be given more, and they will have ·all they need [an abundance]. But those who do not ·have understanding [L have], even what they have will be taken away from them. 13 This is why I ·use stories to teach the people [L speak in parables]: [L Because] They ·see [look], but they don’t ·really see [perceive]. They hear, but they don’t really hear or understand. 14 ·So they show that the things Isaiah said about them are true [L In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says]:
‘You will ·listen and listen [keep on hearing; or listen intently], but you will not understand.
You will ·look and look [keep on seeing; or look intently], but you will not ·learn [perceive; comprehend].
15 For the ·minds [hearts] of these people have become ·stubborn [dull; calloused; hardened].
They ·do not [hardly] hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes
and hear with their ears.
They might really understand ·in their minds [with their hearts]
and ·come back [turn; return] to me and ·be healed [I would heal them; Is. 6:9–10].’
16 But ·you [L your eyes] are blessed, because you see with your eyes and hear with your ears. 17 I tell you the truth, many prophets and ·good [righteous; just] people ·wanted [longed] to see the things that you now see, but they did not see them. And they ·wanted [longed] to hear the things that you now hear, but they did not hear them.
Jesus Explains the Seed Story(C)
18 “So listen to the ·meaning of that story about the farmer [parable of the sower]. 19 What is the seed that fell ·by the road [along the path]? That seed is like ·the person [anyone] who hears the ·message [word; teaching] about the kingdom but does not understand it. The Evil One comes and ·takes away [snatches] what was ·planted [sown] in that person’s heart. 20 And what is the seed ·that fell [sown] on rocky ground? That seed is like the person who hears the ·teaching [word; message] and quickly ·accepts [receives] it with joy. 21 But ·he does not let the teaching go deep into his life, so [L since he has no root in himself] ·he keeps it only a short time [he does not endure; it is shortlived]. When trouble or persecution comes because of the ·teaching he accepted [word, message], he ·quickly [immediately] ·gives up [falls away; stumbles]. 22 And what is the seed ·that fell [sown] among the thorny weeds? That seed is like the person who hears the ·teaching [word; message] but lets worries about this ·life [world; age] and the ·temptation [deceitfulness; seduction] of wealth ·stop that teaching from growing [L choke the word/message]. So the teaching does not produce fruit in that person’s life. 23 But what is the seed ·that fell [sown] on the good ground? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching and understands it. That person grows and produces ·fruit [a crop], sometimes a hundred times more, sometimes sixty times more, and sometimes thirty times more.”
A Story About Wheat and Weeds
24 Then Jesus ·told [presented to] them another ·story [parable]: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who ·planted [sowed] good seed in his field. 25 That night, when everyone was asleep, his enemy came and ·planted [sowed] ·weeds [T tares; C a noxious weed that looks like wheat] among the wheat and then left. 26 Later, the wheat sprouted and the heads of grain grew, but the ·weeds [T tares] also ·grew [appeared]. 27 Then the man’s ·servants [slaves] came to him and said, ‘[Master; Sir] ·You planted [L Didn’t you sow…?] good seed in your field. Where did the ·weeds [T tares] come from?’ 28 The man answered, ‘An enemy ·planted weeds [L did this].’ The ·servants [slaves] asked, ‘Do you want us to ·pull up the weeds [L go and gather them]?’ 29 The man answered, ‘No, because when you ·pull up [gather] the ·weeds [T tares], you might also ·pull up [uproot] the wheat. 30 Let ·the weeds and the wheat [L both] grow together until the harvest time. At harvest time I will tell the ·workers [reapers], “First gather the ·weeds [T tares] and tie them ·together [in bundles] to be burned. Then gather the wheat and bring it to my barn.”’”
Stories of Mustard Seed and Yeast(D)
31 Then Jesus ·told [presented to them] another ·story [parable]: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man ·planted [sowed] in his field. 32 That seed is the smallest of all seeds [C the mustard seed was the smallest seed known to Jesus’ hearers], but when it grows, it is one of the largest garden plants. It becomes ·big enough [L a tree] for the ·wild birds [L birds of the sky] to come and build nests in its branches.”
33 Then Jesus told another ·story [parable]: “The kingdom of heaven is like ·yeast [leaven] that a woman took and ·hid [mixed] in a large tub [C Greek: three sata; about fifty pounds] of flour until ·it made all the dough rise [L the whole was leavened; Luke 13:20–21].”
34 Jesus used ·stories [parables] to tell all these things to the people; he ·always used stories to teach them [L did not speak to them without parables; Mark 4:33–34]. 35 This ·is as [fulfills what] the prophet said:
“I will ·speak using [L open my mouth in] ·stories [parables];
I will ·tell [announce; utter] things ·that have been secret [hidden] since the ·world was made [creation/foundation of the world. Ps. 78:2].”
Jesus Explains About the Weeds
36 Then Jesus left the crowd and went into the house. His ·followers [disciples] came to him and said, “Explain to us the meaning of the ·story [parable] about the ·weeds [T tares] in the field.”
37 Jesus answered, “The man who ·planted [sowed] 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 who belong to the kingdom [L the children/sons of the kingdom]. The ·weeds [T tares] are ·those people who belong to the Evil One [L the children/sons of the Evil One]. 39 And the enemy who ·planted [sowed] the bad seed is the devil. The harvest time is the end of the age, and the ·workers who gather [harvesters; reapers] are God’s angels.
40 “Just as the ·weeds [T tares] are ·pulled up [gathered] and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will ·gather [remove; weed] out of his kingdom ·all who [or all things that] ·cause sin [T are stumbling blocks] and all who ·do evil [break God’s law]. 42 The angels will throw them into the blazing furnace [Dan. 3:6], where ·the people will cry and grind their teeth with pain [L there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth; C indicating agony and remorse]. 43 Then the ·good people [righteous] will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father [Dan. 12:3]. ·Let those with ears use them and listen [L The one who has ears to hear, let him hear.].
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. He was so ·happy [joyful; excited] that he went and sold everything he owned to buy that field.
45 “Also, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found a very valuable pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it.
A Story of a Fishing Net
47 “Also, the kingdom of heaven is like a ·net [dragnet; C a net dragged between two boats, or between a boat and the shore] that was put into the ·lake [sea] and 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 and threw away the ·bad [worthless] 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 [righteous] people. 50 The angels will throw the evil people into the blazing furnace [Dan. 3:11, 19–30], where ·people will cry and grind their teeth with pain [L there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth; v. 42].”
51 Jesus asked his ·followers [disciples], “Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
52 Then Jesus said to them, “So every ·teacher of the law [scribe] who has ·been taught about [become a disciple of] the kingdom of heaven is like the ·owner [head] of a house. He brings out both new things and old things ·he has saved [L from his treasure/storeroom; C knowledge of the Old Testament provides insight into Jesus’ “new” message of the kingdom of God].”
Jesus Goes to His Hometown(E)
53 When Jesus finished teaching [see 7:28] with these ·stories [parables], he left there. 54 He went to his hometown [C Nazareth; 2:23; Luke 2:39] and taught the people in their synagogue, and they were ·amazed [astonished]. They said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and this power to do miracles? 55 ·He is just [Isn’t this…?] the son of ·a [L the] carpenter. ·His mother is Mary [L Isn’t his mother called Mary…?], and his brothers are James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas. 56 And all his sisters are here with us. Where then does this man get all these things?” 57 So the people were ·upset with [offended by] Jesus.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is ·honored everywhere [not dishonored] except in his hometown and in his own ·home [family; household].”
58 So he did not do many miracles there because ·they had no faith [of their unbelief].
The Group with Jesus
8 After this, while Jesus was traveling through some ·cities [or towns] and ·small towns [villages], he preached and ·told [proclaimed; announced] the ·Good News [Gospel] about God’s kingdom. The twelve apostles were with him, 2 and also some women who had been healed of sicknesses and ·evil [defiling; L unclean; 4:33] spirits: Mary, called Magdalene [C probably because she was from the town of Magdala], from whom seven demons had gone out; 3 Joanna, the wife of ·Cuza [or Chuza] (the ·manager [T steward] of Herod’s [C Herod Antipas; see 3:1] house); Susanna; and many others. These women used their own ·money [resources] to ·help [support] ·Jesus and his apostles [L them].
A Story About Planting Seed(A)
4 When a great crowd was gathered, and people were coming to Jesus from every town, he told them this ·story [parable]:
5 “A ·farmer [sower] went out to ·plant [sow] his seed. While he was ·planting [sowing, scattering seed], some seed fell ·by the road [along the footpath]. People ·walked [trampled] on the seed, and the ·birds [L birds of the sky] ate it up. 6 Some seed fell on rock, and when it began to grow, it ·died [withered; dried up] because it had no ·water [moisture]. 7 Some seed fell among thorny weeds, but the weeds grew up with it and choked ·the good plants [L it]. 8 And ·some [L other] seed fell on good ·ground [soil] and grew and made a hundred times more.”
As Jesus finished the story, he called out, “·Let those with ears use them and listen [L The one who has ears to hear, let him hear]!”
9 Jesus’ ·followers [disciples] asked him what this ·story [parable] meant.
10 Jesus said, “·You have been chosen [L It has been granted/given to you] to ·know [understand] the ·secrets [mysteries] about the kingdom of God. But I use ·stories [parables] to speak to ·other people [the rest] so that:
‘They will ·look [see], but they may not ·see [perceive].
They will ·listen [hear], but they may not understand [Is. 6:9].’
11 “This is what the ·story [parable] means: The seed is God’s ·message [word]. 12 The seed that fell ·beside the road [along the footpath] is like the people who hear God’s teaching, but [L then] the devil comes and takes it away from ·them [L their hearts] so they cannot believe it and be saved. 13 The seed that fell on rock is like those who hear God’s teaching and ·accept [receive] it ·gladly [L with joy], but they ·don’t allow the teaching to go deep into their lives [L have no root]. They believe for a while, but when ·trouble [L a time of temptation/testing] comes, they ·give up [fall away; depart]. 14 The seed that fell among the thorny weeds is like those who hear God’s teaching, but they let the ·worries [cares; anxieties], riches, and pleasures of this life ·keep them from growing and producing [L choke/crowd them and they do not produce] ·good [mature; ripe] fruit. 15 And the seed that fell on the good ground is like those who hear ·God’s teaching [the word] with good, honest hearts and ·obey [cling/hold to] it and ·patiently [with perseverance] produce good fruit.
Use What You Have(B)
16 “No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. Instead, the person puts it on a lampstand so those who come in will see the light. 17 [L For] Everything that is ·hidden [secret] will ·become clear [be revealed; disclosed; brought into the open] and every ·secret [hidden; concealed] thing will be made known [L and come to light]. 18 So ·be careful [pay attention; L see] how you listen. [L For] Those who ·have understanding [L have] will be given more. But those who do not ·have understanding [L have], even what they think they have will be taken away from them.”
Jesus’ True Family(C)
19 Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but there was such a crowd they could not get to him. 20 Someone ·said [reported] to Jesus, “Your mother and your ·brothers [or brothers and sisters; C the Greek word can mean “siblings”] are standing outside, wanting to see you.”
21 Jesus answered them, “My mother and my ·brothers [or brothers and sisters] are those who listen to God’s ·teaching [word] and ·obey [do; practice] it!”
Jesus Calms a Storm(D)
22 One day Jesus and his ·followers [disciples] got into a boat, and he said to them, “Let’s go across the lake.” And so they started across. 23 While they were sailing, Jesus fell asleep. A very strong wind blew up on the lake, causing the boat to ·fill with water [nearly swamp], and they were in danger.
24 The ·followers [disciples] went to Jesus and woke him, saying, “Master! Master! We ·will drown [are perishing/going to die]!”
Jesus got up and ·gave a command to [reprimanded; rebuked] the wind and the waves. They stopped, and it became calm [C paralleling God’s subduing of the waters (representing chaos); Ps. 65:7; 89:9; 107:29]. 25 Jesus said to ·his followers [L them], “Where is your faith?”
·The followers [L They] were afraid and amazed and said to each other, “Who [L then] is this that commands even the wind and the water, and they obey him?”
A Man with Demons Inside Him(E)
26 ·Jesus and his followers [L They] sailed across the lake from Galilee to the area of the Gerasene[a] people [C Gerasa was southeast of Lake Galilee; the exact location is uncertain]. 27 When Jesus got out on the land, a man from the town who ·had demons inside him [was possessed by demons] came to Jesus. For a long time he had worn no clothes and had lived in the ·burial caves [tombs], not in a house. 28 When he saw Jesus, he ·cried out [shouted; shrieked] and fell down before him. He said with a loud voice, “·What do you want with me [Leave me alone; What business do we have with each other; L What to me and to you], Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t ·torture [torment] me!” 29 He said this because Jesus was commanding [reprimanding; rebuking] the ·evil [defiling; L unclean; 4:33] spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had ·taken hold of [seized; taken control of] him. Though he had been kept under guard and chained hand and foot, he had broken his chains and had been ·forced [driven] by the demon out into ·a lonely place [the desert/wilderness].
30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”
He answered, “Legion,” because many demons ·were in [had entered] him [C a legion was about five thousand Roman soldiers; the sense here is “many”]. 31 The demons begged Jesus not to ·send them [L command them to depart] into ·eternal darkness [the bottomless pit; L the Abyss]. 32 A large herd of pigs [C considered ritually unclean by Jews] was feeding on a hill, and the demons begged Jesus to allow them to go into the pigs. So Jesus allowed them to do this. 33 When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd ·ran [rushed] down the ·hill [steep bank; precipice] into the lake and was drowned.
34 When the herdsmen saw what had happened, they ·ran away [fled] and ·told about [reported] this in the town and the countryside. 35 And people went to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man sitting at Jesus’ feet, clothed and in his right mind, because the demons were gone. But the people were frightened. 36 The people who saw this happen told the others how Jesus had made the [L demon-possessed] man well. 37 All the ·people [crowd; multitude] of the Gerasene ·country [region] asked Jesus to leave [L them], because they were all ·very afraid [overwhelmed/seized with great fear]. So Jesus got into the boat and ·went back across the lake [left; L returned].
38 The man ·whom Jesus had healed [L from whom the demons had gone out] begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Go back home and ·tell [explain to] people ·how much [or what great things] God has done for you.” So the man went all over town ·telling [proclaiming] ·how much [or what great things] Jesus had done for him.
Jesus Gives Life to a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman(F)
40 When Jesus ·got back to the other side of the lake [L returned], a crowd welcomed him, because everyone was ·waiting for [expecting] him. 41 [L And look/T behold] A man named Jairus, a leader of the synagogue, came to Jesus and ·fell [bowed; knelt] at his feet, ·begging [urging; pleading with] him to come to his house. 42 [L …because] Jairus’ only daughter, about twelve years old, was dying.
While Jesus was on his way to Jairus’ house, the people were ·crowding [crushing; pressing] all around him. 43 A woman was in the crowd who had been bleeding for twelve years[b] [C probably a chronic menstrual disorder], but no one was able to heal her. 44 She came up behind Jesus and touched the ·edge [or tassel; see Num. 15:38–39] of his ·coat [cloak; garment], and instantly her bleeding stopped. 45 Then Jesus said, “Who touched me?”
When all the people ·said they had not touched him [denied it], Peter said, “Master, the people are all around you and are pushing against you.”
46 But Jesus said, “Someone did touch me, because I felt power go out from me.” 47 When the woman saw she could not hide, she came forward, ·shaking [trembling], and fell down before Jesus. While all the people listened, she ·told [explained] why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48 Jesus said to her, “·Dear woman [L Daughter], ·you are made well because you believed [your faith has saved/healed you]. Go in peace.”
49 While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of the synagogue leader and said to him, “Your daughter is dead. Don’t ·bother [trouble] the teacher anymore.”
50 When Jesus heard this, he said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid. Just believe, and your daughter will be ·well [healed].”
51 When Jesus ·went [came] to the house, he let only Peter, John, James, and the girl’s father and mother go inside with him. 52 All the people were crying and ·feeling sad [wailing; lamenting; mourning] because the girl was dead, but Jesus said, “Stop crying. She is not dead, only asleep.”
53 The people ·laughed at [ridiculed] Jesus because they knew the girl was dead. 54 But Jesus took hold of her hand and called to her, “My child, ·stand up [arise]!” 55 Her ·spirit came back into her [or breath/life returned], and she ·stood up [arose] at once. Then Jesus ·ordered [directed] that she be given something to eat. 56 The girl’s parents were ·amazed [overwhelmed; astonished], but Jesus ·told [commanded; ordered] them not to tell anyone what had happened.
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