Matthew 13 - New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995)

Jesus Teaches in Parables

13 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 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 Others fell ^[b]among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. ⁸ And others fell on the good soil and *yielded a crop, some a ^(E)hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. ^{9 (F)}He who has ears, ^[c]let him hear.”

An Explanation

¹⁰ And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” ^{11 [d]}Jesus answered them, “^(G)To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. ^{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 [e]}In their case 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,
With their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise 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 Sower Explained

¹⁸ “^(N)Hear then the parable of the sower. ¹⁹ When anyone hears ^(O)the ^[i]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 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 firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the ^[j]word, immediately he ^[k](Q)falls away. ²² And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of ^(R)the ^[l]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.”

Tares among Wheat

²⁴ Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “^(U)The kingdom of heaven ^[m]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 ^[n]tares among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ But when the ^[o]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? ^[p]How then does it have tares?’ ²⁸ And he said to them, ‘An ^[q]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.”’”

The Mustard Seed

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 smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that ^(Y)the birds of the ^[r]air come and nest in its branches.”

The Leaven

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

³⁴ All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He did not speak to them ^(AB)without a parable. ³⁵ This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:

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

The 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 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 furnace of fire; 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.

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 furnace of fire; 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 ^[aa]Jesus 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 Revisits Nazareth

^{53 (AZ)}When Jesus had finished these parables, He departed from there. ^{54 (BA)}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 took ^(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 13:9 Or hear! Or listen!
4. Matthew 13:11 Lit He
5. Matthew 13:14 Lit For them
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 13:19 I.e. message
10. Matthew 13:21 I.e. message
11. Matthew 13:21 Lit is caused to stumble
12. Matthew 13:22 Or age
13. Matthew 13:24 Lit was compared to
14. Matthew 13:25 Or darnel, a weed resembling wheat
15. Matthew 13:26 Lit grass
16. Matthew 13:27 Lit From where
17. Matthew 13:28 Lit enemy man
18. Matthew 13:32 Or sky
19. Matthew 13:33 Gr sata
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! Or listen!
25. Matthew 13:49 Or consummation
26. Matthew 13:49 Or separate
27. Matthew 13:52 Lit He
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

Cross references

1. Matthew 13:1 : Matt 9:28; 13:36
2. Matthew 13:1 : Matt 13:1-15: Mark 4:1-12; Luke 8:4-10; Mark 2:13
3. Matthew 13:2 : Luke 5:3
4. Matthew 13:3 : Matt 13:10ff; Mark 4:2ff
5. Matthew 13:8 : Gen 26:12; Matt 13:23
6. Matthew 13:9 : Matt 11:15; Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22
7. Matthew 13:11 : Matt 19:11; 20:23; John 6:65; 1 Cor 2:10; Col 1:27; 1 John 2:20, 27
8. Matthew 13:12 : Matt 25:29; Mark 4:25; Luke 8:18; 19:26
9. Matthew 13:13 : Deut 29:4; Is 42:19, 20; Jer 5:21; Ezek 12:2
10. Matthew 13:14 : Is 6:9; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; John 12:40; Acts 28:26, 27; Rom 10:16; 11:8
11. Matthew 13:15 : Is 6:10; Ps 119:70; Zech 7:11; Luke 19:42; John 8:43, 44; 2 Tim 4:4; Heb 5:11
12. Matthew 13:16 : Matt 13:16-17: Luke 10:23, 24; Matt 16:17; John 20:29
13. Matthew 13:17 : John 8:56; Heb 11:13; 1 Pet 1:10-12
14. Matthew 13:18 : Matt 13:18-23: Mark 4:13-20; Luke 8:11-15
15. Matthew 13:19 : Matt 4:23
16. Matthew 13:19 : Matt 5:37
17. Matthew 13:21 : Matt 11:6
18. Matthew 13:22 : Matt 12:32; 13:39; Mark 4:19; Rom 12:2; 1 Cor 1:20; 2:6, 8; 3:18; 2 Cor 4:4; Gal 1:4; Eph 2:2
19. Matthew 13:22 : Matt 19:23; 1 Tim 6:9, 10, 17
20. Matthew 13:23 : Matt 13:8
21. Matthew 13:24 : Matt 13:31, 33, 45, 47; 18:23; 20:1; 22:2; 25:1; Mark 4:26-30; Luke 13:18, 20
22. Matthew 13:30 : Matt 3:12
23. Matthew 13:31 : Matt 13:31-32: Mark 4:30-32; Luke 13:18, 19; Matt 13:24
24. Matthew 13:31 : Matt 17:20; Luke 17:6
25. Matthew 13:32 : Ezek 17:23; Ps 104:12; Ezek 31:6; Dan 4:12
26. Matthew 13:33 : Matt 13:33: Luke 13:21; Matt 13:24
27. Matthew 13:33 : Gen 18:6; Judg 6:19; 1 Sam 1:24
28. Matthew 13:34 : Mark 4:34; John 10:6; 16:25
29. Matthew 13:35 : Ps 78:2
30. Matthew 13:36 : Matt 13:1
31. Matthew 13:36 : Matt 15:15
32. Matthew 13:37 : Matt 8:20
33. Matthew 13:38 : Matt 8:12
34. Matthew 13:38 : John 8:44; Acts 13:10; 1 John 3:10
35. Matthew 13:38 : Matt 5:37
36. Matthew 13:39 : Matt 12:32; 13:22, 40, 49; 24:3; 28:20; 1 Cor 10:11; Heb 9:26
37. Matthew 13:40 : Matt 12:32; 13:22, 39, 49; 24:3; 28:20; 1 Cor 10:11; Heb 9:26
38. Matthew 13:41 : Matt 8:20
39. Matthew 13:41 : Matt 24:31
40. Matthew 13:41 : Zeph 1:3
41. Matthew 13:42 : Matt 13:50
42. Matthew 13:42 : Matt 8:12
43. Matthew 13:43 : Dan 12:3
44. Matthew 13:43 : Matt 11:15
45. Matthew 13:44 : Matt 13:24
46. Matthew 13:44 : Matt 13:46
47. Matthew 13:45 : Matt 13:24
48. Matthew 13:47 : Matt 13:44
49. Matthew 13:49 : Matt 13:39, 40
50. Matthew 13:50 : Matt 13:42
51. Matthew 13:50 : Matt 8:12
52. Matthew 13:53 : Matt 7:28
53. Matthew 13:54 : Matt 13:54-58: Mark 6:1-6
54. Matthew 13:54 : Matt 4:23
55. Matthew 13:54 : Matt 7:28
56. Matthew 13:55 : Matt 12:46
57. Matthew 13:55 : Matt 12:46
58. Matthew 13:56 : Mark 6:3
59. Matthew 13:57 : Matt 11:6
60. Matthew 13:57 : Mark 6:4; Luke 4:24; John 4:44