Matthew 13 - Amplified Bible(AMP)

Jesus Teaches in Parables

1That same day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting beside the sea.

2But such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the shore.

3He told them many things in parables, saying, “Listen carefully: a sower went out to sow;

4and as he sowed, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it.

5Other seed fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil; and at once they sprang up because they had no depth of soil.

6But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7Other seed fell among thorns, and thorns came up and choked them out.

8Other seed fell on good soil and yielded grain, some a hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.

9He who has ears, let him hear and heed My words.”

An Explanation

10Then the disciples came to Him and asked, “Why do You speak to the crowds in parables?”

11Jesus replied to them, “To you it has been granted to know the

mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.

12For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will be richly and abundantly supplied; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

13This is the reason I speak to the crowds in parables: because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand and grasp.

14In them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,

‘You will hear and keep on hearing, but never understand;

And you will look and keep on looking, but never comprehend;

15 For this nation’s heart has grown hard,

And with their ears they hardly hear,

And they have

closed their eyes,

Otherwise they would see with their eyes,

And hear with their ears,

And understand with their heart, and turn

And I would heal them

.’

16 But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.

17I assure you and most solemnly say to you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

The Sower Explained

18 “Listen then to theparable of the sower:

19When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand and grasp it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.

20The one on whom seed was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and at once welcomes it with joy;

21yet he has noroot in himself, but is only temporary, and when pressure or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles and falls away.

22And the one on whom seed was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the worries and distractions of the world and the deceitfulnessof riches choke the word, and it yields no fruit.

23And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands and grasps it; he indeed bears fruit and yields, some a hundred times, some sixty, and some thirty.”

Weeds among Wheat

24Jesus gave them another parable, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.

25But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed

weedsamong the wheat, and went away.

26So when the plants sprouted and formed grain, the weeds appeared also.

27The servants of the owner came to him and said, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then how does it have weeds in it?’

28He replied to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants asked him, ‘Then do you want us to go and pull them out?’

29But he said, ‘No; because as you pull out the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them.

30Let them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First gather the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

The Mustard Seed

31He gave them another parable, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field;

32and of all the seeds it is the smallest, but when it has grown it is the largest of the garden herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air find shelter in its branches.”

The Leaven

33He told them another parable, “The kingdom of heaven is like

leaven, which a woman took and worked into three

measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

34All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables, and He said nothing to them without a parable.

35This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:

“I will open My mouth in parables;

I will utter things that have been hidden since the foundation of the world.”

The Weeds Explained

36Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

37He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,

38and the field is the world; andthe good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the weeds are the sons of the evil one;

39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels.

40So just as the weeds are gathered up and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of the age.

41The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and all who practice evil,

42and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.

43Then the righteous

will shine forth

like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears,let him hear and heed My words.

Hidden Treasure

44 “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again; then in his joy he goes and sells all he has and buys that field.

A Costly Pearl

45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,

46and upon finding a single pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

A Dragnet

47 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet which was lowered into the sea, and gathered fish of every kind,

48and when it was full, they dragged it up on the beach; and they sat down and sorted out the good fish into baskets, but the worthless ones they threw away.

49So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous

50and throw the wicked into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.

51 “Have you understood all these things?” They said to Jesus, “Yes.”

52He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household, who brings out of his

treasure things that are new and fresh and things that are old and familiar.”

Jesus Revisits Nazareth

53When Jesus had finished these parables, He left there.

54And after coming to His hometown, He began teaching them in their synagogue, and they were astonished, and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?

55Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And are not His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

56And His sisters, are they not among us? Where then did this Man get all this?”

57And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.”

58And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.