The Story of the Farmer
1Again Jesus began to teach by the Sea of Galilee. The crowd that gathered around him was very large. So he got into a boat. He sat down in it out on the lake. All the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2He taught them many things using stories. In his teaching he said, 3“Listen! A farmer went out to plant his seed. 4He scattered the seed on the ground. Some fell on a path. Birds came and ate it up. 5Some seed fell on rocky places, where there wasn’t much soil. The plants came up quickly, because the soil wasn’t deep. 6When the sun came up, it burned the plants. They dried up because they had no roots. 7Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and crowded out the plants. So the plants did not bear grain. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It grew up and produced a crop 30, 60, or even 100 times more than the farmer planted.”
9Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears should listen.”
10Later Jesus was alone. The 12 disciples asked him about the stories. So did the others around him. 11He told them, “The secret of God’s kingdom has been given to you. But to outsiders everything is told using stories. 12In that way,
“ ‘They will see but never know what they are seeing.
They will hear but never understand.
Otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’ ” (Isaiah 6:9,10)
13Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this story? Then how will you understand any stories of this kind? 14The seed the farmer plants is God’s message. 15What is seed scattered on a path like? The message is planted. The people hear the message. Then Satan comes. He takes away the message that was planted in them. 16And what is seed scattered on rocky places like? The people hear the message. At once they receive it with joy. 17But they have no roots. So they last only a short time. They quickly fall away from the faith when trouble or suffering comes because of the message. 18And what is seed scattered among thorns like? The people hear the message. 19But then the worries of this life come to them. Wealth comes with its false promises. The people also long for other things. All of these are the kinds of things that crowd out the message. They keep it from producing fruit. 20And what is seed scattered on good soil like? The people hear the message. They accept it. They produce a good crop 30, 60, or even 100 times more than the farmer planted.”
A Lamp on a Stand
21Jesus said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a large bowl or a bed? Don’t you put it on its stand? 22What is hidden is meant to be seen. And what is put out of sight is meant to be brought out into the open. 23Whoever has ears should listen.”
24“Think carefully about what you hear,” he said. “As you give, so you will receive. In fact, you will receive even more. 25Whoever has something will be given more. Whoever has nothing, even what they have will be taken away from them.”
The Story of the Growing Seed
26Jesus also said, “Here is what God’s kingdom is like. A farmer scatters seed on the ground. 27Night and day the seed comes up and grows. It happens whether the farmer sleeps or gets up. He doesn’t know how it happens. 28All by itself the soil produces grain. First the stalk comes up. Then the head appears. Finally, the full grain appears in the head. 29Before long the grain ripens. So the farmer cuts it down, because the harvest is ready.”
The Story of the Mustard Seed
30Again Jesus said, “What can we say God’s kingdom is like? What story can we use to explain it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32But when you plant the seed, it grows. It becomes the largest of all garden plants. Its branches are so big that birds can rest in its shade.”
33Using many stories like these, Jesus spoke the word to them. He told them as much as they could understand. 34He did not say anything to them without using a story. But when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything.
Jesus Calms the Storm
35When evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” 36They left the crowd behind. And they took him along in a boat, just as he was. There were also other boats with him. 37A wild storm came up. Waves crashed over the boat. It was about to sink. 38Jesus was in the back, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him up. They said, “Teacher! Don’t you care if we drown?”
39He got up and ordered the wind to stop. He said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down. And it was completely calm.
40He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Don’t you have any faith at all yet?”
41They were terrified. They asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Mfano Wa Mpanzi
(Mathayo 13:1-9; Luka 8:4-8)
14:1 Mk 2:13; 3:7Yesu akaanza kufundisha tena kando ya bahari. Umati wa watu uliokuwa umekusanyika kumzunguka ulikuwa mkubwa, kiasi kwamba ilimbidi Yesu aingie kwenye mashua iliyokuwa baharini na kuketi humo, nao watu wote walikuwa ufuoni mwa bahari. 24:2 Mk 2:11; 3:23Akawafundisha mambo mengi kwa mifano, naye katika mafundisho yake akasema: 34:3 Mk 4:26“Sikilizeni! Mpanzi alitoka kwenda kupanda mbegu zake. 4Alipokuwa akitawanya mbegu, nyingine zilianguka kando ya njia, nao ndege wakaja na kuzila. 5Nyingine zilianguka kwenye ardhi yenye mwamba isiyo na udongo wa kutosha. Zikaota haraka, kwa kuwa udongo ulikuwa haba. 6Lakini jua lilipozidi, mimea ikanyauka na kukauka kwa kuwa mizizi yake haikuwa na kina. 7Mbegu nyingine zilianguka kwenye miiba, nayo miiba hiyo ikakua, ikaisonga hiyo mimea, hivyo haikutoa mazao. 84:8 Yn 15:5; Kol 1:16Mbegu nyingine zilianguka kwenye udongo mzuri, zikaota vizuri na kukua, zikatoa mazao, moja mara thelathini, nyingine mara sitini, na nyingine mara mia moja.”
94:9 Mk 4:23; Mt 11:15Kisha Yesu akasema, “Mwenye masikio ya kusikia, na asikie.”
Sababu Za Mifano
(Mathayo 13:10-17; Luka 8:9-10)
104:10 Mt 13:10; Lk 8:9Alipokuwa peke yake, watu waliokuwepo naye pamoja na wanafunzi wake kumi na wawili wakamuuliza kuhusu mifano yake. 114:11 Mt 3:2; 1The 4:12; 1Tim 3:7Naye akawaambia, “Ninyi mmepewa kujua siri ya Ufalme wa Mungu. Lakini kwa wale walioko nje, kila kitu husemwa kwao kwa mifano, 124:12 Isa 6:9-10; Mk 13:13-15ili,
“ ‘daima waone lakini wasitambue,
daima wasikie lakini wasielewe;
wasije wakageuka, wakatubu na kusamehewa!’ ”
Yesu Afafanua Maana Ya Mfano Wa Mbegu
(Mathayo 13:18-23; Luka 8:11-15)
13Kisha Yesu akawauliza, “Hamwelewi maana ya mfano huu? Basi mtaelewaje mifano mingine? 144:14 Mdo 16:6; Flp 1:14Yule mpanzi hupanda neno. 154:15 Mt 4:10Hawa ndio wale walio kando ya njia ambako neno lilipandwa. Walisikiapo neno, Shetani huja mara na kulinyakua lile neno lililopandwa ndani yao. 16Nazo zile mbegu zilizoanguka kwenye udongo wenye miamba, ni wale wanaolisikia neno, na mara hulipokea kwa furaha. 17Lakini kwa kuwa hawana mizizi, wao hudumu kwa muda mfupi tu. Kisha dhiki au mateso yanapoinuka kwa ajili ya lile neno, mara wao huiacha imani. 18Lakini wengine, kama mbegu iliyopandwa kwenye miiba, hulisikia lile neno; 194:19 1Tim 6:9-17; 1Yn 2:15-17lakini masumbufu ya maisha haya, na udanganyifu wa mali na tamaa ya mambo mengine huja na kulisonga lile neno na kulifanya lisizae. 20Wengine, kama mbegu iliyopandwa kwenye udongo mzuri, hulisikia lile neno, wakalipokea na kuzaa mazao. Wao huzaa mara thelathini, au mara sitini, au mara mia ya mbegu iliyopandwa.”
Mfano Wa Taa
(Luka 8:16-18)
214:21 Mt 5:15Akawaambia, “Je, taa huwashwa na kufunikwa chini ya kikapu au mvunguni mwa kitanda? Je, haiwashwi na kuwekwa juu ya kinara chake? 224:22 Yer 16:17; Lk 12:2Kwa kuwa hakuna kilichofichika ambacho hakitafunuliwa, wala hakuna jambo lolote la siri ambalo halitaletwa nuruni. 234:23 Mk 4:9; Mt 11:15Mwenye masikio ya kusikia, na asikie.”
244:24 Mt 7:2; Lk 6:38Naye akawaambia, “Kuweni waangalifu na yale mnayosikia. Kipimo kile mpimacho, ndicho mtakachopimiwa ninyi, hata na zaidi. 254:25 Mt 13:12; 25:29Kwa maana kila mtu aliye na kitu atapewa zaidi, naye atakuwa navyo tele. Lakini yule asiye na kitu, hata kile alicho nacho atanyangʼanywa.”
Mfano Wa Mbegu Inayoota
264:26 Mt 13:24Pia akawaambia, “Ufalme wa Mungu unafanana na mtu apandaye mbegu shambani. 274:27 Yak 5:7Akiisha kuzipanda, usiku na mchana, akiwa amelala au ameamka, mbegu huota na kukua pasipo yeye kujua ikuavyo. 28Udongo huifanya iote kuwa mche, halafu suke, kisha nafaka kamili kwenye suke. 294:29 Ufu 14:15; Yoe 3:13Lakini nafaka inapokuwa imekomaa, mara mkulima huingia shambani na mundu wa kuvunia, maana mavuno yamekuwa tayari.”
Mfano Wa Mbegu Ya Haradali
(Mathayo 13:31-32, 34; Luka 13:18-19)
304:30 Mt 13:24Akawaambia tena, “Tuufananishe Ufalme wa Mungu na nini? Au tutumie mfano gani ili kuueleza? 31Ni kama punje ya haradali, ambayo ni mbegu ndogo sana kuliko mbegu zote zinazopandwa ardhini. 324:32 Dan 4:12, 21; Eze 17:23; 31; 6Lakini ikishaota, hukua ikawa mmea mkubwa kuliko yote ya bustanini, ikawa na matawi makubwa hata ndege wa angani wanaweza kujenga viota kwenye matawi yake.”
334:33 Yn 16:25; Mt 13:34Kwa mifano mingine mingi kama hii Yesu alinena nao neno lake, kwa kadiri walivyoweza kulielewa. 344:34 Yn 16:25Hakusema nao neno lolote pasipo mfano. Lakini alipokuwa na wanafunzi wake, aliwafafanulia kila kitu.
Yesu Atuliza Dhoruba
(Mathayo 8:23-27; Luka 8:22-25)
354:35 Mt 8:18, 23-27; Lk 8:22-25Siku hiyo ilipokaribia jioni, aliwaambia wanafunzi wake, “Tuvukeni twende mpaka ngʼambo.” 364:36 Mk 5:2, 21; 6:32, 45Wakauacha ule umati wa watu, na wakamchukua vile alivyokuwa kwenye mashua. Palikuwa pia na mashua nyingine nyingi pamoja naye. 37Kukawa na dhoruba kali, nayo mawimbi yakaipiga ile mashua hata ikawa karibu kujaa maji. 38Yesu alikuwa katika shetri, akiwa analala juu ya mto. Wanafunzi wake wakamwamsha, wakamwambia, “Mwalimu, hujali kama tunazama?”
39Akaamka, akaukemea ule upepo, akayaambia yale mawimbi, “Uwe kimya! Tulia!” Ule upepo ukatulia, kukawa shwari kabisa.
404:40 Mt 14:31Yesu akawaambia wanafunzi wake, “Kwa nini mnaogopa hivyo? Je, bado hamna imani?”
41Nao wakawa wameogopa sana, wakaulizana, “Ni nani huyu ambaye hata upepo na mawimbi vinamtii?”
