The parable of the sower
1That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2Such large crowds gathered round him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3Then he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop – a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9Whoever has ears, let them hear.’
10The disciples came to him and asked, ‘Why do you speak to the people in parables?’
11He replied, ‘Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13This is why I speak to them in parables:
‘Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
‘ “You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15For this people’s heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.”13:15 Isaiah 6:9,10 (see Septuagint)
16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
18‘Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19when anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.’
The parable of the weeds
24Jesus told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26When the wheat sprouted and formed ears, then the weeds also appeared.
27‘The owner’s servants came to him and said, “Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?”
28‘ “An enemy did this,” he replied.
‘The servants asked him, “Do you want us to go and pull them up?”
29‘ “No,” he answered, “because while you are pulling up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: first collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.” ’
The parables of the mustard seed and the yeast
31He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.’
33He told them still another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about thirty kilograms of flour until it worked all through the dough.’
34Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. 35So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet:
‘I will open my mouth in parables,
I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.’13:35 Psalm 78:2
The parable of the weeds explained
36Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, ‘Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.’
37He answered, ‘The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40‘As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
The parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl
44‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
The parable of the net
47‘Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51‘Have you understood all these things?’ Jesus asked.
‘Yes,’ they replied.
52He said to them, ‘Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.’
A prophet without honour
53When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54Coming to his home town, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. ‘Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?’ they asked. 55‘Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?’ 57And they took offence at him.
But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honour except in his own town and in his own home.’
58And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
撒种的比喻
1当天，耶稣离开房子，坐在湖边。 2有一大群人聚集到祂周围，祂只好上船坐下，众人都站在岸上。 3祂用比喻给他们讲许多道理，说：“有一个农夫出去撒种。 4撒种的时候，有些种子落在路旁，被飞鸟吃掉了； 5有些落在石头地上，因为泥土不深，种子很快就发芽了，然而因为没有根， 6被太阳一晒，就枯萎了； 7有些落在荆棘丛中，荆棘长起来便把嫩苗挤住了； 8有些落在沃土里，就结出果实，收成多达三十倍、六十倍、一百倍。 9有耳朵的，都应当听。”
用比喻的目的
10门徒上前问耶稣：“你为什么要用比喻来教导他们呢？”
11耶稣回答说：“天国的奥秘只让你们知道，不让他们知道。 12因为凡有的，还要给他更多，他就丰富有余；凡没有的，连他仅有的也要夺去。 13我用比喻教导他们是因为他们视而不见，听而不闻，闻而不悟。 14以赛亚的预言正应验在他们身上，
“‘你们听了又听，却不明白；
看了又看，却不领悟。
15因为这些人心灵麻木，
耳朵发背，眼睛昏花，
以致眼睛看不见，耳朵听不见，
心里不明白，无法回心转意，
得不到我的医治。’
16“但你们的眼睛是有福的，因为看得见；你们的耳朵也是有福的，因为听得见。 17我实在告诉你们，以前有许多先知和义人曾渴望看见你们所看见的，听见你们所听见的，却未能如愿。
解释比喻
18“所以，你们应当留心这撒种的比喻。 19种子落在路旁，是指人听了天国的道理却不明白，魔鬼乘虚而入，把撒在他心里的夺走了； 20种子落在石头地上，是指人听了道后，立刻欢喜地接受了， 21但因为他心里没有根基，不过是暂时接受，一旦为道遭受患难或迫害，就立刻放弃了信仰； 22种子落在荆棘丛中，是指人虽然听过道，但生活的忧虑和钱财的迷惑把道挤住了，以致不能结出果实。 23种子落在沃土里，是指人听了道，并明白了道，就结出果实来，有的多达一百倍，有的六十倍，有的三十倍。”
毒麦的比喻
24耶稣又给他们讲了一个比喻，说：“天国就像一个人，将好种子撒在田里。 25人们睡觉的时候，仇敌过来把毒麦撒在他的麦田里，就走了。 26当麦子长苗吐穗时，毒麦也长起来了。 27奴仆看见了就来问主人，‘主人啊！你不是把好种子撒在田里了吗？从哪里来的毒麦呢？’
28“主人回答说，‘这是仇敌做的。’奴仆问道，‘要我们去拔掉它们吗？’
29“主人说，‘不用了，因为拔毒麦会连麦子一起拔掉。 30让它们跟麦子一起生长吧，到收割的时候，我会吩咐收割的工人先把毒麦收集起来，扎成捆，留着烧，然后将麦子存入谷仓。’”
芥菜种和面酵的比喻
31耶稣又给他们讲了一个比喻：“天国就像一粒芥菜种，人把它种在田里。 32它虽然是种子中最小的，却长得比其他蔬菜都大，并且长成一棵树，天空的飞鸟也来栖息。”
33祂又给他们讲了个比喻：“天国就像面酵，妇人拿来掺在三斗面里，使整盆面都发起来。”
34耶稣总是用比喻对众人讲这些事，祂每次对他们讲话时都用比喻。 35这是要应验先知的话：“我要开口讲比喻，道出创世以来隐藏的事。”
解释毒麦的比喻
36后来，耶稣离开人群，进到屋里。门徒也跟着进去，对耶稣说：“请为我们解释毒麦的比喻。”
37耶稣说：“那撒下好种子的就是人子， 38麦田代表整个世界，那些好种子就是天国的子民。毒麦就是那些属于魔鬼的人， 39撒毒麦的仇敌就是魔鬼。收割的日子便是世界的末日，收割的工人就是天使。
40“毒麦怎样被拔出来丢在火里烧，同样，在世界末日的时候， 41人子也将派天使把一切引人犯罪和作孽的人从祂国里挑出来， 42丢进火里。那时，他们将在那里哀哭切齿。 43那时，义人要在他们天父的国度像太阳一样发出光辉。有耳朵的，都应当听。
宝藏与珍珠的比喻
44“天国就像藏在地里的宝贝，有人发现了，就把它埋好，然后欢然变卖他所有的财产去买那块地。
45“天国就像一个四处搜购贵重珍珠的商人。 46他找到一颗极贵重的珍珠，就变卖了一切的产业，把它买下来。
撒网的比喻
47“天国就像一张渔网，撒在海里捕到了各种鱼。 48网满了，人们把网拉上岸，然后坐下来挑选，好的就收起来，不好的就丢掉。 49世界末日的时候也是这样。天使必把恶人从义人中拣出来， 50丢在火炉里，让恶人在那里哀哭切齿。 51你们明白这些事了吗？”
他们回答说：“我们明白了。”
52耶稣说：“律法教师成为天国的门徒后，就像一个家的主人，能从他的库房里拿出新的和旧的东西来。”
拿撒勒人厌弃耶稣
53耶稣讲完了这些比喻，就离开那里， 54回到自己的家乡拿撒勒，在会堂里教导人。人们很惊奇，说：“这个人从哪里得到如此的智慧和神奇的能力呢？ 55这不是那木匠的儿子吗？祂母亲不是玛丽亚吗？祂的弟弟不是雅各、约瑟、西门和犹大吗？ 56祂的妹妹们不也是住在我们这里吗？祂究竟从哪里得来这一身本领呢？” 57他们就对祂很反感。
耶稣对他们说：“先知到处受人尊敬，只有在本乡本家例外。” 58因为他们不信，耶稣就没有在那里多行神迹。
