The Parable of the Sower
(Mark 4:1-9;Luke 8:4-15)
1<1161> The samedaywentJesusout ofthe house,and satbythe sea side.2Andgreatmultitudeswere gathered togetheruntohim,so thathewentintoa ship,and sat;andthe wholemultitudestoodonthe shore.
3Andhe spakemany thingsunto theminparables,saying,Behold,a sowerwent forthto sow;4Andwhenhesowed,some[seeds] fellbythe way side,andthe fowlscameanddevouredthemup:5Somefelluponstony places,wherethey hadnotmuchearth:andforthwiththey sprung up,becausethey hadnodeepnessof earth:6Andwhen the sunwas up,they were scorched;andbecausethey hadnoroot,they withered away.7Andsomefellamongthorns;andthe thornssprung up,andchokedthem:8Butotherfellintogoodground,andbrought forthfruit,somean hundredfold,somesixtyfold,somethirtyfold.9Whohathearsto hear,let him hear.
The Purpose of Jesus' Parables
(Mark 4:10-12)
10Andthe disciplescame,and saidunto him,Whyspeakest thouunto theminparables?11He answeredandsaidunto them,Becauseit is givenunto youto knowthe mysteriesof the kingdomof heaven,butto themit isnotgiven.12Forwhosoeverhath,to himshall be given,andhe shall have more abundance:butwhosoeverhathnot,fromhimshall be taken awayeventhathe hath.13Thereforespeak Ito theminparables:becausethey seeingseenot;andhearingthey hearnot,neitherdo they understand.
14Andinthemis fulfilledthe prophecyof Esaias,whichsaith,By hearingye shall hear,andshallnotunderstand;andseeingye shall see,andshallnotperceive:
15Forthispeople'sheartis waxed gross,and[their] earsare dullof hearing,andtheireyesthey have closed;lest at any timethey should seewith [their] eyes,andhearwith [their] ears,andshould understandwith [their] heart,andshould be converted,andI should healthem.
16Butblessed[are] youreyes,forthey see:andyourears,forthey hear.17ForverilyI sayunto you,Thatmanyprophetsandrighteous[men] have desiredto see[those things] whichye see,andhavenotseen[them]; andto hear[those things] whichye hear,andhavenotheard[them].
The Parable of the Sower Explained
(Mark 4:13-20)
18Hearyethereforethe parableof the sower.19When anyone heareththe wordof the kingdom,andunderstandeth[it] not,then comeththe wicked[one], andcatcheth awaythat whichwas sowninhisheart.Thisishe which received seedbythe way side.20Buthe that received the seedintostony places,the sameishe that heareththe word,andanonwithjoyreceivethit;21Yethath henotrootinhimself,butdurethfor a while:forwhen tribulationorpersecutionarisethbecauseof the word,by and byhe is offended.22He alsothat received seedamongthe thornsishe thatheareththe word;andthe careof thisworld,andthe deceitfulnessof riches,chokethe word,andhe becomethunfruitful.23Buthe that received seedintothe goodgroundishethat heareththe word,andunderstandeth[it]; whichalsobeareth fruit,andbringeth forth,somean hundredfold,somesixty,somethirty.
The Parable of the Weeds
(Ezekiel 17:1-10)
24Anotherparableput he forthunto them,saying,The kingdomof heavenis likenedunto a manwhich sowed{5625;4687:5660} goodseedinhisfield:25Butwhilemenslept,hisenemycameandsowedtaresamongthe wheat,andwent his way.26Butwhenthe bladewas sprung up,andbrought forthfruit,thenappearedthe taresalso.27Sothe servantsof the householdercameand saidunto him,Sir,didstnotthou sowgoodseedinthyfield?from whencethenhath ittares?28<1161> He saidunto them,An enemyhath donethis.The servantssaidunto him,Wilt thouthenthat we goand gatherthemup?29Buthe said,Nay;lestwhile ye gather upthe tares,ye root upalso the wheatwiththem.30Letbothgrow togetheruntilthe harvest:andinthe timeof harvestI will sayto the reapers,Gather ye togetherfirstthe tares,andbindtheminbundlestoburnthem:butgatherthe wheatintomybarn.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
(Mark 4:30-34;Luke 13:18-19)
31Anotherparableput he forthunto them,saying,The kingdomof heavenisliketo a grainof mustard seed,whicha mantook,and sowedinhisfield:32Whichindeedisthe leastof allseeds:butwhenit is grown,it isthe greatestamong herbs,andbecometha tree,so thatthe birdsof the aircomeandlodgeinthe branchesthereof.
The Parable of the Leaven
(Judges 20:18-23;2 Samuel 2:12-32;2 Chronicles 13:4-19;Luke 13:20-21)
33Anotherparablespake heunto them;The kingdomof heavenislikeunto leaven,whicha womantook,and hidinthreemeasuresof meal,tillthe wholewasleavened.
I will Open My Mouth in Parables
(Psalm 78:1-72)
34Allthese thingsspakeJesusunto the multitudeinparables;andwithouta parablespake henotunto them:
35Thatit might be fulfilledwhichwas spokenbythe prophet,saying,I will openmymouthinparables;I will utterthings which have been kept secretfromthe foundationof the world.
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
(Zephaniah 1:1-6)
36ThenJesussentthe multitudeaway,and wentintothe house:andhisdisciplescameunto him,saying,Declareunto usthe parableof the taresof the field.37He answeredandsaidunto them,He that soweththe goodseedisthe Sonof man;38<1161> The fieldisthe world;the goodseedarethe childrenof the kingdom;butthe taresarethe childrenof the wicked[one];39<1161> The enemythat sowedthemisthe devil;the harvestisthe endof the world;andthe reapersarethe angels.40Asthereforethe taresare gatheredandburnedin the fire;soshall it beinthe endof thisworld.41The Sonof manshall send forthhisangels,andthey shall gatherout ofhiskingdomall thingsthat offend,andthem which doiniquity;42Andshall castthemintoa furnaceof fire:thereshall bewailingandgnashingof teeth.43Thenshall the righteousshine forthasthe suninthe kingdomof theirFather.Whohathearsto hear,let him hear.
The Parables of the Treasure and Pearl
(Matthew 6:19-21)
44Again,the kingdomof heavenislikeunto treasurehidina field;the whichwhen a manhath found,he hideth,andforjoythereofgoethandsellethallthathe hath,andbuyeththatfield.
45Again,the kingdomof heavenislikeunto a merchantman,seekinggoodlypearls:46Who,when he had foundonepearlof great price,wentand soldallthathe had,andboughtit.
The Parable of the Net
(Matthew 4:18-22;Mark 1:16-20;Luke 5:1-11;John 1:35-42)
47Again,the kingdomof heavenislikeunto a net,that was castintothe sea,andgatheredofeverykind:48Which,whenit was full,they drewtoshore,andsat down,and gatheredthe goodintovessels,butcastthe badaway.49Soshall it beatthe endof the world:the angelsshall come forth,andseverthe wickedfromamongthe just,50Andshall castthemintothe furnaceof fire:thereshall bewailingandgnashingof teeth.
51Jesussaithunto them,Have ye understoodallthesethings?They sayunto him,Yea,Lord.52Thensaidhe unto them,Thereforeeveryscribe[which is] instructeduntothe kingdomof heavenislikeunto a man[that is] an householder,whichbringeth forthout ofhistreasure[things] newandold.
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
(Isaiah 61:1-11;Matthew 2:19-23;Mark 6:1-6;Luke 2:39-40;Luke 4:16-30)
53Andit came to pass,[that] whenJesushad finishedtheseparables,he departedthence.54Andwhen he was comeintohis owncountry,he taughtthemintheirsynagogue,insomuch thattheywere astonished,andsaid,Whencehath this [man]thiswisdom,and[these] mighty works?55Isnotthisthe carpenter'sson?isnothismothercalledMary?andhisbrethren,James,andJoses,andSimon,andJudas?56Andhissisters,are theynotallwithus?Whencethenhath this [man]allthese things?57Andthey were offendedinhim.ButJesussaidunto them,A prophetisnotwithout honour,saveinhis owncountry,andinhis ownhouse.58Andhe didnotmanymighty workstherebecauseof theirunbelief.