The Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)
1 CPDV In that day, Jesus, departing from the house, sat down beside the sea. BSB BSB: That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.
2 CPDV And such great crowds were gathered to him that he climbed into a boat and he sat down. And the entire multitude stood on the shore. BSB BSB: Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore.
3 CPDV And he spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow seed. BSB BSB: And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed.
4 CPDV And while he was sowing, some fell beside the road, and the birds of the air came and ate it. BSB BSB: And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
5 CPDV Then others fell in a rocky place, where they did not have much soil. And they sprung up promptly, because they had no depth of soil. BSB BSB: Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow.
6 CPDV But when the sun rose up, they were scorched, and because they had no roots, they withered. BSB BSB: But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
7 CPDV Still others fell among thorns, and the thorns increased and suffocated them. BSB BSB: Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings.
8 CPDV Yet some others fell upon good soil, and they produced fruit: some one hundred fold, some sixty fold, some thirty fold. BSB BSB: Still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.
9 CPDV Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.” BSB BSB: He who has ears, let him hear.”
The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables (Isaiah 6:1–13; Mark 4:10–12; Luke 8:9–10)
10 CPDV And his disciples drew near to him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” BSB BSB: Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?”
11 CPDV Responding, he said to them: “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but it has not been given to them. BSB BSB: He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
12 CPDV For whoever has, it shall be given to him, and he shall have in abundance. But whoever has not, even what he has shall be taken away from him. BSB BSB: Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
13 CPDV For this reason, I speak to them in parables: because seeing, they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. BSB BSB: This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’
14 CPDV And so, in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, who said, ‘Hearing, you shall hear, but not understand; and seeing, you shall see, but not perceive. BSB BSB: In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 CPDV For the heart of this people has grown fat, and with their ears they hear heavily, and they have closed their eyes, lest at any time they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and then I would heal them.’ BSB BSB: For this people’s heart has grown callous; 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.’
16 CPDV But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear. BSB BSB: But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
17 CPDV Amen I say to you, certainly, that many of the prophets and the just desired to see what you see, and yet they did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and yet they did not hear it. BSB BSB: For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
The Parable of the Sower Explained (Mark 4:13–20; Luke 8:11–15)
18 CPDV Listen, then, to the parable of the sower. BSB BSB: Consider, then, the parable of the sower:
19 CPDV With anyone who hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, evil comes and carries away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received the seed by the side of the road. BSB BSB: When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
20 CPDV Then whoever has received the seed upon a rocky place, this is one who hears the word and promptly accepts it with joy. BSB BSB: The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.
21 CPDV But he has no root in himself, so it is only for a time; then, when tribulation and persecution occur because of the word, he promptly stumbles. BSB BSB: But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.
22 CPDV And whoever has received the seed among thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the falseness of riches suffocate the word, and he is effectively without fruit. BSB BSB: The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
23 CPDV Yet truly, whoever has received the seed into good soil, this is he who hears the word, and understands it, and so he bears fruit, and he produces: some a hundred fold, and another sixty fold, and another thirty fold.” BSB BSB: But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”
The Parable of the Weeds (Ezekiel 17:1–10)
25 CPDV But while the men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds amid the wheat, and then went away. BSB BSB: But while everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and slipped away.
26 CPDV And when the plants had grown, and had produced fruit, then the weeds also appeared. BSB BSB: When the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared.
27 CPDV So the servants of the Father of the family, approaching, said to him: ‘Lord, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then how is it that it has weeds?’ BSB BSB: 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 CPDV And he said to them, ‘A man who is an enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Is it your will that we should go and gather them up?’ BSB BSB: ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. So the servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29 CPDV And he said: ‘No, lest perhaps in gathering the weeds, you might also root out the wheat together with it. BSB BSB: ‘No,’ he said, ‘if you pull the weeds now, you might uproot the wheat with them.
30 CPDV Permit both to grow until the harvest, and at the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers: Gather first the weeds, and bind them into bundles to burn, but the wheat gather into my storehouse.’ ” BSB BSB: Let 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 into my barn.’”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed (Mark 4:30–34; Luke 13:18–19)
31 CPDV He proposed another parable to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field. BSB BSB: He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and planted in his field.
32 CPDV It is, indeed, the least of all seeds, but when it has grown, it is greater than all the plants, and it becomes a tree, so much so that the birds of the air come and dwell in its branches.” BSB BSB: Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”
The Parable of the Leaven (Luke 13:20–21)
33 CPDV He spoke another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of fine wheat flour, until it was entirely leavened.” BSB BSB: He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour, until all of it was leavened.”
I Will Open My Mouth in Parables (Psalm 78:1–72)
34 CPDV All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the crowds. And he did not speak to them apart from parables, BSB BSB: Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable.
35 CPDV in order to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet, saying: “I will open my mouth in parables. I will proclaim what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.” BSB BSB: So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.”
The Parable of the Weeds Explained (Zephaniah 1:1–6)
36 CPDV Then, dismissing the crowds, he went into the house. And his disciples drew near to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” BSB BSB: Then Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
37 CPDV Responding, he said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of man. BSB BSB: He replied, “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
38 CPDV Now the field is the world. And the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom. But the weeds are the sons of wickedness. BSB BSB: The field is the world, and the good seed represents the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,
39 CPDV So the enemy who sowed them is the devil. And truly, the harvest is the consummation of the age; while the reapers are the Angels. BSB BSB: and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40 CPDV Therefore, just as weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the consummation of the age. BSB BSB: As the weeds are collected and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of the age.
41 CPDV The Son of man shall send out his Angels, and they shall gather from his kingdom all who lead astray and those who work iniquity. BSB BSB: The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness.
42 CPDV And he shall cast them into the furnace of fire, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. BSB BSB: And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43 CPDV Then the just ones shall shine like the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear. BSB BSB: Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
The Parables of the Treasure and the Pearl 44 CPDV The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man finds it, he hides it, and, because of his joy, he goes and sells everything that he has, and he buys that field. BSB BSB: The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field.
45 CPDV Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking good pearls. BSB BSB: Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.
46 CPDV Having found one pearl of great value, he went away and sold all that he had, and he bought it. BSB BSB: When he found one very precious pearl, he went away and sold all he had and bought it.
The Parable of the Net 47 CPDV Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea, which gathers together all kinds of fish. BSB BSB: Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and caught all kinds of fish.
48 CPDV When it has been filled, drawing it out and sitting beside the shore, they selected the good into vessels, but the bad they threw away. BSB BSB: When it was full, the men pulled it ashore. Then they sat down and sorted the good fish into containers, but threw the bad away.
49 CPDV So shall it be at the consummation of the age. The Angels shall go forth and separate the bad from the midst of the just. BSB BSB: So will it be at the end of the age: The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous
50 CPDV And they shall cast them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. BSB BSB: and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51 CPDV Have you understood all these things?” They say to him, “Yes.” BSB BSB: Have you understood all these things?” “Yes,” they answered.
52 CPDV He said to them, “Therefore, every scribe well-taught about the kingdom of heaven, is like a man, the father of a family, who offers from his storehouse both the new and the old.” BSB BSB: Then He told them, “For this reason, every scribe who has been discipled in the kingdom of heaven is like a homeowner who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
The Rejection at Nazareth (Mark 6:1–6; Luke 4:16–30)
53 CPDV And it happened that, when Jesus had completed these parables, he went away from there. BSB BSB: When Jesus had finished these parables, He withdrew from that place.
54 CPDV And arriving in his own country, he taught them in their synagogues, so much so that they wondered and said: “How can such wisdom and power be with this one? BSB BSB: Coming to His hometown, He taught the people in their synagogue, and they were astonished. “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?” they asked.
56 CPDV And his sisters, are they not all with us? Therefore, from where has this one obtained all these things?” BSB BSB: Aren’t all His sisters with us as well? Where then did this man get all these things?”
57 CPDV And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country and in his own house.” BSB BSB: And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”
58 CPDV And he did not work many miracles there, because of their unbelief. BSB BSB: And He did not do many miracles there, because of their unbelief.