The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)
1 ULT And again, he began to teach beside the sea, and the largest crowd is gathered to him. As a result, having gotten into a boat, he sat down on the sea, and the whole crowd was on the land beside the sea. BSB BSB: Once again Jesus began to teach beside the sea, and such a large crowd gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people crowded along the shore.
2 ULT And he was teaching them many things in parables, and he was saying to them in his teaching, BSB BSB: And He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said,
3 ULT “Listen! Behold, the sower went out to sow. BSB BSB: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.
4 ULT And it happened that as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and the birds came and devoured it. BSB BSB: And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
5 ULT And other fell on the rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it did not have deep 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 ULT And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and because it had no root, it withered. BSB BSB: But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
7 ULT And other fell into the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it did not give fruit. BSB BSB: Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings, and they yielded no crop.
8 ULT And others fell on the good soil, and it was giving fruit, growing up and being increased, and one was bearing 30, and one, 60, and one, 100.” BSB BSB: Still other seed fell on good soil, where it sprouted, grew up, and produced a crop—one bearing thirtyfold, another sixtyfold, and another a hundredfold.”
9 ULT And he was saying,“Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear!” BSB BSB: Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables (Isaiah 6:1–13; Matthew 13:10–17; Luke 8:9–10)
10 ULT And when he was alone, the ones around him with the Twelve were asking him about the parables. BSB BSB: As soon as Jesus was alone with the Twelve and those around Him, they asked Him about the parable.
11 ULT And he was saying to them,“To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to those, the ones outside, everything is in parables, BSB BSB: He replied, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those on the outside everything is expressed in parables,
12 ULT so that,‘Looking, they may look but may not see, and hearing, they may hear but may not understand, lest they might turn back, and it might be forgiven to them.’” BSB BSB: so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.’”
The Parable of the Sower Explained (Matthew 13:18–23; Luke 8:11–15)
13 ULT And he says to them,“Do you not understand this parable? And how will you understand all the parables? BSB BSB: Then Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?
14 ULT The sower sows the word. BSB BSB: The farmer sows the word.
15 ULT Now these are the ones beside the road, where the word is being sown, but whenever they have heard it, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. BSB BSB: Some are like the seeds along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
16 ULT And similarly, these are the ones being sown on the rocky ground, who, whenever they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy, BSB BSB: Some are like the seeds sown on rocky ground. They hear the word and at once receive it with joy.
17 ULT and they have no root in themselves, but are temporary. Then, tribulation or persecution having happened because of the word, immediately they are caused to stumble. BSB BSB: But they themselves have no root, and they remain for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
18 ULT And others are the ones being sown into the thorns. These are the ones having heard the word, BSB BSB: Others are like the seeds sown among the thorns. They hear the word,
19 ULT and the worries of the age and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires concerning other things, entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. BSB BSB: but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
20 ULT And those are the ones sown on the good soil, who hear the word and receive it and bear fruit— one, 30, and one, 60, and one, 100.” BSB BSB: Still others are like the seeds sown on good soil. They hear the word, receive it, and produce a crop—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold.”
The Lesson of the Lamp (Luke 8:16–18)
21 ULT And he was saying to them,“The lamp does not come so that it might be put under the basket or under the bed, does it? Is it not so that it might be put on the lampstand? BSB BSB: Jesus also said to them, “Does anyone bring in a lamp to put it under a basket or under a bed? Doesn’t he set it on a stand?
22 ULT For it is not hidden except so that it might be revealed, nor has it become secret except so that it might come into visibility. BSB BSB: For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light.
23 ULT If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” BSB BSB: If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24 ULT And he was saying to them,“Watch what you hear. With the measure by which you measure, it will be measured to you, and it will be added to you. BSB BSB: He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.
25 ULT For he who has, it will be given to him, and he who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” BSB BSB: For whoever has will be given more. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
The Seed Growing Secretly 26 ULT And he was saying,“Thus is the kingdom of God: As a man throws the seed on the ground, BSB BSB: Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground.
27 ULT and he sleeps and gets up, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows— how, he himself does not know. BSB BSB: Night and day he sleeps and wakes, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he knows not how.
28 ULT The soil produces a crop of its own accord: first a blade, then a head, then a mature grain in the head. BSB BSB: All by itself the earth produces a crop—first the stalk, then the head, then grain that ripens within.
29 ULT And whenever the fruit hands over, he immediately sends the sickle, because the harvest has come.” BSB BSB: And as soon as the grain is ripe, he swings the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31–32; Luke 13:18–19)
30 ULT And he was saying,“How will we compare the kingdom of God, or in what parable will we put it? BSB BSB: Then He asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God? With what parable shall we present it?
31 ULT { It is} like a mustard seed, which, when it has been sown in the soil, being the smallest of all the seeds on the earth, BSB BSB: It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds sown upon the earth.
32 ULT and when it has been sown, it grows and becomes greater than all the vegetable plants, and it makes large branches, so that the birds of the sky are able to nest in its shadow.” BSB BSB: But after it is planted, it grows to be the largest of all garden plants and puts forth great branches, so that the birds of the air nest in its shade.”
33 ULT And with many such parables he was speaking the word to them, just as they were able to hear; BSB BSB: With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them, to the extent that they could understand.
34 ULT but he was not speaking to them without a parable, but by himself he was explaining everything to his own disciples. BSB BSB: He did not tell them anything without using a parable. But privately He explained everything to His own disciples.
Jesus Calms the Storm (Psalm 107:1–43; Matthew 8:23–27; Luke 8:22–25)
35 ULT And he says to them on that day, evening having come,“Let us cross over to the other side.” BSB BSB: When that evening came, He said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side.”
37 ULT And a great storm of wind happens, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filled. BSB BSB: Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped.
38 ULT And he himself was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. And they wake him up and say to him,“Teacher, is it not a concern to you that we are perishing?” BSB BSB: But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?”
39 ULT And awaking, he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea,“Be silent! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. BSB BSB: Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.
40 ULT And he said to them,“Why are you cowardly? Do you not yet have faith?” BSB BSB: “Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?”
41 ULT And they feared a great fear and were saying to one another,“Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” BSB BSB: Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”