The Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)
1 ULT On that day, Jesus, having gone out of the house, was sitting beside the sea. BSB BSB: That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.
2 ULT And large crowds were gathered to him. As a result, having gotten into a boat, he sat down, and the whole crowd stood on the beach. 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 ULT And he spoke many things to them in parables, saying,“Behold, the sower went out to sow. BSB BSB: And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed.
4 ULT And as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and the birds came and devoured them. BSB BSB: And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
5 ULT But others 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 But{ when} the sun had risen, 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 But others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. BSB BSB: Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings.
8 ULT But others fell on good soil and were giving fruit, some 100, and some 60, and some 30. BSB BSB: Still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.
9 ULT The one having ears, 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 ULT And having approached, the disciples said to him,“For what reason 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 ULT But he, answering, said to them,“To you has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens, but to those it has not been given. BSB BSB: He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
12 ULT For whoever has, it will be given to him, and he will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will 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 ULT For this reason I speak to them in parables; because seeing, they do not see; and hearing, they do not hear nor 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 ULT And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,‘In hearing you will hear, but you will certainly not understand; and seeing, you will see, but you will certainly 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 ULT For the heart of this people has been thickened, and with{ their} ears they have hardly heard, and they have shut their eyes, lest they might see with{ their} eyes, and they might hear with{ their} ears, and they might understand with{ their} heart and turn back, and 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 ULT But blessed{ are} your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. BSB BSB: But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
17 ULT For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous ones longed to see what you see, and did not see, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear. 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 ULT You, therefore, listen to the parable of the sower. BSB BSB: Consider, then, the parable of the sower:
19 ULT Everyone hearing the word of the kingdom and not understanding, the evil one comes and snatches away{ what} had been sown in his heart. This is{ what} was sown beside 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 ULT Now the one having been sown on the rocky ground, this is the one hearing the word and immediately receiving 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 ULT but he has no root in himself but is temporary; and tribulation or persecution having happened because of the word, immediately he is caused to stumble. 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 ULT Now the one having been sown among the thorns, this is the one hearing the word, but the worry of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 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 ULT Now the one having been sown on the good soil, this is the one hearing the word and understanding{ it}, who indeed bears fruit and yields, some 100, and some 60, and some 30.” 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 ULT But while the men slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel among the wheat and went away. BSB BSB: But while everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and slipped away.
26 ULT Now when the blades sprouted and produced a crop, then the darnel became visible also. BSB BSB: When the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared.
27 ULT Now the servants of the master of the house, having approached, said to him,‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? From where then does it have darnel?’ 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 ULT But he was saying to them,‘A hostile man did this.’ But the servants say to him,‘Do you therefore desire that, having gone out, we would gather them?’ BSB BSB: ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. So the servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29 ULT But he says,‘Certainly not, lest gathering the darnel, you might uproot the wheat along with them. BSB BSB: ‘No,’ he said, ‘if you pull the weeds now, you might uproot the wheat with them.
30 ULT Permit both to grow together until the harvest, and at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers,“First gather the darnel and tie them in bundles to burn them up but gather the wheat into my barn.”’” 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 ULT He set before them another parable, saying,“The kingdom of the heavens is like a mustard seed which, having taken, a man 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 ULT which is indeed the smallest of all the seeds, but when it grows, it is greater than the vegetable plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest 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 ULT He spoke to them another parable:“The kingdom of the heavens is like yeast that a woman, having taken, mixed with three seahs of flour until it was all 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 ULT All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the crowds, and he was speaking nothing to them without a parable, BSB BSB: Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable.
35 ULT so that{ what} had been said through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying,“I will open my mouth in parables. I will declare{ what} has been hidden from 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 ULT Then, having left the crowds, he went into the house. And his disciples approached him, saying,“Explain to us the parable of the darnel of 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 ULT Now answering, he said,“The one sowing 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 ULT and the field is the world, and the good seed— these are the sons of the kingdom. And the darnel are the sons of the evil one, 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 ULT and the enemy having sowed them is the devil. And the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are 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 ULT Therefore, just as the darnel are gathered and burned with fire, thus it will be at the end 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 ULT The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all the stumbling blocks and the ones doing lawlessness. 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 ULT And they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and grinding of the teeth. BSB BSB: And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43 ULT Then the righteous will shine as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one having ears, 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 ULT The kingdom of the heavens is like a treasure hidden in a field, which, having found, a man hid. And from his joy, he goes and sells everything, as much as he has, and 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 ULT Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a man, a merchant, seeking fine pearls. BSB BSB: Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls.
46 ULT And having found one very valuable pearl, having gone away, he sold everything, as much as he had, and 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 ULT Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a net having been cast into the sea, and having gathered from every kind, 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 ULT which, when it was filled, having dragged onto the beach, and having sat down, they gathered the good things into containers, but the rotten things they threw out. 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 ULT Thus it will be at the end of the age: The angels will go out and will separate the wicked from among the righteous, BSB BSB: So will it be at the end of the age: The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous
50 ULT and they will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and grinding of the teeth. BSB BSB: and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51 ULT Have you understood all these things?” They say to him,“Yes.” BSB BSB: Have you understood all these things?” “Yes,” they answered.
52 ULT Now he said to them,“For this reason, every scribe having been discipled for the kingdom of the heavens is like a man, the master of the house, who brings forth new and old from his treasure.” 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 ULT And it happened that when Jesus finished these parables, he departed from there. BSB BSB: When Jesus had finished these parables, He withdrew from that place.
54 ULT And having come to his hometown, he was teaching them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said,“From where to this one{ is} this wisdom and these miracles? 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 ULT And are not all his sisters with us? From where, therefore, to this one{ are} all these things?” BSB BSB: Aren’t all His sisters with us as well? Where then did this man get all these things?”
57 ULT And they were being caused to stumble on him. But Jesus said to them,“A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his 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 ULT And he did not do many miracles there, because of their unbelief. BSB BSB: And He did not do many miracles there, because of their unbelief.