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Matthew 13
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
Matthew 13
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
Jesus Teaches The Crowds Using Parables
13 On that day Jesus, having gone out of the house, sat beside the sea. 2 And large crowds were gathered-together with Him so that He, having gotten into a boat, sits-down [to teach]. And the whole crowd was standing on the shore. 3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying—
The Sower’s Seed Falls On Different Kinds of Soil. Only The Good Soil Produces Fruit
“Behold— the one sowing went out that he might sow. 4 And during his sowing, some seeds fell along the road. And having come, the birds ate them up. 5 And others fell on the rocky[a] places where they were not having much soil. And immediately they sprang-up, because of not having a depth of soil. 6 But the sun having risen, they were scorched. And because of not having a root, they were dried-up. 7 And others fell on the thorns. And the thorns came up and choked[b] them. 8 And others fell on the good soil and were giving fruit— one a hundred, and another sixty, and another thirty. 9 Let the one having ears, hear”.
Jesus Tells His Disciples He Uses Parables To Both Hide And Reveal The Truth
10 And having come to Him, the disciples said to Him, “For what reason are You speaking to them in parables?” 11 And the One, having responded, said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know[c] the mysteries[d] of the kingdom of the heavens. But it has not been given to those ones. 12 For whoever has— it will be given to him, and he will be caused to abound. But whoever does not have— even what he has will be taken-away from him. 13 For this reason I am speaking to them in parables— because while seeing, they are not seeing; and while hearing, they are not hearing, nor understanding. 14 And the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled in them, the one[e] saying [in Isa 6:9-10]: ‘In hearing, you will hear and by no means understand. And while seeing, you will see and by no means perceive. 15 For the heart of this people became dull[f], and they hardly[g] heard with their ears, and they closed their eyes that[h] they might not ever see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand in their heart and turn-back, and I shall heal[i] them’. 16 But blessed[j] are your eyes because they are seeing, and your ears, because they are hearing. 17 For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous ones desired to experience[k] the things which you are seeing, and they did not experience them, and to hear the things which you are hearing, and they did not hear them.
Jesus Explains The Parable of The Sower To His Disciples
18 “You therefore, hear the parable of the one having sown: 19 Anyone hearing the word[l] of the kingdom and not understanding it— the evil one comes and snatches-away the thing having been sown in his heart. This person is the one having been sown the seed along the road. 20 And the one having been sown the seed on the rocky places— this person is the one hearing the word and immediately receiving it with joy. 21 And he does not have a root in himself, but is temporary[m]. And affliction or persecution having come about because of the word— immediately he is caused-to-fall. 22 And the one having been sown the seed into the thorns— this person is the one hearing the word, and the anxiety[n] of the age[o] and the deceitfulness[p] of riches is choking the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 23 And the one having been sown the seed on the good soil— this person is the one hearing the word and understanding[q] it, who indeed[r] is bearing-fruit[s] and producing: one a hundred, and another sixty, and another thirty”.
A Field Is Sown With Good And Bad Seed: At Harvest The Weeds Will Be Burned
24 He put-before them another parable, saying, “The kingdom of the heavens became-like[t] a man having sown good seed in his field. 25 But during the men’s sleeping, his enemy came and re-sowed[u] darnel[v] between the wheat, and went away. 26 Now when the grass budded and produced fruit[w], then the darnel appeared also. 27 And having come to him, the slaves of the house-master said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then from where does it have the darnel?’ 28 And the one said to them, ‘A hostile man did this’. And the slaves say to him, ‘Then do you want us, having gone, to collect them?’ 29 But the one says, ‘No, that while collecting the darnel, you may not perhaps uproot the wheat together with them. 30 Permit both to grow together until the harvest. And at the time of the harvest I will say to the harvesters, “Collect first the darnel, and bind them into bundles so-as to burn them up. But gather the wheat into my barn”’”.
The Mustard Seed: God’s Kingdom Will Start Very Small And Grow Very Large
31 He put-before them another parable, saying, “The kingdom of the heavens is like a seed of a mustard-plant, which having taken, a man sowed in his field— 32 which is smaller than all the seeds, but when it grows is larger than the garden-plants. And it becomes a tree[x], so that the birds of the heaven come and are nesting in its branches”.
Like Leaven In Bread, God’s Kingdom Will Permeate The World
33 He spoke another parable to them, “The kingdom of the heavens is like leaven, which having taken, a woman concealed[y] into three measures[z] of wheat-flour until which time the whole thing was leavened”.
Jesus Spoke In Parables In Fulfillment of Psalm 78:2
34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. And He was speaking nothing to them apart from a parable, 35 so that the thing might be fulfilled having been spoken through the prophet saying “I will open My mouth in parables. I will utter things having been hidden since the foundation of the world” [Ps 78:2].
Jesus Teaches His Disciples Using Parables
36 Then, having left the crowds, He went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Make-clear to us the parable of the darnel of the field”. 37 And the One, having responded, said—
Jesus Explains The Parable of The Good And Bad Seed Sown In The Field
“The one sowing the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 And the field is the world. And the good seed— these are the sons of [aa] the kingdom. And the darnel are the sons of the evil one. 39 And the enemy having sown them is the devil. And the harvest is the conclusion of the age. And the harvesters are angels. 40 Therefore, just as the darnel is collected and burned up with fire, so it will be at the conclusion of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will collect out of His kingdom all the causes-of-falling and the ones doing lawlessness. 42 And they will throw them into the furnace of [ab] fire. In that place, there will be the weeping and the grinding of teeth. 43 Then the righteous ones will shine-forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let the one having ears, hear.
God’s Kingdom Is Like a Hidden Treasure Worth Selling All You Have To Obtain
44 “The kingdom of the heavens is like a treasure having been hidden in the field, which having found, a man hid. And from his joy[ac], he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls. 46 And having found one very-valuable pearl, having gone, he has sold all that he was having, and he bought it.
God’s Kingdom Is Like a Net Catching Every Kind of Fish. The Bad Are Thrown Out
47 “Again, the kingdom of the heavens is like a drag-net[ad] having been cast into the sea and having gathered fish of every kind— 48 which, when it was filled, having pulled it up on the shore, and having sat-down, they collected the good ones into containers and threw the bad[ae] ones outside. 49 So it will be at the conclusion of the age. The angels will go forth and separate the evil ones out of the midst of the righteous ones. 50 And they will throw them into the furnace of fire. In that place, there will be the weeping and the grinding of teeth.
Teachers in My Kingdom Will Expound From a Treasure of Old And New Things
51 “Did you understand all these things?” They say to Him, “Yes”. 52 And the One said to them, “For this reason[af], every scribe[ag] having become-a-disciple[ah] in[ai] the kingdom of the heavens is like a man who is a house-master, who brings out new things and old[aj] things from his treasure”.
The Hometown People Are Astounded At Jesus, But Unbelieving
53 And it came about that when Jesus finished these parables, He went-away from there. 54 And having come into His hometown[ak], He was teaching them in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and saying “From where did this wisdom and the miracles come to this One? 55 Is not this One the son of the carpenter? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Jude[al]? 56 And His sisters, are they not all with us? From where then did all these things come to this One?” 57 And they were taking-offense[am] at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without-honor except in his hometown and in his house”. 58 And He did not do many[an] miracles there because of their unbelief.
Footnotes
- Matthew 13:5 That is, bedrock or rocky outcroppings.
- Matthew 13:7 Or, strangled, suffocated.
- Matthew 13:11 Or, understand.
- Matthew 13:11 That is, the things formerly hidden, but now being revealed by Jesus.
- Matthew 13:14 That is, the prophecy saying.
- Matthew 13:15 Or, thick, fat, insensitive.
- Matthew 13:15 That is, with difficulty. They are spiritually hard of hearing.
- Matthew 13:15 This expresses the purpose of the people. They willfully closed their eyes to God that they might not ever see what they did not want to see, and never have to change their ways and return to God.
- Matthew 13:15 Or, would heal. This is what God would do if they saw, heard, understood, and turned back, but they refuse to take this path.
- Matthew 13:16 Or, fortunate.
- Matthew 13:17 Or, see, but not the same word as next.
- Matthew 13:19 Or, message.
- Matthew 13:21 Or, transitory.
- Matthew 13:22 Or, concern, care.
- Matthew 13:22 Or, world; that is, this life.
- Matthew 13:22 Or, deception.
- Matthew 13:23 This is in contrast with the first soil, v 19.
- Matthew 13:23 Or, now, at this time; or, therefore.
- Matthew 13:23 This is in contrast with the second two soils.
- Matthew 13:24 Or, was like. Jesus may be speaking prophetically from the point of view of the end of the age; or, He may mean this in a timeless sense, ‘is like’.
- Matthew 13:25 Or, over-sowed.
- Matthew 13:25 This is a weed that is indistinguishable from wheat in its early stages.
- Matthew 13:26 That is, heads of grain.
- Matthew 13:32 That is, in relative size. Compare Mk 4:32.
- Matthew 13:33 Or, hid in. Normally, we would say ‘mixed into’, but this puts emphasis on the mixer and the mixing. Jesus is putting emphasis on the hiddenness of the leaven within the flour, and its transforming of the whole from within.
- Matthew 13:33 Or seah, a Hebrew measure, amounting here to about six gallons or 25 liters, a batch size seen in Gen 18:6.
- Matthew 13:38 That is, belonging to.
- Matthew 13:42 That is, characterized by fire; the fiery furnace.
- Matthew 13:44 Or, from the joy of it.
- Matthew 13:47 That is, a large fishing net deployed from a boat.
- Matthew 13:48 good... bad. That is, the ‘fit’ to eat versus the ‘unusable’.
- Matthew 13:52 That is, because the disciples now understand these new truths.
- Matthew 13:52 That is, expert on the OT.
- Matthew 13:52 Or, having been discipled, made a disciple.
- Matthew 13:52 Or, for.
- Matthew 13:52 His treasure now contains old truths and new (previously hidden) truths about the kingdom of Messiah. This scribe can now expound both.
- Matthew 13:54 That is, Nazareth.
- Matthew 13:55 Or, Judas, Judah.
- Matthew 13:57 Or, being caused to fall.
- Matthew 13:58 Or, great.
Matthew 13
New International Version
Matthew 13
New International Version
The Parable of the Sower(A)(B)(C)
13 That same day Jesus went out of the house(D) and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat(E) and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred,(F) sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”(G)
10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven(H) has been given to you,(I) but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.(J) 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.(K)
14 In them is fulfilled(L) the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For 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.’[a](M)
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.(N) 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see(O) 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: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom(P) and does not understand it, the evil one(Q) comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.(R) 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth(S) choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But 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.”(T)
The Parable of the Weeds
24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like(U) a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, 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 the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 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 and bring it into my barn.’”(V)
The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast(W)(X)
31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like(Y) a mustard seed,(Z) which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though 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.”(AA)
33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like(AB) yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds[b] of flour(AC) until it worked all through the dough.”(AD)
34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.(AE) 35 So was fulfilled(AF) what was spoken through the prophet:
“I will open my mouth in parables,
I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”[c](AG)
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable(AH) of the weeds in the field.”
37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.(AI) 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one,(AJ) 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest(AK) is the end of the age,(AL) and the harvesters are angels.(AM)
40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man(AN) will send out his angels,(AO) and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.(AP) 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun(AQ) in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.(AR)
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like(AS) 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.(AT)
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like(AU) a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When 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(AV) a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds(AW) of fish. 48 When 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. 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous(AX) 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.(AY)
51 “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.
“Yes,” they replied.
52 He 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 Honor(AZ)
53 When Jesus had finished these parables,(BA) he moved on from there. 54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue,(BB) and they were amazed.(BC) “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?(BD) Isn’t his mother’s(BE) name Mary, and aren’t his brothers(BF) James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense(BG) at him.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”(BH)
58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Footnotes
- Matthew 13:15 Isaiah 6:9,10 (see Septuagint)
- Matthew 13:33 Or about 27 kilograms
- Matthew 13:35 Psalm 78:2
Matthew 13
King James Version
Matthew 13
King James Version
13 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:
6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:
8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.
19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.
20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;
21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:
35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.
37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.
40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:
46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.
49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.
52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.
53 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.
54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
55 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Disciples’ Literal New Testament (DLNT) 
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.