1Later that same day, Jesus left the house and went down to the shore,
2where an immense crowd soon gathered. He got into a boat, where he sat and taught as the people listened on the shore.
3He told many stories such as this one: "A farmer went out to plant some seed.
4As he scattered it across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them.
5Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The plants sprang up quickly,
6but they soon wilted beneath the hot sun and died because the roots had no nourishment in the shallow soil.
7Other seeds fell among thorns that shot up and choked out the tender blades.
8But some seeds fell on fertile soil and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted.
9Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!"
10His disciples came and asked him, "Why do you always tell stories when you talk to the people?"
11Then he explained to them, "You have been permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others have not.
12To those who are open to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But to those who are not listening, even what they have will be taken away from them.
13That is why I tell these stories, because people see what I do, but they don’t really see. They hear what I say, but they don’t really hear, and they don’t understand.
14This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah, which says: ‘You will hear my words, but you will not understand; you will see what I do, but you will not perceive its meaning.
15For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes––so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’
16"But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.
17I assure you, many prophets and godly people have longed to see and hear what you have seen and heard, but they could not.
18"Now here is the explanation of the story I told about the farmer sowing grain:
19The seed that fell on the hard path represents those who hear the Good News about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches the seed away from their hearts.
20The rocky soil represents those who hear the message and receive it with joy.
21But like young plants in such soil, their roots don’t go very deep. At first they get along fine, but they wilt as soon as they have problems or are persecuted because they believe the word.
22The thorny ground represents those who hear and accept the Good News, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the cares of this life and the lure of wealth, so no crop is produced.
23The good soil represents the hearts of those who truly accept God’s message and produce a huge harvest––thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted."
24Here is another story Jesus told: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field.
25But that night as everyone slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat.
26When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.
27The farmer’s servants came and told him, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds!’
28"‘An enemy has done it!’ the farmer exclaimed. "‘Shall we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.
29"He replied, ‘No, you’ll hurt the wheat if you do.
30Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds and burn them and to put the wheat in the barn.’"
31Here is another illustration Jesus used: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field.
32It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants and grows into a tree where birds can come and find shelter in its branches."
33Jesus also used this illustration: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast used by a woman making bread. Even though she used a large amount of flour, the yeast permeated every part of the dough."
34Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables.
35This fulfilled the prophecy that said, "I will speak to you in parables. I will explain mysteries hidden since the creation of the world."
36Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, "Please explain the story of the weeds in the field."
37"All right," he said. "I, the Son of Man, am the farmer who plants the good seed.
38The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one.
39The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.
40"Just as the weeds are separated out and burned, so it will be at the end of the world.
41I, the Son of Man, will send my angels, and they will remove from my Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil,
42and they will throw them into the furnace and burn them. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43Then the godly will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!
44"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field––and to get the treasure, too!
45"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a pearl merchant on the lookout for choice pearls.
46When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!
47"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that is thrown into the water and gathers fish of every kind.
48When the net is full, they drag it up onto the shore, sit down, sort the good fish into crates, and throw the bad ones away.
49That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the godly,
50throwing the wicked into the fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51Do you understand?" "Yes," they said, "we do."
52Then he added, "Every teacher of religious law who has become a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a person who brings out of the storehouse the new teachings as well as the old."
53When Jesus had finished telling these stories, he left that part of the country.
54He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was astonished and said, "Where does he get his wisdom and his miracles?
55He’s just a carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers––James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas.
56All his sisters live right here among us. What makes him so great?"
57And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family."
58And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief.
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