New International Version NIV
American Standard Version ASV
1 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge.
1
And again he began to teach by the sea side. And there is gathered unto him a very great multitude, so that he entered into a boat, and sat in the sea; and all the multitude were by the sea on the land.
2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said:
2
And he taught them many things in parables, and said unto them in his teaching,
3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.
3
Hearken: Behold, the sower went forth to sow:
4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
4
and it came to pass, as he sowed, some [seed] fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured it.
5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
5
And other fell on the rocky [ground], where it had not much earth; and straightway it sprang up, because it had no deepness of earth:
6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
6
and when the sun was risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.
7
And other fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”
8
And others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing; and brought forth, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.
9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
9
And he said, Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables.
10
And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parables.
11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables
11
And he said unto them, Unto you is given the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all things are done in parables:
12 so that, “ ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”
12
that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest haply they should turn again, and it should be forgiven them.
13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?
13
And he saith unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how shall ye know all the parables?
14 The farmer sows the word.
14
The sower soweth the word.
15 Some people are like seed 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.
15
And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; and when they have heard, straightway cometh Satan, and taketh away the word which hath been sown in them.
16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.
16
And these in like manner are they that are sown upon the rocky [places], who, when they have heard the word, straightway receive it with joy;
17 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.
17
and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway they stumble.
18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;
18
And others are they that are sown among the thorns; these are they that have heard the word,
19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
19
and the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”
20
And those are they that were sown upon the good ground; such as hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.
21 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?
21
And he said unto them, Is the lamp brought to be put under the bushel, or under the bed, [and] not to be put on the stand?
22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.
22
For there is nothing hid, save that it should be manifested; neither was [anything] made secret, but that it should come to light.
23 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”
23
If any man hath ears to hear, let him hear.
24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more.
24
And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete it shall be measured unto you; and more shall be given unto you.
25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”
25
For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath.
26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground.
26
And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed upon the earth;
27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.
27
and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he knoweth not how.
28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.
28
The earth beareth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
29
But when the fruit is ripe, straightway he putteth forth the sickle, because the harvest is come.
30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?
30
And he said, How shall we liken the kingdom of God? or in what parable shall we set it forth?
31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth.
31
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown upon the earth, though it be less than all the seeds that are upon the earth,
32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
32
yet when it is sown, groweth up, and becometh greater than all the herbs, and putteth out great branches; so that the birds of the heaven can lodge under the shadow thereof.
33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.
33
And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it;
34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
34
and without a parable spake he not unto them: but privately to his own disciples he expounded all things.
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.”
35
And on that day, when even was come, he saith unto them, Let us go over unto the other side.
36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.
36
And leaving the multitude, they take him with them, even as he was, in the boat. And other boats were with him.
37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.
37
And there ariseth a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the boat, insomuch that the boat was now filling.
38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
38
And he himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion: and they awake him, and say unto him, Teacher, carest thou not that we perish?
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
39
And he awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
40
And he said unto them, Why are ye fearful? have ye not yet faith?
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
41
And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.
The American Standard Version is in the public domain.