English Standard Version ESV
New King James Version NKJV
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.
1
On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.
2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach.
2
And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: “A sower went out to sow.
3
Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow.
4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.
4
And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.
5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil,
5
Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.
6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.
6
But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.
7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
7
And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.
8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
8
But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
9 He who has ears, let him hear. ”
9
He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"
10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables? ”
10
And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"
11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
11
He answered and said to them, "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
12
For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
13
Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. ”
14
And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive;
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them. ’
15
For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.'
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
16
"But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;
17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
17
for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
18 “Hear then the parable of the sower:
18
"Therefore hear the parable of the sower:
19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.
19
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.
20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy,
20
But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;
21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.
21
yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
22
Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty. ”
23
But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."
24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,
24
Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;
25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.
25
but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.
26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.
26
But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.
27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds? ’
27
So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?'
28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this. ’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them? ’
28
He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Do you want us then to go and gather them up?'
29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.
29
But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.
30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn. ’”
30
Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn." ' "
31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.
31
Another parable He put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field,
32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches. ”
32
which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches."
33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened. ”
33
Another parable He spoke to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened."
34 All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable.
34
All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them,
35 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world. ”
35
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world."
36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field. ”
36
Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field."
37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
37
He answered and said to them: "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,
38
The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.
39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.
39
The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.
40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.
40
Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.
41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers,
41
The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness,
42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
42
and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
43
Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
44
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,
45
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls,
46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
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 a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.
47
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind,
48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.
48
which, when it was full, they drew to shore; and they sat down and gathered the good into vessels, but threw the bad away.
49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous
49
So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come forth, separate the wicked from among the just,
50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
50
and cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
51 “Have you understood all these things? ”They said to him, “Yes. ”
51
Jesus said to them, "Have you understood all these things?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord."
52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old. ”
52
Then He said to them, "Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old."
53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there,
53
Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there.
54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?
54
And when He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?
55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
55
Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?
56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things? ”
56
And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?"
57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household. ”
57
So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house."
58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
58
Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.