New International Version NIV
New International Reader's Version NIRV
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.
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That same day Jesus left the house and sat by the Sea of Galilee.
2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.
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Large crowds gathered around him. So he got into a boat. He sat down in it. 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.
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Then he told them many things by using stories. He said, "A farmer went out to plant his seed.
4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
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He scattered the seed on the ground. Some fell on a path. 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.
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Some seed fell on rocky places, where there wasn't much soil. The plants came up quickly, because the soil wasn't deep.
6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
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When the sun came up, it burned the plants. They dried up because they had no roots.
7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
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Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and crowded out the plants.
8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
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Still other seed fell on good soil. It produced a crop 100, 60 or 30 times more than what was planted.
9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
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Those who have ears should listen."
10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
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The disciples came to him. They asked, "Why do you use stories when you speak to the people?"
11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
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He replied, "You have been given the chance to understand the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. It has not been given to outsiders.
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.
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Everyone who has that kind of knowledge will be given more. In fact, they will have very much. If anyone doesn't have that kind of knowledge, even what little he has will be taken away from him.
13 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
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Here is why I use stories when I speak to the people. I say, "They look, but they don't really see. They listen, but they don't really hear or understand.
14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
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"In them the words of the prophet Isaiah come true. He said, " 'You will hear but never understand. You will see but never know what you are seeing.
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.’
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The hearts of these people have become stubborn. They can barely hear with their ears. They have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes. They might hear with their ears. They might understand with their hearts. They might turn to the Lord, and then he would heal them.' (Isaiah 6:9,10)
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
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"But blessed are your eyes because they see. And blessed are your ears because they hear.
17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
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What I'm about to tell you is true. Many prophets and godly people wanted to see what you see. But they didn't see it. They wanted to hear what you hear. But they didn't hear it.
18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:
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"Listen! Here is the meaning of the story of the farmer.
19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
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People hear the message about the kingdom but do not understand it. Then the evil one comes. He steals what was planted in their hearts. Those people are like the seed planted on a path.
20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.
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Others received the seed that fell on rocky places. They are those who hear the message and at once receive 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.
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But they have no roots. So they last only a short time. They quickly fall away from the faith when trouble or suffering comes because of the message.
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 choke the word, making it unfruitful.
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Others received the seed that fell among the thorns. They are those who hear the message. But then the worries of this life and the false promises of wealth crowd it out. They keep it from producing fruit.
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.”
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But still others received the seed that fell on good soil. They are those who hear the message and understand it. They produce a crop 100, 60 or 30 times more than the farmer planted."
24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
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Jesus told the crowd another story. "Here is what the kingdom of heaven is like," he said. "A man planted good seed in his field.
25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.
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But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came. The enemy planted weeds among the wheat and then went away.
26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
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The wheat began to grow and form grain. At the same time, weeds 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?’
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"The owner's servants came to him. They said, 'Sir, didn't you plant good seed in your field? Then where 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?’
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" 'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull the weeds up?'
29 “ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them.
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" 'No,' the owner answered. 'While you are pulling up the weeds, you might pull up 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.’ ”
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Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the workers what to do. Here is what I will say to them. First collect the weeds. Tie them in bundles to be burned. Then gather the wheat. Bring it into my storeroom.' "
31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.
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Jesus told the crowd another story. He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. Someone took the seed and planted it in a 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.”
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It is the smallest of all your seeds. But when it grows, it is the largest of all garden plants. It becomes a tree. Birds come and rest in its branches."
33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty poundsof flour until it worked all through the dough.”
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Jesus told them still another story. "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast," he said. "A woman mixed it into a large amount of flour. The yeast worked its way all through the dough."
34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.
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Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd by using stories. He did not say anything to them without telling a story.
35 So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”
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So the words spoken by the prophet came true. He had said, "I will open my mouth and tell stories. I will speak about things that were hidden since the world was made." (Psalm 78:2)
36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
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Then Jesus left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him. They said, "Explain to us the story of the weeds in the field."
37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.
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He answered, "The one who planted the good seed is the Son of Man.
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,
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The field is the world. The good seed stands for the people who belong to the kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one.
39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
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The enemy who plants them is the devil. The harvest is judgment day. And the workers are angels.
40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.
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"The weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire. That is how it will be on judgment day.
41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
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The Son of Man will send out his angels. They will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin. They will also get rid of all who do evil.
42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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They will throw them into the blazing furnace. There people will sob and grind their teeth.
43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
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Then God's people will shine like the sun in their Father's kingdom. Those who have ears should listen.
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like 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.
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"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure that was hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again. He was very happy. So he went and sold everything he had. And he bought that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.
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"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a trader who was looking for fine pearls.
46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
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He found one that was very valuable. So he went away and sold everything he had. And he bought that pearl.
47 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish.
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"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net. It was let down into the lake. It caught all kinds 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.
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When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and gathered the good fish into baskets. But they threw the bad fish 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
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This is how it will be on judgment day. The angels will come. They will separate the people who did what is wrong from those who did what is right.
50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
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They will throw the evil people into the blazing furnace. There the evil ones will sob and grind their teeth.
51 “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked. “Yes,” they replied.
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"Do you understand 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.”
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He said to them, "Every teacher of the law who has been taught about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house. He brings new treasures out of his storeroom as well as old ones."
53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there.
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Jesus finished telling these stories. Then he moved on from there.
54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked.
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He came to his hometown of Nazareth. There he began teaching the people in their synagogue. They were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom? Where did he get this power to do miracles?" they asked.
55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?
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"Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary? Aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?
56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”
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Aren't all his sisters with us? Then where 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 own town and in his own home.”
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They were not pleased with him at all. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not honored in his hometown. He doesn't receive any honor in his own home."
58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
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He did only a few miracles there because they had no faith.
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.
Holy Bible, New International Reader's Version® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.