Matthew 13 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.
That same day, Jesus left the house and sat down beside the
Such a huge gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat down, while the entire stood along the shore.
Then he told them many things using as He said, "A farmer went out to his seed.
As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the and the birds came and ate it up.
Some fell on where there wasn't much soil. It sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow,
but when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and since they had no roots, they dried up and died.
Other seed fell among which grew up and choked the plants out.
But some seed fell on and produced a crop — some multiplying a hundred times, some sixty, some thirty.
If you have ears, then
The came up to him and asked, "Why do you talk to them using these stories?"
He answered, "You've been given access to the of the of but they haven't.
Because whoever has understanding will be given more, and they'll have plenty. But whoever doesn't have it — even what little they have will be taken from them.
This is why I talk to them using stories: because even though they look, they don't really see, and even though they listen, they don't really hear or understand.
In them, Isaiah's prophecy is coming true: 'You will listen and listen but never understand. You will look and look but never see.
Because the of these people have become thick and calloused. They barely hear with their ears, and they've shut their eyes — so that they might never see with their eyes, or hear with their ears, or understand with their and so I could heal them.'
is for your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.
I'm telling you the truth — many prophets and longed to see what you're seeing but never saw it, and to hear what you're hearing but never heard it.
"So listen to what the story of the farmer planting seed really means:
When anyone hears the message about the and doesn't understand it, the comes and snatches away what was planted in their heart. This is the seed that fell along the path.
The seed on rocky ground is the person who hears the message and immediately receives it with excitement.
But since they have no roots, they only last for a while. When trouble or comes because of the message, they immediately
The seed among the thorn bushes is the person who hears the message, but the worries of life and the of choke it out, and nothing comes of it.
But the seed on good soil is the person who hears the message and it. They produce a harvest — some multiplying a hundred times, some sixty, some thirty."
He told them another story: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who planted good seed in his field.
But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and scattered among the wheat, and then left.
When the wheat sprouted and formed heads of grain, the weeds showed up too.
The owner's workers came and said, 'Sir, didn't you plant good seed in your field? So where did all these weeds come from?'
He told them, 'An did this.' The workers asked, 'Do you want us to go pull them up?'
'No,' he said, 'because while you're pulling up the weeds, you might accidentally uproot the wheat too.
Let them both grow together until Then I'll tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned, then gather the wheat into my barn.'"
He told them another story: "The kingdom of heaven is like a that someone took and planted in their field.
It's the smallest of all seeds, but when it grows, it becomes the biggest plant in the garden — it turns into a tree big enough for to and in its
He told them another story: "The kingdom of heaven is like that a woman took and mixed into sixty pounds of flour until it worked all the way through the dough."
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds using stories. He didn't say anything to them without using a story,
so that what was spoken through the would come true: "I will open my mouth with stories as illustrations. I will speak about the of the
Then he left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain the story of the weeds in the field to us."
He answered, "The one who plants the good seed is the of
The field is the The good seed — those are the people who belong to the kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one.
The enemy who planted the weeds is the The harvest is the of this and the harvesters are
Just as the weeds are collected and burned, that's how it will be at the end of this age.
The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will pull out of his kingdom that to and who in of
They'll throw them into the where there will be weeping and of
Then those who will the in their Father's kingdom. If you have ears, then really listen!
"The kingdom of heaven is like a hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his he went and sold everything he had and bought that field.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a looking for fine
When he found one pearl, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a that was thrown into the lake and caught all kinds of fish.
When it was full, the fishermen pulled it onto the shore. Then they sat down and sorted the good fish into containers and threw the bad ones away.
That's how it will be at the end of this age. The angels will come and separate the from among those who
and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.