The Gospel According to St. Matthew

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 13 -

(Mark 4:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)

The same day Jesus going out of the house, sat by the sea side.

And great multitudes were gathered unto him, so that he went up into a boat and sat: and all the multitude stood on the shore.

And he spoke to them many things in parables, saying: Behold the sower went forth to sow.

And whilst he soweth some fell by the way side, and the birds of the air came and ate them up.

And other some fell upon stony ground, where they had not much earth: and they sprung up immediately, because they had no deepness of earth.

And when the sun was up they were scorched: and because they had not root, they withered away.

And others fell among thorns: and the thorns grew up and choked them.

And others fell upon good ground: and they brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold.

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables

(Isaiah 6:1–13; Mark 4:10–12; Luke 8:9–10)

And his disciples came and said to him: Why speakest thou to them in parables?

Who answered and said to them: Because to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven: but to them it is not given.

For he that hath, to him shall be given, and he shall abound: but he that hath not, from him shall be taken away that also which he hath.

Therefore do I speak to them in parables: because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

And the prophecy of Isaias is fulfilled in them, who saith: By hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing you shall see, and shall not perceive.

For the heart of this people is grown gross, and with their ears they have been dull of hearing, and their eyes they have shut: lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.

For, amen, I say to you, many prophets and just men have desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the things that you hear and have not heard them.

The Parable of the Sower Explained

(Mark 4:13–20; Luke 8:11–15)

Hear you therefore the parable of the sower.

When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, there cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart: this is he that received the seed by the way side.

And he that received the seed upon stony ground, is he that heareth the word, and immediately receiveth it with joy.

Yet hath he not root in himself, but is only for a time: and when there ariseth tribulation and persecution because of the word, he is presently scandalized.

And he that received the seed among thorns, is he that heareth the word, and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choketh up the word, and he becometh fruitless.

But he that received the seed upon good ground, is he that heareth the word, and understandeth, and beareth fruit, and yieldeth the one an hundredfold, and another sixty, and another thirty.

The Parable of the Weeds

(Ezekiel 17:1–10)

Another parable he proposed to them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man that sowed good seeds in his field.

But while men were asleep, his enemy came and oversowed cockle among the wheat and went his way.

And when the blade was sprung up, and had brought forth fruit, then appeared also the cockle.

And the servants of the goodman of the house coming said to him: Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it cockle?

And he said to them: An enemy hath done this. And the servants said to him: Wilt thou that we go and gather it up?

And he said: No, lest perhaps gathering up the cockle, you root up the wheat also together with it.

Suffer both to grow until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers: Gather up first the cockle, and bind it into bundles to burn, but the wheat gather ye into my barn.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

(Mark 4:30–34; Luke 13:18–19)

Another parable he proposed unto them, saying: The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field.

Which is the least indeed of all seeds; but when it is grown up, it is greater than all herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come, and dwell in the branches thereof.

The Parable of the Leaven

(Luke 13:20–21)

Another parable he spoke to them: The kingdom of heaven is like to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until the whole was leavened.

I Will Open My Mouth in Parables

(Psalm 78:1–72)

All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the multitudes: and without parables he did not speak to them.

That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

(Zephaniah 1:1–6)

Then having sent away the multitudes, he came into the house, and his disciples came to him, saying: Expound to us the parable of the cockle of the field.

Who made answer and said to them: He that soweth the good seed, is the Son of man.

And the field, is the world. And the good seed are the children of the kingdom. And the cockle, are the children of the wicked one.

And the enemy that sowed them, is the devil. But the harvest is the end of the world. And the reapers are the angels.

Even as cockle therefore is gathered up, and burnt with fire: so shall it be at the end of the world.

The Son of man shall send his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all scandals, and them that work iniquity.

And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Then shall the just shine as the sun, in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The Parables of the Treasure and the Pearl

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in a field. Which a man having found, hid it, and for joy thereof goeth, and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a merchant seeking good pearls.

Who when he had found one pearl of great price, went his way, and sold all that he had, and bought it.

The Parable of the Net

Again the kingdom of heaven is like to a net cast into the sea, and gathering together of all kind of fishes.

Which, when it was filled, they drew out, and sitting by the shore, they chose out the good into vessels, but the bad they cast forth.

So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall go out, and shall separate the wicked from among the just.

And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Have ye understood all these things? They say to him: Yes.

He said unto them: Therefore every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven, is like to a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure new things and old.

The Rejection at Nazareth

(Mark 6:1–6; Luke 4:16–30)

And it came to pass: when Jesus had finished these parables, he passed from thence.

And coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogues, so that they wondered and said: How came this man by this wisdom and miracles?

Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brethren James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Jude:

And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence therefore hath he all these things?

And they were scandalized in his regard. But Jesus said to them: A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

And he wrought not many miracles there, because of their unbelief.

(Mark 4:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)

On that day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the seaside.

Great multitudes gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat and sat; and all the multitude stood on the beach.

He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, “Behold, a farmer went out to sow.

As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them.

Others fell on rocky ground, where they didn’t have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth.

When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away.

Others fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them.

Others fell on good soil and yielded fruit: some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables

(Isaiah 6:1–13; Mark 4:10–12; Luke 8:9–10)

The disciples came, and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”

He answered them, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them.

For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever doesn’t have, from him will be taken away even that which he has.

Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t hear, neither do they understand.

In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, ‘By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive;

for this people’s heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, and they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and would turn again, and I would heal them.’ (a)

“But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.

For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn’t see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and didn’t hear them.

The Parable of the Sower Explained

(Mark 4:13–20; Luke 8:11–15)

“Hear, then, the parable of the farmer.

When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside.

What was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word and immediately with joy receives it;

yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.

What was sown among the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit and produces, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.”

The Parable of the Weeds

(Ezekiel 17:1–10)

He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,

but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds (b) also among the wheat, and went away.

But when the blade sprang up and produced grain, then the darnel weeds appeared also.

The servants of the householder came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where did these darnel weeds come from?’

“He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them up?’

“But he said, ‘No, lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel weeds, you root up the wheat with them.

Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First, gather up the darnel weeds, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

(Mark 4:30–34; Luke 13:18–19)

He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took, and sowed in his field,

which indeed is smaller than all 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 lodge in its branches.”

The Parable of the Leaven

(Luke 13:20–21)

He spoke another parable to them. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast which a woman took and hid in three measures (c) of meal, until it was all leavened.”

I Will Open My Mouth in Parables

(Psalm 78:1–72)

Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes; and without a parable, he didn’t speak to them,

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.”(d)

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

(Zephaniah 1:1–6)

Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the darnel weeds of the field.”

He answered them, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,

the field is the world, the good seeds are the children of the Kingdom, and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one.

The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

As therefore the darnel weeds are gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the end of this age.

The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling and those who do iniquity,

and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

The Parables of the Treasure and the Pearl

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls,

who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

The Parable of the Net

“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet that was cast into the sea and gathered some fish of every kind,

which, when it was filled, fishermen drew up on the beach. They sat down and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away.

So it will be in the end of the world. (e) The angels will come and separate the wicked from among the righteous,

and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?” They answered him, “Yes, Lord.”

He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things.”

The Rejection at Nazareth

(Mark 6:1–6; Luke 4:16–30)

When Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there.

Coming into 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?

Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?(f)

Aren’t all of his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all of these things?”

They were offended by him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country and in his own house.”

He didn’t do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Footnotes

(a)13:15 ℘ Isaiah 6:9-10

(b)13:25 darnel is a weed grass (probably bearded darnel or lolium temulentum) that looks very much like wheat until it is mature, when the difference becomes very apparent.

(d)13:35 ℘ Psalms 78:2

(e)13:49 or, end of the age.

(f)13:55 or, Judah