Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while men slept his enemy came and resowed weeds among the wheat and then went away. When the blade sprouted and formed the kernel, then the weeds appeared as well. read more.
So the servants of the owner went to him and said, 'Did you not sow good seed in your field, sir? How then does it contain weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Then would you like us to go and gather them?' 'No,' he said, 'for you might root up the wheat when you were gathering the weeds. Let them both grow side by side till harvest; and at harvest-time I will tell the reapers to gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to be burnt, but to collect the wheat in my granary.'" He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man takes and sows in his field. It is less than any seed on earth, but when it grows up it is larger than any plant, it becomes a tree, so large that the wild birds come and roost in its branches." He told them another parable. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like dough which a woman took and buried in three pecks of flour, till all of it was leavened." Jesus said all this to the crowds in parables; he never spoke to them except in a parable ??35 to fulfil what had been said by the prophet, I will open my mouth in parables, I will speak out what has been hidden since the foundation of the world. Then he left the crowds and went indoors. And his disciples came up to him saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." So he replied, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed means the sons of the Realm; the weeds are the sons of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are angels. Well then, just as the weeds are gathered and burnt in the fire, so will it be at the end of the world; the Son of man will despatch his angels, and they will gather out of his Realm all who are hindrances and who practise iniquity, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will wail and gnash their teeth. Then the just will shine like the sun in the Realm of their Father. He who has an ear, let him listen to this. The Realm of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field; the man who finds it hides it and in his delight goes and sells all he possesses and buys that field. Again, the Realm of heaven is like a trader in search of fine pearls; when he finds a single pearl of high price, he is off to sell all he possesses and buy it. Again, the Realm of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and collected fish of every sort. When it was full, they dragged it to the beach and sitting down they gathered the good fish into vessels but flung away the bad. So will it be at the end of the world. The angels will go out and separate the evil from among the just and fling them into the furnace of fire; there men will wail and gnash their teeth. Have you understood all this?" They said to him, "Yes." So he said to them, "Well then, every scribe who has become a disciple of the Realm of heaven is like a householder who produces what is new and what is old from his stores."


He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man takes and sows in his field. It is less than any seed on earth, but when it grows up it is larger than any plant, it becomes a tree, so large that the wild birds come and roost in its branches."

He said also, "To what can we compare the Realm of God? how are we to put it in a parable? It is like a grain of mustard-seed ??less than any seed on earth when it is sown on earth; but once sown it springs up to be larger than any plant, throwing out such big branches that the wild birds can roost under its shadow." read more.
In many a parable like this he spoke the word to them, so far as they could listen to it;

So he said, "What is the Reign of God like? to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man took and put into his orchard, where it grew up and became a tree, and the wild birds roosted in its branches."



The axe is lying all ready at the root of the trees; any tree that is not producing good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier, and I am not fit even to carry his sandals; he will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fan is in his hand, he will clean out his threshing-floor, his wheat he will gather into the granary, but the straw he will burn with fire unquenchable."

He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while men slept his enemy came and resowed weeds among the wheat and then went away. When the blade sprouted and formed the kernel, then the weeds appeared as well. read more.
So the servants of the owner went to him and said, 'Did you not sow good seed in your field, sir? How then does it contain weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Then would you like us to go and gather them?' 'No,' he said, 'for you might root up the wheat when you were gathering the weeds. Let them both grow side by side till harvest; and at harvest-time I will tell the reapers to gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to be burnt, but to collect the wheat in my granary.'" He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man takes and sows in his field. It is less than any seed on earth, but when it grows up it is larger than any plant, it becomes a tree, so large that the wild birds come and roost in its branches." He told them another parable. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like dough which a woman took and buried in three pecks of flour, till all of it was leavened." Jesus said all this to the crowds in parables; he never spoke to them except in a parable ??35 to fulfil what had been said by the prophet, I will open my mouth in parables, I will speak out what has been hidden since the foundation of the world. Then he left the crowds and went indoors. And his disciples came up to him saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." So he replied, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed means the sons of the Realm; the weeds are the sons of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are angels. Well then, just as the weeds are gathered and burnt in the fire, so will it be at the end of the world; the Son of man will despatch his angels, and they will gather out of his Realm all who are hindrances and who practise iniquity, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will wail and gnash their teeth. Then the just will shine like the sun in the Realm of their Father. He who has an ear, let him listen to this.

Now as people's expectations were roused and as everybody thought to himself about John, "Can he be the Christ," John said to them all, "I baptize you with water, but after me one who is mightier will come, and I am not fit to untie the string of his sandals; he will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fan is in his hand to purge his threshing-floor, to gather the wheat into his granary and burn the straw with fire unquenchable."

And another angel came out of the temple, shouting aloud to him who sat upon the cloud, "Thrust your sickle in and reap, the time has come to reap, the harvest of earth is ripe and ready." So he who sat upon the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped. Then another angel came out of the temple, he too with a sharp sickle; read more.
and another angel came from the altar ??he who has power over fire ??and called loudly to the one who had the sharp sickle, "Thrust your sharp sickle in, cull the clusters from the Vine of earth, for its grapes are fully ripe." So the angel swung his sickle on the earth and culled the clusters from the Vine of earth, flinging the grapes into the great winepress of God's wrath; outside the City was the winepress trodden, and blood gushed out of the winepress as high as a horse's bridle for the space of two hundred miles.


For the Realm of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard;

Then shall the Realm of heaven be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride.



He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,

He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man takes and sows in his field.

Again, the Realm of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and collected fish of every sort.


and said, "I tell you truly, unless you turn and become like children, you will never get into the Realm of heaven at all. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the Realm of heaven;

He said to them, "You are from the world below, I am from the world above: you belong to this world, I do not belong to this world.

He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while men slept his enemy came and resowed weeds among the wheat and then went away. When the blade sprouted and formed the kernel, then the weeds appeared as well. read more.
So the servants of the owner went to him and said, 'Did you not sow good seed in your field, sir? How then does it contain weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Then would you like us to go and gather them?' 'No,' he said, 'for you might root up the wheat when you were gathering the weeds. Let them both grow side by side till harvest; and at harvest-time I will tell the reapers to gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to be burnt, but to collect the wheat in my granary.'" He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man takes and sows in his field. It is less than any seed on earth, but when it grows up it is larger than any plant, it becomes a tree, so large that the wild birds come and roost in its branches." He told them another parable. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like dough which a woman took and buried in three pecks of flour, till all of it was leavened." Jesus said all this to the crowds in parables; he never spoke to them except in a parable ??35 to fulfil what had been said by the prophet, I will open my mouth in parables, I will speak out what has been hidden since the foundation of the world. Then he left the crowds and went indoors. And his disciples came up to him saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." So he replied, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed means the sons of the Realm; the weeds are the sons of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are angels. Well then, just as the weeds are gathered and burnt in the fire, so will it be at the end of the world; the Son of man will despatch his angels, and they will gather out of his Realm all who are hindrances and who practise iniquity, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will wail and gnash their teeth. Then the just will shine like the sun in the Realm of their Father. He who has an ear, let him listen to this. The Realm of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field; the man who finds it hides it and in his delight goes and sells all he possesses and buys that field. Again, the Realm of heaven is like a trader in search of fine pearls; when he finds a single pearl of high price, he is off to sell all he possesses and buy it. Again, the Realm of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and collected fish of every sort. When it was full, they dragged it to the beach and sitting down they gathered the good fish into vessels but flung away the bad. So will it be at the end of the world. The angels will go out and separate the evil from among the just and fling them into the furnace of fire; there men will wail and gnash their teeth. Have you understood all this?" They said to him, "Yes."

no one will say, 'Here it is' or 'There it is,' for the Reign of God is now in your midst."

Jesus replied, "My realm does not belong to this world; if my realm did belong to this world, my men would have fought to prevent me being handed over to the Jews. No, my realm lies elsewhere." "So you are a king?" said Pilate, "you!" "Certainly," said Jesus, "I am a king. This is why I was born, this is why I came into the world, to bear testimony to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."

Once convinced of this, then, I estimate no one by what is external; even though I once estimated Christ by what is external, I no longer estimate him thus. There is a new creation whenever a man comes to be in Christ; what is old is gone, the new has come.

I do live in the flesh, but I do not make war as the flesh does; the weapons of my warfare are not weapons of the flesh, but divinely strong to demolish fortresses ??5 I demolish theories and any rampart thrown up to resist the knowledge of God, I take every project prisoner to make it obey Christ,


He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man takes and sows in his field. It is less than any seed on earth, but when it grows up it is larger than any plant, it becomes a tree, so large that the wild birds come and roost in its branches."

So he said, "What is the Reign of God like? to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man took and put into his orchard, where it grew up and became a tree, and the wild birds roosted in its branches."

He said also, "To what can we compare the Realm of God? how are we to put it in a parable? It is like a grain of mustard-seed ??less than any seed on earth when it is sown on earth; but once sown it springs up to be larger than any plant, throwing out such big branches that the wild birds can roost under its shadow."


He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while men slept his enemy came and resowed weeds among the wheat and then went away. When the blade sprouted and formed the kernel, then the weeds appeared as well. read more.
So the servants of the owner went to him and said, 'Did you not sow good seed in your field, sir? How then does it contain weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Then would you like us to go and gather them?' 'No,' he said, 'for you might root up the wheat when you were gathering the weeds. Let them both grow side by side till harvest; and at harvest-time I will tell the reapers to gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to be burnt, but to collect the wheat in my granary.'" He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man takes and sows in his field. It is less than any seed on earth, but when it grows up it is larger than any plant, it becomes a tree, so large that the wild birds come and roost in its branches." He told them another parable. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like dough which a woman took and buried in three pecks of flour, till all of it was leavened." Jesus said all this to the crowds in parables; he never spoke to them except in a parable ??35 to fulfil what had been said by the prophet, I will open my mouth in parables, I will speak out what has been hidden since the foundation of the world. Then he left the crowds and went indoors. And his disciples came up to him saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." So he replied, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed means the sons of the Realm; the weeds are the sons of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are angels. Well then, just as the weeds are gathered and burnt in the fire, so will it be at the end of the world; the Son of man will despatch his angels, and they will gather out of his Realm all who are hindrances and who practise iniquity, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will wail and gnash their teeth. Then the just will shine like the sun in the Realm of their Father. He who has an ear, let him listen to this. The Realm of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field; the man who finds it hides it and in his delight goes and sells all he possesses and buys that field. Again, the Realm of heaven is like a trader in search of fine pearls; when he finds a single pearl of high price, he is off to sell all he possesses and buy it. Again, the Realm of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and collected fish of every sort. When it was full, they dragged it to the beach and sitting down they gathered the good fish into vessels but flung away the bad. So will it be at the end of the world. The angels will go out and separate the evil from among the just and fling them into the furnace of fire; there men will wail and gnash their teeth. Have you understood all this?" They said to him, "Yes." So he said to them, "Well then, every scribe who has become a disciple of the Realm of heaven is like a householder who produces what is new and what is old from his stores." Now when Jesus had finished these parables he set out from there,

And he said, "It is with the Realm of God as when a man has sown seed on earth; he sleeps at night and rises by day, and the seed sprouts and shoots up ??he knows not how. (For the earth bears crops by itself, the blade first, the ear of corn next, and then the grain full in the ear.) read more.
But whenever the crop is ready, he has the sickle put in at once, as harvest has come." He said also, "To what can we compare the Realm of God? how are we to put it in a parable? It is like a grain of mustard-seed ??less than any seed on earth when it is sown on earth; but once sown it springs up to be larger than any plant, throwing out such big branches that the wild birds can roost under its shadow." In many a parable like this he spoke the word to them, so far as they could listen to it; he never spoke to them except by way of parable, but in private he explained everything to his own disciples.


For the Realm of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard;

Then shall the Realm of heaven be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride.



He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,

He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man takes and sows in his field.

Again, the Realm of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and collected fish of every sort.


He went on to tell a parable in their hearing, as he was approaching Jerusalem and as they imagined God's Reign would instantly come into view. "A nobleman," he said, "went abroad to obtain royal power for himself and then return. He first called his ten servants, giving them each a five-pound note, and telling them, 'Trade with this till I come back.' read more.
Now his people hated him and sent envoys after him to say, 'We object to him having royal power over us.' However he secured the royal power and came home. Then he ordered the servants to be called who had been given the money, that he might find out what business they had done. The first came up saying, 'Your five pounds has made other fifty, sir.' 'Capital,' he said, 'you excellent servant! because you have proved trustworthy in a trifle, you are placed over ten towns.' Then the second came and said, 'Your five pounds has made twenty-five, sir.' To him he said, 'And you are set over five towns.' Then the next came and said, 'Here is your five pounds, sir; I kept it safe in a napkin, for I was afraid of you, you are such a hard man ??picking up what you never put down, and reaping what you never sowed.' He replied, 'You rascal of a servant, I will convict you by what you have said yourself. You knew, did you, that I was a hard man, picking up what I never put down, and reaping what I never sowed! Why then did you not put my money into the bank, so that I could have got it with interest when I came back?' Then he said to the bystanders, 'Take the five pounds from him and give it to the man with fifty.' 'Sir,' they said, 'he has fifty already!' 'I tell you, to everyone who has shall more be given, but from him who has nothing, even what he has shall be taken. And now for these enemies of mine who objected to me reigning over them ??bring them here and slay them in my presence.' "

For the Realm of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard; and after agreeing with the labourers to pay them a shilling a day he sent them into his vineyard. Then, on going out at nine o'clock he noticed some other labourers standing in the marketplace doing nothing; read more.
to them he said, 'You go into the vineyard too, and I will give you whatever wage is fair.' So they went in. Going out again at twelve o'clock and at three o'clock, he did the same thing. And when he went out at five o'clock he came upon some others who were standing; he said to them, 'Why have you stood doing nothing all the day?' 'Because nobody hired us,' they said. He told them, 'You go into the vineyard too.' Now when evening came the master of the vineyard said to his bailiff, 'Summon the labourers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last and going on to the first.' When those who had been hired about five o'clock came, they got a shilling each. So when the first labourers came up, they supposed they would get more; but they too got each their shilling. And on getting it they grumbled at the householder. 'These last,' they said, 'have only worked a single hour, and yet you have ranked them equal to us who have borne the brunt of the day's work and the heat!' Then he replied to one of them, 'My man, I am not wronging you. Did you not agree with me for a shilling? Take what belongs to you and be off. I choose to give this last man the same as you. Can I not do as I please with what belongs to me? Have you a grudge because I am generous?' So shall the last be first and the first last."

He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while men slept his enemy came and resowed weeds among the wheat and then went away. When the blade sprouted and formed the kernel, then the weeds appeared as well. read more.
So the servants of the owner went to him and said, 'Did you not sow good seed in your field, sir? How then does it contain weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Then would you like us to go and gather them?' 'No,' he said, 'for you might root up the wheat when you were gathering the weeds. Let them both grow side by side till harvest; and at harvest-time I will tell the reapers to gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to be burnt, but to collect the wheat in my granary.'" He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man takes and sows in his field. It is less than any seed on earth, but when it grows up it is larger than any plant, it becomes a tree, so large that the wild birds come and roost in its branches." He told them another parable. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like dough which a woman took and buried in three pecks of flour, till all of it was leavened." Jesus said all this to the crowds in parables; he never spoke to them except in a parable ??35 to fulfil what had been said by the prophet, I will open my mouth in parables, I will speak out what has been hidden since the foundation of the world. Then he left the crowds and went indoors. And his disciples came up to him saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." So he replied, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed means the sons of the Realm; the weeds are the sons of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are angels. Well then, just as the weeds are gathered and burnt in the fire, so will it be at the end of the world; the Son of man will despatch his angels, and they will gather out of his Realm all who are hindrances and who practise iniquity, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will wail and gnash their teeth. Then the just will shine like the sun in the Realm of their Father. He who has an ear, let him listen to this. The Realm of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field; the man who finds it hides it and in his delight goes and sells all he possesses and buys that field. Again, the Realm of heaven is like a trader in search of fine pearls; when he finds a single pearl of high price, he is off to sell all he possesses and buy it. Again, the Realm of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and collected fish of every sort. When it was full, they dragged it to the beach and sitting down they gathered the good fish into vessels but flung away the bad. So will it be at the end of the world. The angels will go out and separate the evil from among the just and fling them into the furnace of fire; there men will wail and gnash their teeth. Have you understood all this?" They said to him, "Yes." So he said to them, "Well then, every scribe who has become a disciple of the Realm of heaven is like a householder who produces what is new and what is old from his stores."

That is why the Realm of heaven may be compared to a king who resolved to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the settlement, a debtor was brought in who owed him three million pounds; as he was unable to pay, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all he had, in payment of the sum. read more.
So the servant fell down and prayed him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you it all.' And out of pity for that servant his master released him and discharged his debt. But as that servant went away, he met one of his fellow-servants who owed him twenty pounds, and seizing him by the throat he said, 'Pay your debt!' So his fellow-servant fell down and implored him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' But he refused; he went and had him thrown into prison, till he should pay the debt. Now when his fellow-servants saw what had happened they were greatly distressed, and they went and explained to their master all that had happened. Then his master summoned him and said, 'You scoundrel of a servant! I discharged all that debt for you, because you implored me. Ought you not to have had mercy on your fellow-servant, as I had on you?' And in hot anger his master handed him over to the torturers, till he should pay him all the debt. My heavenly Father will do the same to you unless you each forgive your brother from the heart."

Hearing this, one of his fellow guests said to him, "Blessed is he who feasts in the Realm of God!" Jesus said to him, "There was a man who was giving a large supper, to which he had invited a number of guests. At the hour for supper he sent his servant to tell the guests, 'Come, things are all ready.' read more.
But they all alike proceeded to decline. The first said to him, 'I have bought a farm and I am obliged to go and look at it. Pray consider me excused.' The second said, 'I have bought five pair of oxen and I am going to try them. Pray consider me excused.' Another said, 'I have married a wife; that is why I cannot come.' The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house was enraged, and said to his servant, 'Quick, go out to the streets and lanes of the town and bring in the poor, the maimed, the blind, and the lame.' When the servant announced, 'Your order has been carried out, sir, but there is still room,' the master said to the servant, 'Go out to the roads and hedges and make people come in, to fill up my house. For I tell you that not one of those who were invited shall taste my supper.'"

Then shall the Realm of heaven be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. Five of them were stupid and five were sensible. For although the stupid took their lamps, they took no oil with them, read more.
whereas the sensible took oil in their vessels as well as their lamps. As the bridegroom was long of coming, they all grew drowsy and went to sleep. But at midnight the cry arose, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' Then all the maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. The stupid said to the sensible, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the sensible replied, 'No, there may not be enough for us and for you. Better go to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' Now while they were away buying oil, the bridegroom arrived; those maidens who were ready accompanied him to the marriage-banquet, and the door was shut. Afterwards the rest of the maidens came and said, 'Oh sir, oh sir, open the door for us!' but he replied, 'I tell you frankly, I do not know you.' Keep on the watch then, for you know neither the day nor the hour. For the case is that of a man going abroad, who summoned his servants and handed over his property to them; to one he gave twelve hundred pounds, to another five hundred, and to another two hundred and fifty; each got according to his capacity. Then the man went abroad. The servant who had got the twelve hundred pounds went at once and traded with them, making another twelve hundred. Similarly the servant who had got the five hundred pounds made another five hundred. But the servant who had got the two hundred and fifty pounds went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. Now a long time afterwards the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. Then the servant who had got the twelve hundred pounds came forward, bringing twelve hundred more; he said, 'You handed me twelve hundred pounds, sir; here I have gained another twelve hundred.' His master said to him, 'Capital, you excellent and trusty servant! You have been trusty in charge of a small sum: I will put you in charge of a large sum. Come and share your master's feast.' Then the servant with the five hundred pounds came forward. He said, 'You handed me five hundred pounds, sir; here I have gained another five hundred.' His master said to him, 'Capital, you excellent and trusty servant! You have been trusty in charge of a small sum: I will put you in charge of a large sum. Come and share your master's feast.' Then the servant who had got the two hundred and fifty pounds came forward. He said, 'I knew you were a hard man, sir, reaping where you never sowed and gathering where you never winnowed. So I was afraid; I went and hid your two hundred and fifty pounds in the earth. There's your money!' His master said to him in reply, 'You rascal, you idle servant! You knew, did you, that I reap where I have never sowed and gather where I have never winnowed! Well then, you should have handed my money to the bankers and I would have got my capital with interest when I came back. Take therefore the two hundred and fifty pounds away from him, give it to the servant who had the twelve hundred. For to everyone who has shall more be given and richly given; but from him who has nothing, even what he has shall be taken. Throw the good-for-nothing servant into the darkness outside; there men will wail and gnash their teeth.

"The Realm of heaven," he said, "may be compared to a king who gave a marriage-banquet in honour of his son. He sent his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they would not come. Once more he sent some other servants, saying, 'Tell the invited guests, here is my supper all prepared, my oxen and fat cattle are killed, everything is ready; come to the marriage-banquet.' read more.
But they paid no attention and went off, one to his estate, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants and ill-treated them and killed them. The king was enraged; he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned up their city. Then he said to his servants, 'The marriage-banquet is all ready, but the invited guests did not deserve it. So go to the byeways and invite anyone you meet to the marriage-banquet.' And those servants went out on the roads and gathered all they met, bad and good alike. Thus the marriage-banquet was supplied with guests. Now when the king came in to view his guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in a wedding-robe. So he said to him, 'My man, how did you get in here without a wedding-robe?' The man was speech less. Then said the king to his servants, 'Take him hand and foot, and throw him outside, out into the darkness; there men will wail and gnash their teeth. For many are invited but few are chosen.'"

He also said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be placed under a bowl or a bed? Is it not to be placed upon the stand? Nothing is hidden except to be disclosed, nothing concealed except to be revealed. If anyone has an ear to hear, let him listen to this." read more.
Also he said to them, "Take care what you hear; the measure you deal out to others will be dealt out to yourselves, and you will receive extra. For he who has, to him shall more be given; while as for him who has not, from him shall be taken even what he has." And he said, "It is with the Realm of God as when a man has sown seed on earth; he sleeps at night and rises by day, and the seed sprouts and shoots up ??he knows not how. (For the earth bears crops by itself, the blade first, the ear of corn next, and then the grain full in the ear.) But whenever the crop is ready, he has the sickle put in at once, as harvest has come." He said also, "To what can we compare the Realm of God? how are we to put it in a parable? It is like a grain of mustard-seed ??less than any seed on earth when it is sown on earth; but once sown it springs up to be larger than any plant, throwing out such big branches that the wild birds can roost under its shadow." In many a parable like this he spoke the word to them, so far as they could listen to it; he never spoke to them except by way of parable, but in private he explained everything to his own disciples.

So he said, "What is the Reign of God like? to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man took and put into his orchard, where it grew up and became a tree, and the wild birds roosted in its branches." He added, "To what shall I compare the Reign of God? read more.
It is like dough which a woman took and buried in three pecks of flour, till all of it was leavened."


He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man takes and sows in his field. It is less than any seed on earth, but when it grows up it is larger than any plant, it becomes a tree, so large that the wild birds come and roost in its branches."

So he said, "What is the Reign of God like? to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man took and put into his orchard, where it grew up and became a tree, and the wild birds roosted in its branches."

He said also, "To what can we compare the Realm of God? how are we to put it in a parable? It is like a grain of mustard-seed ??less than any seed on earth when it is sown on earth;


(For the earth bears crops by itself, the blade first, the ear of corn next, and then the grain full in the ear.)



He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man takes and sows in his field.

Let the fig tree teach you a parable. As soon as its branches turn soft and put out leaves, you know summer is at hand;


He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man takes and sows in his field. It is less than any seed on earth, but when it grows up it is larger than any plant, it becomes a tree, so large that the wild birds come and roost in its branches."


When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory, and all nations will be gathered in front of him; he will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, setting the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left. read more.
Then shall the King say to those on his right, 'Come, you whom my Father has blessed, come into your inheritance in the realm prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you fed me, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you entertained me, I was unclothed and you clothed me, I was ill and you looked after me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Then the just will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and fed you? or thirsty and gave you drink? when did we see you a stranger and entertain you? or unclothed and clothed you? when did we see you ill or in prison and visit you?' The King will answer them, 'I tell you truly, in so far as you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even to the least of them, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those on the left, 'Begone from me, you accursed ones, to the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels! For I was hungry but you never fed me, I was thirsty but you never gave me drink, I was a stranger but you never entertained me, I was unclothed but you never clothed me, I was ill and in prison but you never looked after me.' Then they will answer too, 'Lord, when did we ever see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or unclothed or ill or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Then he will answer them, 'I tell you truly, in so far as you did not do it to one of these, even the least of them, you did not do it to me.' So they shall depart to eternal punishment, and the just to eternal life."


He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while men slept his enemy came and resowed weeds among the wheat and then went away. When the blade sprouted and formed the kernel, then the weeds appeared as well. read more.
So the servants of the owner went to him and said, 'Did you not sow good seed in your field, sir? How then does it contain weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Then would you like us to go and gather them?' 'No,' he said, 'for you might root up the wheat when you were gathering the weeds. Let them both grow side by side till harvest; and at harvest-time I will tell the reapers to gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to be burnt, but to collect the wheat in my granary.'" He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man takes and sows in his field. It is less than any seed on earth, but when it grows up it is larger than any plant, it becomes a tree, so large that the wild birds come and roost in its branches." He told them another parable. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like dough which a woman took and buried in three pecks of flour, till all of it was leavened." Jesus said all this to the crowds in parables; he never spoke to them except in a parable ??35 to fulfil what had been said by the prophet, I will open my mouth in parables, I will speak out what has been hidden since the foundation of the world. Then he left the crowds and went indoors. And his disciples came up to him saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." So he replied, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed means the sons of the Realm; the weeds are the sons of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are angels. Well then, just as the weeds are gathered and burnt in the fire, so will it be at the end of the world; the Son of man will despatch his angels, and they will gather out of his Realm all who are hindrances and who practise iniquity, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will wail and gnash their teeth. Then the just will shine like the sun in the Realm of their Father. He who has an ear, let him listen to this. The Realm of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field; the man who finds it hides it and in his delight goes and sells all he possesses and buys that field. Again, the Realm of heaven is like a trader in search of fine pearls; when he finds a single pearl of high price, he is off to sell all he possesses and buy it. Again, the Realm of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and collected fish of every sort. When it was full, they dragged it to the beach and sitting down they gathered the good fish into vessels but flung away the bad. So will it be at the end of the world. The angels will go out and separate the evil from among the just and fling them into the furnace of fire; there men will wail and gnash their teeth.


That same day Jesus went out of the house and seated himself by the seaside; but, as great crowds gathered to him, he entered a boat and sat down, while all the crowd stood on the beach. He spoke at some length to them in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow, read more.
and as he sowed some seeds fell on the road and the birds came and ate them up. Some other seeds fell on stony soil where they had not much earth, and shot up at once because they had no depth of soil; but when the sun rose they got scorched and withered away because they had no root. Some other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. Some other seeds fell on good soil and bore a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirtyfold. He who has an ear, let him listen to this." Then the disciples came up and said to him, "Why do you speak in parables?" He replied, "Because it is granted you to understand the open secrets of the Realm of heaven, but it is not granted to these people. For he who has, to him shall more be given and richly given, but whoever has not, from him shall be taken even what he has. This is why I speak to them in parables, because for all their seeing they do not see and for all their hearing they do not hear or understand. In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled: You will hear and hear but never understand, you will see and see but never perceive. For the heart of this people is obtuse, their ears are heavy of hearing, their eyes they have closed, lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they understand with their heart and turn again, and I cure them. But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears, for they hear! I tell you truly, many prophets and good men have longed to see what you see, but they have not seen it; and to hear what you hear, but they have not heard it. Now, listen to the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the Realm and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart; that is the man who is sown 'on the road.' As for him who is sown 'on stony soil,' that is the man who hears the word and accepts it at once with enthusiasm; he has no root in himself, he does not last, but when the word brings trouble or persecution he is at once repelled. As for him who is sown 'among thorns,' that is the man who listens to the word, but the worry of the world and the delight of being rich choke the word; so it proves unfruitful. As for him who is sown 'on good soil,' that is the man who hears the word and understands it; he bears fruit, producing now a hundredfold, now sixty, and now thirtyfold." He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while men slept his enemy came and resowed weeds among the wheat and then went away. When the blade sprouted and formed the kernel, then the weeds appeared as well. So the servants of the owner went to him and said, 'Did you not sow good seed in your field, sir? How then does it contain weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Then would you like us to go and gather them?' 'No,' he said, 'for you might root up the wheat when you were gathering the weeds. Let them both grow side by side till harvest; and at harvest-time I will tell the reapers to gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to be burnt, but to collect the wheat in my granary.'" He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man takes and sows in his field. It is less than any seed on earth, but when it grows up it is larger than any plant, it becomes a tree, so large that the wild birds come and roost in its branches." He told them another parable. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like dough which a woman took and buried in three pecks of flour, till all of it was leavened." Jesus said all this to the crowds in parables; he never spoke to them except in a parable ??35 to fulfil what had been said by the prophet, I will open my mouth in parables, I will speak out what has been hidden since the foundation of the world. Then he left the crowds and went indoors. And his disciples came up to him saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." So he replied, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of man; the field is the world; the good seed means the sons of the Realm; the weeds are the sons of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers are angels. Well then, just as the weeds are gathered and burnt in the fire, so will it be at the end of the world; the Son of man will despatch his angels, and they will gather out of his Realm all who are hindrances and who practise iniquity, and throw them into the furnace of fire; there men will wail and gnash their teeth. Then the just will shine like the sun in the Realm of their Father. He who has an ear, let him listen to this. The Realm of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field; the man who finds it hides it and in his delight goes and sells all he possesses and buys that field. Again, the Realm of heaven is like a trader in search of fine pearls; when he finds a single pearl of high price, he is off to sell all he possesses and buy it. Again, the Realm of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and collected fish of every sort. When it was full, they dragged it to the beach and sitting down they gathered the good fish into vessels but flung away the bad. So will it be at the end of the world. The angels will go out and separate the evil from among the just and fling them into the furnace of fire; there men will wail and gnash their teeth. Have you understood all this?" They said to him, "Yes." So he said to them, "Well then, every scribe who has become a disciple of the Realm of heaven is like a householder who produces what is new and what is old from his stores."

He gave them many lessons in parables, and said to them in the course of his teaching: "Listen, a sower went out to sow, and as he sowed it chanced that some seed fell on the road, and the birds came and ate it up; read more.
some other seed fell on stony soil where it had not much earth, and it shot up at once because it had no depth of earth, but when the sun rose it got scorched and withered away, because it had no root; some other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked it, so it bore no crop; some other seed fell on good soil and bore a crop that sprang up and grew, yielding at the rate of thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold." He added, "Anyone who has ears to hear, let him listen to this." When he was by himself his adherents and the twelve asked him about the parable, and he said to them: "The open secret of the Realm of God is granted to you, but these outsiders get everything by way of parables, so that for all their seeing they may not perceive, and for all their hearing they may not understand, lest they turn and be forgiven." And he said to them, "You do not understand this parable? Then how are you to understand the other parables? The sower sows the word. As for those 'on the road,' when the seed is sown there ??as soon as they hear it, Satan at once comes and carries off the word sown within them. Similarly those who are sown 'on stony soil' are the people who on hearing the word accept it with enthusiasm; but they have no root in themselves, they do not last; the next thing is that when the word brings trouble or persecution, they are at once repelled. Another set are those who are sown 'among thorns'; they listen to the word, but the worries of the world and the delight of being rich and all the other passions come in to choke the word; so it proves unfruitful. As for those who were sown 'on good soil,' these are the people who listen to the word and take it in and bear fruit at the rate of thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold." He also said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be placed under a bowl or a bed? Is it not to be placed upon the stand? Nothing is hidden except to be disclosed, nothing concealed except to be revealed. If anyone has an ear to hear, let him listen to this." Also he said to them, "Take care what you hear; the measure you deal out to others will be dealt out to yourselves, and you will receive extra. For he who has, to him shall more be given; while as for him who has not, from him shall be taken even what he has." And he said, "It is with the Realm of God as when a man has sown seed on earth; he sleeps at night and rises by day, and the seed sprouts and shoots up ??he knows not how. (For the earth bears crops by itself, the blade first, the ear of corn next, and then the grain full in the ear.) But whenever the crop is ready, he has the sickle put in at once, as harvest has come." He said also, "To what can we compare the Realm of God? how are we to put it in a parable? It is like a grain of mustard-seed ??less than any seed on earth when it is sown on earth; but once sown it springs up to be larger than any plant, throwing out such big branches that the wild birds can roost under its shadow." In many a parable like this he spoke the word to them, so far as they could listen to it;


For the Realm of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard;

He told them another parable. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like dough which a woman took and buried in three pecks of flour, till all of it was leavened."

Then shall the Realm of heaven be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride.



He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,

He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man takes and sows in his field.

Again, the Realm of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and collected fish of every sort.

And he said, "It is with the Realm of God as when a man has sown seed on earth;

So he said, "What is the Reign of God like? to what shall I compare it?


For the Realm of heaven is like a householder who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard;

Then shall the Realm of heaven be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride.



He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,

He put another parable before them. "The Realm of heaven," he said, "is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man takes and sows in his field.

Again, the Realm of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and collected fish of every sort.