56 Bible Verses about Parables Of Christ

He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven," he said, "is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; "but while men were asleep his enemy came and sowed tares among his wheat and went away. "And when the blade shot up and formed the wheat-kernel, then the tares also appeared. read more.
"The slaves of the owner went to him and said: "'Was it not good seed, sir, that you sowed in your field? From whence then, do you get tares?' "'It is an enemy who has done this,' he answered. "The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us to go and collect them?' "'No,' he answered, 'for fear lest while you are collecting the tares, you at the same time pull up the wheat. "Let both grow together until harvest, and at harvest-time I will tell the reapers to first gather the tares and tie them in bundles for burning, but to bring all the wheat into my store-house.'"

After he had sent the people away and gone into the house, his disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable about the weeds in the field." "The sower of the seed," he answered, "is the Son of man; "the field is the world; the good seed is the sons of the kingdom; the weeds, the sons of the Evil One. read more.
"The enemy who sows the weeds is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age. The reapers are the angels. "Just as the weeds are collected together and burnt with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. "The son of man will send forth his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all hindrances, and whoever practices iniquity, "and will throw them into the fiery furnace. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. "And then shall the just shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears to hear, listen!

"A sower went out to sow his seed, and as he sowed some fell by the wayside, and was trodden under foot, and the wild birds ate it up. "Some other seed dropped on the rock, as soon as it grew it withered away, because it had no moisture. "Another part fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. read more.
"But some fell on good soil, and grew up, and brought forth fruit, a hundredfold." When he said this, he called out, "Whoever has ears to hear with, let him listen." Then his disciples began to interrupt him, saying, "What does this parable mean?" He answered. "To you it is given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God; But all others are taught in parables so that seeing they shall not see, and hearing they shall not hear. "This is the meaning of the parable. The seed is the word of God. "Those by the wayside are people who hear, but then comes the devil and carries off the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and not be saved. "Those on the rock are people who, upon hearing, receive the word with joy; but they have no root. For a time indeed they all believe, but in time of temptation they fall away. "And that which fell upon thorns is those who have heard, but as they go on their way of word is choked with the cares and riches and pleasures of life; so they bring no fruit of perfection. "And that in the good soil is those who have listened to the message and, in an honest and good heart, hold fast, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Then he told them many truths in parables. "Behold," he said, "the sower went forth to sow; and as he sowed, some seed fell by the roadside, and the birds came and ate it. Some fell on rocky ground where there was not much earth. Now because it had no depth of soil, it sprang up at once; read more.
but when the sun rose it was scorched, and withered away because it had no root. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked it. But some fell on good soil, and bore a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear!" Now when his disciples came up to him, they said, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" Jesus answered. "To you it has been granted to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; but to them it has not been granted. "For whoever holds, to him shall more be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever does not hold, from him shall be taken away even what he holds. "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. And in them is being fulfilled that prophecy of Isaiah which says. "Hearing you will hear and not understand; Seeing you will see and not perceive; For the heart of his people is made fat, Their ears are dull of hearing; Their eyes, too, have they closed, Lest some day their eyes should perceive, And their ears should hear, And their heart should understand and turn, And I should heal them. "But happy are your eyes, because they see, and your ears because they hear. "In solemn truth I tell you that many prophets and holy men have seen it not, and to hear what you are hearing, and have not heard it. "Listen then, to the parable of the sower. "Whenever any one hears the message of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. "This is the seed sown by the wayside. And the word, and at once receives it with joy. "But he has no root in himself; he continues for a time, but when trouble arises, or persecutions, on account of the word, at once he stumbles and falls. "And the seed sown among thorns is he who hears the word, but the anxieties of the age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. "But the seed sown in good soil is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit, and makes now an hundredfold, now sixty, now thirty."

"Just so any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

"Which of you who is desirous of building a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, to see if he has the means to complete it? "Lest it happen that after he has laid the foundations and is unable to complete it, all who see it shall begin to jeer at him saying, "'This fellow began to build and could not finish.'

"When one lights a lamp he does not put it in a cellar nor under the bushel, but on a lamp-stand that those who enter may see the light. "The lamp of the body is your eye; when your eye is single then your whole body is full of light; but when it is evil your whole body is full of darkness. "Look carefully! Perhaps that very light of yours is darkness. read more.
"If, however, your whole body is full of light, without having any part dark, it will be wholly radiant with light, as when the lamp illumines you with its bright rays."

He went on to say. "Is the lamp brought in to be put under the bushel or the bed? Is it not rather to be put on the lamp-stand?

"When the strong man fully aroused keeps guard over his homestead, his property is undisturbed;

"Indeed, no one can enter the strong man's house and carry off his property without first binding the strong man; then he can plunder his house.

"Who, then, is the faithful and prudent slave, to whom his master has entrusted his household, to give them their food in due season? Blessed is that slave whom his Master, when he comes, shall find so doing. In solemn truth I tell you that he will set him over all his property. read more.
But if, because he is a bad slave, he should say to himself, 'My Master is a long time in coming,' and if he begins to beat his fellow slaves, and to eat or drink with the drunkards, on a day when he is not expecting him, and at an hour which he does not know, the Master of that servant will arrive and will scourge him severely, and allot him a place among hypocrites, where will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. "When it was full they hauled it upon the beach, and sat down and sorted the good fish into baskets, but threw the worthless fish away. "So will it be at the end of the age. The angels will go forth and separate the wicked from the righteous, and fling them into the furnace of fire. read more.
"There shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of beautiful pearls. "When he finds one of great price, he goes and sells everything he has and buys it.

Then Jesus called the people to him and said: "Listen, and pay attention. It is not what goes into a man's mouth that defiles him, but what comes out of it, that defiles the man." Then his disciples came to him and said, "Do you know that the Pharisees were scandalized when they heard that saying?" He replied. read more.
"Any plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. "Let them alone. They are blind men leading the blind; and if one blind man leads another, both of them will fall into a ditch." Then Peter said to Jesus, "Explain the parable to us."

"Thus the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. "But when he began to settle, one of them was brought before him who owed him fifteen million dollars. "And since he was unable to pay, his master ordered him to be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had, toward the payment of the debt. read more.
"Thereupon his slave threw himself on his knees before him, crying, "'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all!' "So then the master pitied his slave, and let him go, and forgave him his debt. "But on his way out, that slave met a fellow slave who owed him fifty dollars. Seizing him by the throat, and nearly choking him, he exclaimed, "'Pay me what you owe me!' "Then his fellow slave fell at his feet, and besought him, saying, "'Be patient with me, and I will pay you.' "But he would not; on the contrary he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt. "When therefore his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were very angry; and they went and explained to their master all that had happened. "Immediately his master summoned him and said: "'You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you implored me. "'Ought not you also to have had pity on your fellow slave, just as I had pity on you?' "Then in hot anger his master handed him over to the torturers, until he should pay him all his debt. "So will my heavenly Father do to you also, unless from your heart each one of you forgive his brother."

"Listen to another parable: "A man who was a householder planted a vineyard, fenced it about, dug a wine vat in it, built a tower, then rented it to vine-dressers and went abroad. When the time of fruit drew near, he sent his slaves to the vine-dressers to get his fruit. And the vine-dressers seized his slaves, flogged one, killed another, and stoned a third. read more.
Again he sent other slaves, a larger number than at first, and they treated them in the same way. And last he sent his son to them; 'Surely they will respect my son,' he said. But when the vine-dressers saw his son, they said to themselves: "'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him, and take his inheritance.' "So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. When therefore the lord of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vine-dressers?" "He will utterly destroy those wretches," they answered, "and will entrust his vineyard to other vine-dressers, who will pay back the fruits to him in their season." "Have you never read in the Scriptures," Jesus answered, "how The stone that the builders rejected Has been made the corner-stone; This is the Lord's doing, It is wonderful in our eyes? "I tell you that for this reason the kingdom of God will be taken away from you, and will be given to a nation that does produce the fruit of it. "He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but he upon whom it falls will be scattered as dust." As they listened to his parables, the chief priests and the Pharisees recognized that he was speaking about them;

"Learn from the fig tree, her parable; when her branches are become soft, and put forth leaves, you know that summer is near; so you also, when you see these signs, know that He is near, at the very doors. I tell you in solemn truth, that the present generation shall not pass away till all these things happen.

He set forth to them another parable, saying. "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard-seed which a man took and planted in his field. "This is indeed the smallest of seeds, but when it is grown it is greater than any herb, and becomes a tree, so that the winged things of the sky come and roost in its branches."

"But give me your judgment. There was once a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said to him, "'Son, go work today in my vineyard!' "'I will go, sir,' he answered; yet he did not go. "Then he went to the second, and said the same thing to him. "'I will not,' he answered; but afterward he changed his mind and went. read more.
"Which of these two did the will of his father?" "The last," they replied. "I tell you truly," said Jesus, "that the tax-gatherers and harlots are going into the kingdom of heaven before you! "For John came to you in the road of righteousness, and you did not give credence to him; but the tax-gatherers and the harlots gave credence to him. But you, although you saw this, did not even then change your minds and give credence to him.

"For it is like a man going into another country, who summoned his slaves, and committed his property to their care. "To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another, one??o each according to his individual ability??nd then set out on his travels. "At once the man who had received the five talents went out and traded with them, and made five talents more. read more.
"In the same way the one who got two talents made another two. "But he who had received the one talent went off, and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master's money. "After a long time the master of those slaves came, and demanded a reckoning with them. "The man who had received the five talents came, bringing five more, and said: "'Master, five talents you entrusted to me; see, I have gained five more.' "'Well done, good and faithful slave,' replied his master; 'You have been faithful over many things. Enter into your master's joy.' "The second, who had received the two talents, came up and said: "'Master, it was two talents that you entrusted to me; see, I have gained two more.' "'Well done, good and faithful slave,' his master replied, 'You have been faithful over many things; enter into your master's joy.' "Then the man who had received the one talent came up and said: "'Master, I knew you were a hard man, reaping where you had not sown, and gathering where you had not scattered; "so I was afraid; I went away and buried your talent in the earth. There, you have what belongs to you!' "'You wicked and lazy slave,' said his master. 'You say you knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not scattered?' Then you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received back my property with interest. So take away the talent from him, and give it to the man who has ten talents. (For to every one who has, it shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him who has not shall be taken away even what he has.) But cast out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.'

"The kingdom of heaven," he said, "may be compared to a king who made a wedding-feast for his son. "He sent out his slaves to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they did not want to come. "Again he sent out other slaves. 'Tell the invited guests,' he said, 'that my luncheon is now ready; my oxen and fat cattle are killed; everything is ready; come to the wedding-feast.' read more.
"They, however, paid no attention, but went off, one to his own farm, another to his business; "while the rest seized his slaves and maltreated and murdered them. "Then the king's wrath was roused, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. "Then he said to his slaves, "'The wedding-feast indeed is ready, but the invited guests were not worthy. "'So go out into the partings of the highways, and summon everybody you find there to the wedding-feast.' "So those slaves went out into the roads, and gathered together all whom they found, good or bad, and the banquet-hall was filled with the guests. "Then the king came in to inspect his guests, and he discovered there a man who had not put on a wedding-garment. He said to him, "'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding-garment?' "The man was speechless. "'Bind him hand and foot, 'said the king to his officers, 'and cast him into the outer darkness; there will be the wailing and the gnashing of teeth.' "For there are many called, but few are chosen."

"For the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who went out at dawn to hire workmen for his vineyard. "And when he had agreed with the workmen for two shillings a day, he sent them into his vineyard. "About nine o'clock he went out and noticed some other workmen standing idle in the market-place; read more.
"and he said to them, "'Do you also go into the vineyard, and whatever is just I will pay you.' "So they went. Again at noon, and about three o'clock, he went out and did the same thing. "When he went out about five o'clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, "'Why have you been standing here idle, all the day long?' "'Because no one has hired us,' they replied. "He said to them, 'Do you also go into the vineyard.' "And when evening came, the Lord of the vineyard said to his steward, "'Call the workmen and pay them their wages, beginning with the last hired and ending with the first.' "When those came who had begun at five o'clock, they received two shillings apiece; "and when the first came they supposed that they would get more, but they also received each two shillings. "And as they took it they began to grumble against the master of the house. "'Those last men,' they said, 'have toiled only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the burning heat of the day.' "In reply he said to one of them. 'My friend, I am doing no wrong. Did you not agree with me for two shillings? "Take your wage and begone! I chose to give to this last man the same as to you. "Have I not the right to do what I choose with my own property? Or is your eye evil because I am generous?' "So the last shall be first, and the first, last."

"Every one who hears my words and does them I will liken to a wise man who built his house upon the rock. "And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon the house, but it fell not, for it was founded upon the rock. "And every one who hears these words of mine and does them not, I will liken to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. read more.
"And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it."

"Then will the kingdom of heaven be likened to ten maidens who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom and the bride. And five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The foolish took their lamps, but took no oil with them; read more.
but the wise took oil in their flasks with their lamps. Now because the bridegroom tarried, they all fell to nodding and went on sleeping. But at midnight there arose a cry, "'Behold, the bridegroom! Go out to meet him!' "Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps; "and the foolish said to the wise, "'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' "'Not so, answered the wise, 'for there may not be enough for you and for us. Go to the shops, rather, and buy some for yourselves.' "And while they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came; and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding-feast. And the door was shut. "Afterwards the other maidens came and cried, "'Lord, Lord, open unto us!' "'In solemn truth I tell you,' he replied, 'I know you not.' "Be watchful then, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what watch the thief was coming, he would have been on his guard, and would not have allowed his house to be broken into.

"The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in the ground, which a man finds but buries again, and then in his joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that land.

"Now there was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and made merry every day in splendor. "And a certain beggar named Lazarus was thrown at his door. "He was full of sores, and longingly desired to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. Yes! even the dogs came and licked his sores. read more.
"But in the course of time the beggar died; and he was carried by angels into Abraham's bosom. "The rich man also died, and was buried. And as he was tormented in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his bosom. "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham have mercy on me; and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.' "'Remember my son.' said Abraham, 'that you had in your lifetime all your good things, and in the same way Lazarus his evil things; but now here he is comforted, and you are in anguish. "But besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who want to cross from here to you cannot, nor can those who would cross from you to us.' "'I beg you then, father,' he said, 'send him to my fathers house. For I have five brothers. "'Let him earnestly warn them, lest they too come to this place of torment.' "But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the Prophets, let them listen to them.' "'Nay, Father Abraham,' he said 'but if some one went to them from the dead they would repent.' "'If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets,' said Father Abraham, 'neither will they be persuaded if one should rise from the dead.'"

"Or what king as he goes forth to join battle with another king in war does not sit down first and deliberate whether he can meet with ten thousand men the one who is advancing against him with twenty thousand? "If he cannot, while the other king is yet a great way off, he sends an embassy to ask conditions of peace. "Just so any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

"A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell among bandits who both stripped him and beat him, and went off leaving him half dead. "Now a certain priest chanced to be going down that way, but on seeing him he passed on the other side. "In like manner also a Levite who came to the spot, came and looked at him, and passed on the other side. read more.
"But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was, and when he saw him was moved with compassion. "He went to him bound up his wounds, pouring on them oil and wine. He set him on his own beast, and took him to an inn, and took care of him. "The next day he took two silver pieces and gave them to the landlord and said, "'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend I will repay it to you on my way back.' "Which then of these three seems to you to have behaved like a neighbor to the man who fell among bandits?" He replied, "The one who showed mercy on him." "Go, then," said Jesus, "and do likewise."

Then he said to the crowd also. "When you see a cloud rising in the west you at once say, 'There is going to be a shower,' and it comes to pass. "And when you feel the south winds blowing you say, 'There will be a hot wind,' and it comes to pass. "Hypocrites! you know how to read the face of the earth and of the sky; but how is it that you do not know how to read the signs of the present time? read more.
"And why do you not, even yourselves, judge what is right?

"Salt is good, but if even the salt have lost its flavor, with what shall it be seasoned? "It is fit neither for the land nor the dung-hill; men cast it out. He who has ears to hear let him listen to this!"

Then he spoke to them in a parable. "The ground of a certain rich man bore heavy crops. "So he debated with himself saying, 'What shall I do? for I have no place in which to store my crops.' "And he said to himself. 'This is what I will do. I will pull down my barns and build larger ones in which I will store all my wheat and my goods. read more.
"'And I will say to my soul, "'Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years! Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.' "But God said to him. 'Foolish man! This very night your soul is wanted! And these things you have prepared, whose shall they be? "So is he that lays up treasures for himself and is not rich toward God."

So he said: "A certain nobleman went abroad to receive for himself royal power and to return. "And he summoned ten slaves of his, and gave them ten pounds, and said to them, "'Trade with these until I come.' "But this fellow citizens hated him, and sent a deputation after him to say, 'We do not wish this man to become our king.' read more.
"And upon his return after he had secured the royal power, he ordered the slaves to whom he had given the money to be called in, so that he might know what they had gained by trading. "And the first came before him, saying, 'Master, your pound has made ten pounds.' "And he said to him, 'Well done, good slave! Because you have been faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.' "And the second came and said, 'Master, your pound has made five pounds.' "Then he said to him also, 'You shall be over five cities.' "And the next came to him and said, 'Here master is your pound which I was keeping safe in a napkin. "'For I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take what you did not sow.' "He said to him, "'By your own words I will Judge you, you wicked slave. You knew, did you, that I was a hard man taking up what I did not lay down, reaping what I did not sow. "'Then why did you not put my money into the bank, so that at my coming I might I might have gotten it back with interest?' "Then to those who stood by, he said, 'Take the pounds from him and give it to him who has ten pounds.' "'Master,' they said to him, 'he already has ten pounds.' "'I tell you that to every one who has it shall be given; and from him who has not shall be taken away even what he has. "'Howbeit these enemies of mine who were not willing for me to become their King, bring them here, and slay them in my presence.'"

Take heed! Awake! for you never know the time. As a man gone abroad and leaving his house gives authority to his slaves, to each his task; and orders the porter to keep watch; keep watch then, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming??n the evening, at midnight, at cockcrow, or in the morning??36 lest he should come unexpectedly and find you sleeping; and what I say to you, I say to all. Be awake and on guard."

"Whenever an unclean spirit leaves a man, it wanders through waterless places, seeking rest but finding none.

And he said: "There was a man who had two sons. "The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of your property which is coming to me.' So he divided his means among them. "Not many days after that the younger son gathered everything together and took his journey into a distant country; and there he wasted his money on living unsavingly. read more.
"After he had spent everything there came a terrible famine in the land, and he began to be in want. "So he went and hired to one of the citizens of that land, who sent him out into the fields to feed swine. "And he was longing to be filled with the husks which the swine were eating, but no one gave him any. "When he came to himself he said: "'How many of my father's hired men have bread enough and to spare, while I am perishing of hunger! "'I will rise and go to my father, and say to him. "Father, I have sinned against Heaven and in your sight, "'"I am no more worthy to be called your son; only make me like one of your hired men."' "So he arose and went to his father; but while he was yet a great way off, his father saw him and was moved with compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. "The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and am no more worthy to be called your son.' "'Fetch the best robe, quick,' said the father to his slaves, 'and put it on him, and give him a ring on his finger, and shoes on his feet. "'Bring that fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and make merry, "'for this son of mine was dead and is alive again??e was lost and is found.' "So they began to make merry. But his elder son was in the field, and as he drew near to the house he heard music and dancing, "and he summoned one of the slaves, and began to inquire of him what all this meant. "'Your brother is come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has him safe and sound.' "But he was angry and would not go in; so his father came out, and attempted to plead with him; but he said to his father. "'All these years I have been slaving for you and never disobeyed a command of yours. Yet you never gave me even a kid so that I might make merry with my friends. "'But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with harlots, you have killed him the fatted calf.' "'My dear son,' answered his father, 'you are always with me and all that is mine is yours. "'But it was fitting that we should make merry and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive; he was lost and is found.'"

He told them another parable. He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until the whole was leavened."

"No one ever sews a piece of undressed cloth on an old cloak. If they did, the patch put on to fill it up would tear away from the cloak, and the rent be made worse.

"Nor do they put new wine into old wine-skins; if they did, the wine-skins would split, the wine would run out, and the skins be ruined. Instead, they put new wine into fresh wine-skins and both are preserved."

He told a parable to the guests when he noticed how they began choosing the best seats. He said to them. "When you are invited by any one to a marriage-feast, do not sit down in the best seat, lest a guest more distinguished than yourself has been invited, and your host come to you and say, "'Give place to this man,' and then with mortification you proceed to take the lowest place. read more.
"But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when your host arrives he may say to you, 'My friend, come up higher.' Then you will be honored before the other guest. "For every one who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted."

Moreover he spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves because they were righteous, and looked down upon the rest. "Two men are going up to the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, the other a tax-gatherer. "The Pharisee stood apart and thus began to pray by himself. "'O God, I thank thee that I am not like the rest of men, extortioners, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax gatherer; read more.
"'I fast twice a week, I pay tithes of all my possessions.' "But the tax-gatherer, standing far back, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but kept beating his breast and saying, "'O God be merciful to me, the sinner!' "I tell you that this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself shall be humbled; but he who humbles himself shall be exalted."

"Or, again, suppose a woman has ten coins. If she loses one, does she not light a lamp and sweep the house, and search anxiously until she finds it? "And when she has found it, she calls together her woman friends and neighbors and say, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost.' "Even so I tell you there is joy in the presence of the angels for God over one sinner who repents."

"There were once to men," said Jesus, "in debt to one money-lender. One owed him fifty pounds; the other five. "When they had nothing pay he forgave them with such charm. "Tell me, then, which of these will love him most?" "I take it," said Simon, "the one he forgave the most." read more.
"You have rightly judged." answered Jesus, and turning to the woman, he said to Simon. "Do you see this woman? When I came into your house you gave me no water for my feet; but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. "You gave me no kiss; but she, since she came in, has never ceased tenderly kissing my feet; "you never anointed my head with oil; but she has anointed my feet with my feet with perfume. "This is why I tell you that her sins, many as they are, are forgiven, for her love is great; but he who is forgiven little, loves but little.

"For there is not good tree which bears worthless fruit, nor again any worthless tree which bears good fruit; for each tree is known by its own fruit. "You do not gather figs from thorns, and grapes are not plucked from a bramble-bush. "The good man out of the good treasure-house of his heart brings forth good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure-house of his heart brings forth evil; for the mouth speaks out of the abundance of the heart.

"And why do you look at the splinter that is in your brother's eye, but never consider the beam that is in your own eye? "Or how can you say to your brother. "Brother, allow me to pull that splinter out of your eye," when you do not see the beam in your own eye? Hypocrite! Take out first the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the splinter from your brother's eye.

"Can the friends fast at a wedding-feast," said Jesus, "so long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom has been taken from them, and then they will fast.

"It is with the kingdom of God," he continued, "as if a man should have sown seed in the earth; night and day he sleeps and wakes while the seed is sprouting and growing tall, he knows not how. Of its own accord the earth bears its crops; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. read more.
Then as soon as the crop is ready the man has the sickle put in at once, because harvest-time is come.

He also said to them. "Suppose you have a friend and you go to him, 'My friend, lend me three loaves of bread, "for a friend of mine is come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.' "and he from indoors shall answer. 'Do not pester me. The door is now closed, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot rise and give to you.' read more.
"I tell you that, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunate persistence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. "So I say to you. "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you.

He also taught them by a parable how they ought always to pray and never to lose heart. "There was a certain town," he said, "a judge who had neither reverence for God, nor respect for man. "In that same town there was a widow who came again and again before him, saying, "'Do for me the justice of my adversary.' read more.
"For a while he would not, but afterwards he said to himself, 'Though I have neither reverence for God nor regard for man, "'yet because this woman annoys me I will give her justice, lest by her continual coming she wear me out.' "Listen" said the Lord, "to what this unjust judge says. "And will not God see justice done to his elect who are crying unto him day and night, even if he seems to delay helping them? "I tell you that he will quickly see justice done to his elect! Nevertheless, when the Son of man comes, will he find faith upon the earth?"

Then he gave them this parable. "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came to look for fruit on it, but found none. So he said to the gardener. "'See, for years I have come looking for fruit on this tree, and found none. Cut it down. Why should it actually cumber the ground?' "But the gardener answered him. 'Lord, let it alone this year also, till I have dug around it, and fertilized it. read more.
"If after that it bears fruit, well and good; but if not you shall cut it down.'"

To his disciples he said: "There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and this steward was accused to him of wasting his property. "He called to him to him and said: "'What is this that I hear about you? Render an account of your stewardship; for you can no longer be steward.' "Now the steward said to himself. 'What shall I do, now that my master is taking away my stewardship? I am not strong enough to dig, to beg I am ashamed. read more.
"'I know what I will do, so that when I am put out of my stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.' "So he called to him each of his master's debtors and said to the first, 'How much money do you owe my master?' "'A hundred measures of oil,' he answered. "He said to him, 'Take your bill and sit down quickly and write fifty." "To a second he said, 'How much do you owe?' "The man answered, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' "'Here is you bill,' he said, 'change it to eighty measures.' "And the master praised the unjust steward because he had acted shrewdly; for the sons of this world are in relation to their own generation wiser than the sons of the light.

"I am the vine, and my Father the vine-grower. "He cuts back any of my branches that bear no fruit, and prunes every fruit-bearing branch, that it may bear more. "Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken to you. read more.
"Abide in me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine, no more can you, unless you abide in me. "I am the Vine you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him, bears abundant fruit; because apart from me you can do nothing.

"In solemn truth I tell you that whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, that man is a thief and a robber; "but he who comes in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. "The porter opens the door for him; the sheep listen to his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. read more.
"When he has brought all his own sheep, he walks before them and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. "But a stranger they will not follow, but flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." Jesus told them this parable, but they did not understand what he was talking about; so he said to them again.

And he told them a parable. "Which one of you men, if he has a hundred sheep, and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety and nine in the desert and go after the lost one until he finds it? "And after he has found it, he lays it on his shoulder, rejoicing. read more.
"When he gets home he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying, "Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' "I say to you that even so there shall be joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, more than over ninety and nine just persons who need no repentance.

If a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand;

if a household be divided against itself, that household cannot stand;

He also told them a parable. "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?