10 Bible Verses about Parables Of The Kingdom Of Heaven

And Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is like a farmer who scattered seed on the ground, then went to bed and got up the next day to find that the seed had sprouted and grown, yet he did not know how it happened. The soil yields its crop, first the green sprout, then the ears of grain, and then the kernels in the ears.read more.
But when the grain ripens the farmer wields his sickle because harvest time has come."

"The kingdom of heaven is similar to a person finding a treasure hidden in a field. After finding it, he was so happy he hid it [again], then went out and sold everything he owned so he could buy that field. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is similar to a [retail] merchant searching to buy some fine pearls. When he found an extremely valuable one he went and sold all that he owned and bought it.

And He continued to speak, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? Or, what parable will [best] illustrate it? It is similar to a seed from the mustard tree which, when planted in the ground, even though it is the least [significant] of all seeds on earth, becomes larger than all other plants. It develops huge branches so that the birds of the sky can roost in their shade."read more.
And He spoke "the word" to them [i.e., the crowds] with as many such parables as they were able to receive. And He did not speak to them [i.e., concerning the kingdom] without using a parable, but He explained everything to His own disciples privately.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is similar to a drag-net [for fishing] that was cast into the lake and gathered all kinds [of fish]. When it became full, the fishermen dragged it up onto the shore. Then they sat down and, [sorting their catch], placed the good [i.e., edible fish] into containers, but threw out the bad [i.e., inedible ones]. At the end of the world it will be that same way. The angels will come and divide the sinful people from the ones who did what was right,read more.
and throw the sinful ones into the fiery furnace where there will be crying and excruciating pain." "Have you understood all these things?" [Jesus asked]. "Yes," they said to Him. Then He said to them, "Therefore every expert in the law of Moses who has been made a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is similar to a [wealthy] homeowner who brought [both] new and old things out of his supply of goods."

"For the kingdom of heaven is similar to a man who planned to go on a trip to a distant country, so called his servants and entrusted to each of them a large sum of money [Note: The narrative that follows suggests that the man was turning over some of his assets to financial managers to invest for him]. He gave one servant five talents [Note: This 'talent' was a large sum of money in the form of a certain weight of silver. It was the equivalent of sixty years of a farm laborer's wages, or about $750,000 in income]. He gave two talents to another servant and one talent to another. He gave to each one an amount in keeping with his ability [to invest it wisely], and then left on his trip. The one with the five talents soon invested the money in business transactions which netted him five more.read more.
In the same way the one who was given two talents made two more. But the one who was given one talent went and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master's money. Now after a long time the master of these servants returned [from his trip] and proceeded to go over his accounts with each of them. The one who had been given five talents came bringing another five and reported, 'Master, you entrusted me with five talents. Look, I have earned five more with them.' His master replied, 'Well done, you are a good and trustworthy servant. You have been trustworthy over a [relatively] few things, so I will place you over many things. Come and share in your master's joy.' And the one who was given two talents came and reported, 'Master, you entrusted me with two talents. Look, I have earned two more with them.' His master said to him, 'Well done, you are a good and trustworthy servant. You have been trustworthy over a [relatively] few things, [so] I will place you over many things. Come and share in your master's joy.' Then the one who was given [only] one talent came and reported, 'Master, I knew you were a difficult man who reaped where you had not sown, and gathered a harvest where you had not scattered seed, and I was afraid, so I went away and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you [can] have your own talent [back].' But his master said to him, 'You wicked, lazy servant. [Since] you knew that I reaped where I had not sown and gathered where I had not scattered seed, you should have therefore deposited my money in the bank [so] when I returned, [at least] I would have received my own money back, with interest. Take the one talent away from him, therefore, and give it to the servant who had the ten talents. For to every person who has [something], more will be given, so he will have plenty. But from the person who has [virtually] nothing, even that [little bit] he has will be taken away [from him]. Throw out that worthless servant into the [place of] outer darkness, where there will be crying and excruciating pain.

"Then the kingdom of heaven will be similar to ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the [bride and] groom. [Note: The picture here is that of a newly married couple returning from a festive reception to the groom's home where they continued celebrating and were welcomed by a late evening wedding party] Five of the bridesmaids were foolish and five were sensible. The foolish ones did not take enough olive oil for their lamps with them,read more.
but the sensible ones took [extra] oil in containers, along with their lamps. Now when the [bride and] groom were late [in arriving], the bridesmaids all got drowsy and fell asleep. Then at midnight someone shouted, 'Look, the [bride and] groom are here. Come on, let us go out and meet them.' Then all the bridesmaids woke up and trimmed their lamps [i.e., removed the burnt wicks and replenished their lamps with oil]. The foolish ones said to the sensible ones, 'Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.' But the sensible ones answered, 'There might not be enough for us and you, [so] instead, you should go to the store and buy some for yourselves.' And while they were away [trying] to buy olive oil, the [bride and] groom arrived, and those who were ready [to welcome them] entered the [house where the] wedding reception [was being held] and the door was shut. After that, the other bridesmaids also came asking, 'Sir, Sir, [please] open the door for us!' But he answered them, 'Truly I tell you, I do not know you.' Therefore, you should be watchful, for you do not know the day or hour [i.e., when the Son of man will return].

Then Peter came and said to Jesus, "Lord, how often must I forgive my brother when he sins against me? As many as seven times?" Jesus replied, "I tell you, not [just] up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven [i.e., a large indefinite number of times]. "Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is similar to a certain king who decided to settle his account with his servants.read more.
When he began figuring, one of his servants, who owed him a huge sum of money [Note: The amount is variously estimated to be as much as $50,000,000 in 1994], was brought to him. But since he did not have enough [money] to pay [what he owed], his master ordered that he, his wife, his children and all his possessions be sold [in order] to pay [his debt]. The servant then fell to the ground [before his master] and humbly implored him, saying, 'Master, [please] be patient with me and I will repay you everything [I owe].' And the master of that servant felt deep pity [for him], so released him [from custody] and canceled his debt. But that [same] servant went out and found one of his fellow-servants who owed him a small sum of money [Note: The amount was about days of a farm laborer's pay or about $7,000 in 1994]. He grabbed him by the throat, saying, 'Pay [me] what you owe.' His fellow-servant fell [on the ground before him] and begged him, saying, '[Please] be patient with me and I will repay you [all I owe you].' But he would not do it. Instead, he took him and had him thrown into prison until he paid [him] all he owed. When his fellow-servants saw what he had done, they were very upset and went and told their master everything that had happened. Then his master called for him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I canceled all of your debt because you begged me to. Should you not also have had pity on your fellow-servant just as I pitied you?' His master then became furious and turned him over [to the authorities] to be punished until he paid all that he owed. In the same way my heavenly Father will also deal with you [i.e., punish you] unless every one of you forgives his brother from the heart."

Jesus again spoke in parables to them [i.e., the Jewish leaders], saying, "The kingdom of heaven is similar to a certain king who held a wedding reception for his son. He sent his servants out to call those who had been invited to the wedding reception, but they refused to come.read more.
Again he sent out other servants saying, 'Tell those who were invited, look, I have already prepared the dinner; my cattle and [other] well-fattened animals have been butchered and everything is ready. [Now] come to the wedding reception dinner.' But they made fun of it, and went on about their business, one to his farm, another to his store. But the rest of them grabbed his servants, physically abused them and [finally] killed them. The king became furious and sent his army to destroy these murderers and burn their city. Then he told his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited to it [proved they] were not worthy [to attend]. Now go to the main crossroads of the highways and invite everyone you find there to the wedding reception.' So, his servants went out to the highways and gathered in all those who could be found, both bad and good, so that the wedding [reception] was full of guests. But when the king came in [to the dining hall] to meet the guests, he noticed a man who was not wearing a [proper] wedding outfit. He said to the man, 'Friend, how did you get in here without wearing the proper wedding outfit?' And he could not say a word. Then the king said to his servants, 'Tie him up, hand and foot, and throw him into [a place of] outer darkness where there will be crying and excruciating pain.' For many people are called [by God] but [only those] few [who respond] are chosen [by Him]."

[Then] Jesus told them another parable, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is similar to a person who sowed seed in his field, but while his workers were asleep his enemy came and scattered weed seeds throughout his wheat field and then left. But when the [green] shoots sprouted up and produced grain, weeds appeared also.read more.
The farmer's hired hands came and asked him, 'Did you not plant [only] good seed in your field? Where did the weeds come from [then]?' And he said to them, 'An enemy [of mine] has done this [to me].' The hired hands replied, 'Do you want us then to go and gather up the weeds?' But the farmer said, 'No, for while you are gathering up the weeds, you might root up [some of] the wheat with them. Let both of them grow together until it is time for the harvest; then at that time, I will tell the harvesters, "Gather up the weeds first, and bind them up into bundles to burn. But gather the wheat into my barn."'"

"For the kingdom of heaven is similar to a farmer who went out early one morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. When he had agreed with the workers [on wages] for the usual farm laborer's pay for a day's work, he [then] sent them to work in his vineyard. [Note: The coin mentioned here would amount to $60-$84 in 1994, based on $5-$7 an hour for a twelve hour day. This coin also forms the basis for calculating all other monetary references in the New Testament]. He went out about nine o'clock in the morning and saw other unemployed laborers standing [around] in the open shopping market.read more.
He said to them, 'You men also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So, they went to work. [Then] he went out again about noon and again at three o'clock in the afternoon and made the same offer. [Finally] he went out [once more] at about five o'clock in the afternoon and found [still] other men standing around. He said, 'Why have you been standing around all day and not working?' They replied, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You men also may go to work in my vineyard.' And when evening came the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers [in] and pay them their wages, beginning with the last [one hired, then] to the first.' So, when those hired about five o'clock in the afternoon came in, each one received the usual pay for one full day's work. [See note on verse 2]. Then when those who were hired first came [to get paid], they expected to receive more money [than those hired later], but each one received the usual pay for one full day's work also. And when they received it, they complained to the farmer, saying, 'These men [you hired] last have worked only one hour and you gave them wages equal to ours when we carried the heaviest load of the day's work and [put up with] the scorching heat [all day long].' But he answered one of them, saying, 'Friend, I have not done anything wrong to you. Did you not agree with me to accept the usual pay for one full day's work? Take what belongs to you and go on your way. I want to give this last person [hired] the same wages I gave you. Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my own money? Or, is it that your eye is envious because I choose to be so generous?' So, the [person who seems to be] last will be first [i.e., in importance and blessings], but the [person who seems to be] first will [end up] being last."