44 Bible Verses about Parables

His disciples were asking Him what this story meant. So He said, "You are granted the privilege of knowing the secrets of the kingdom of God, but to others they are told in stories, so that they may look and not see, may hear and not understand.

Then His disciples came up to Him and asked, "Why do you speak to them in stories?" He answered: "It is you and not they who are granted the privilege of knowing the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. For to anyone who has, more will be given, and his supply will overflow, but from anyone who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. read more.
This is why I am speaking to them in stories, because they look but do not see, they listen but do not really hear or understand. So in them the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: "'You will listen and listen and not understand, and you will look and look and never see at all, For this people's soul has grown dull, and with their ears they can scarcely hear, and they have shut tight their eyes, so that they will never see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn to me, so that I may cure them!' "But blessed are your eyes, for they are beginning to see, and your ears, for they are beginning to hear. For I solemnly say to you, many prophets and upright men yearned to see what you are seeing, and did not see it, and to hear what you are hearing, and did not hear it.

When He was by Himself, those who stayed about Him with the Twelve began to ask Him about the stories. Then He said to them, "To you the secret of the kingdom of God has been entrusted, but to those who are on the outside everything is presented in stories, so that 'They may look and look and yet not see, And listen and listen and yet not understand, Lest, perchance, they should turn and be forgiven.'"

Let everyone who has ears listen to what the Spirit says to the churches. I will give to him who conquers the privilege of eating the fruit of the tree of life that stands in the paradise of God."'"

So He said to him, "I solemnly say to you, this very day you will be in paradise with me."

was actually caught up into paradise, and heard things that must not be told, which no man has a right even to mention.

Jesus told the crowds all this in stories, and without a story He told them nothing, to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: "I will open my mouth in stories, I will utter truths concealed since creation."

With many stories like these He kept on telling them the message, as far as they could understand it. He did not tell them anything except by stories, but to His own disciples He kept on privately explaining everything.

He told them another story, as follows: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed seed in his field. But while the world was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed wild wheat seed in the midst of the good seed, and went away. And when the wheat plants grew up and yielded their ripened grain, the wild wheat plants appeared too. read more.
And the farmer's slaves came up to him and said, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then where did the wild wheat plants come from?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' Then they said to him, 'Do you want us, then, to go and gather them?' And he said, 'No, never, for while you are gathering the wild wheat plants you might root up the good ones with them. Let them both grow together until harvest time, and at the harvest time I will order the reapers, "Gather first the wild wheat plants and tie them into bundles to be burned up, but get the wheat into my barn."'"

Then He left the crowds and went into His house. And His disciples came up to Him and said, "Explain to us the story of the wild wheat in the field." And He answered: "The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man; the field is the world; the good seed are the members of the kingdom; the wild wheat seed are the followers of the wicked one. read more.
The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the close of the age, the reapers are angels. Just as the wild wheat plants are gathered and burned up, so it will be at the close of the age. The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all those who cause wrongdoing, and the wrongdoers, and will throw them into the furnace of torturing punishment; there they will wail and grind their teeth. Then the upright will shine out like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears listen!

"A sower went out to sow his seed. As he was sowing, some of the seed fell along the path, and were trodden down, and the wild birds ate them up. Another portion of them fell upon the rock, and as soon as they sprang up, they withered, because they had no moisture. Still another portion fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up with them and choked them out. read more.
And another portion fell in rich soil and grew and yielded a crop of a hundredfold." As He said this, He exclaimed, "Let him who has ears to hear with, listen!" His disciples were asking Him what this story meant. So He said, "You are granted the privilege of knowing the secrets of the kingdom of God, but to others they are told in stories, so that they may look and not see, may hear and not understand. This is what the story means: The seed is God's message. Those along the path illustrate those who hear it, but then the devil comes and carries off the message from their hearts, so that they may not believe it and be saved. The portion of them on the rock illustrates those who accept the message, bubbling over with joy when they first hear it, but it takes no real root. They believe for awhile, but in the time of testing they fall away. And the portion of them falling among the thorns illustrates those who hear it, but as soon as they pass on they are choked out by the worries and wealth and pleasures of life, and thus yield no mature fruit. But the portion in rich soil illustrates those who listen to the message, keep it in good and honest hearts, and in patience yield fruit.

And in stories, by way of comparison, He told them many things, as He continued to speak: "A sower went out to sow, and as he was sowing, some of the seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate them up, and some fell upon rocky ground where they did not have much soil, and at once they sprang up, because there was no depth of soil, read more.
and when the sun was up they were scorched and dried up, because they had no root. And some fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them out. And some fell in rich soil, and yielded a crop, some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty-fold. Let him who has ears listen." Then His disciples came up to Him and asked, "Why do you speak to them in stories?" He answered: "It is you and not they who are granted the privilege of knowing the secrets of the kingdom of heaven. For to anyone who has, more will be given, and his supply will overflow, but from anyone who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I am speaking to them in stories, because they look but do not see, they listen but do not really hear or understand. So in them the prophecy of the prophet Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: "'You will listen and listen and not understand, and you will look and look and never see at all, For this people's soul has grown dull, and with their ears they can scarcely hear, and they have shut tight their eyes, so that they will never see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn to me, so that I may cure them!' "But blessed are your eyes, for they are beginning to see, and your ears, for they are beginning to hear. For I solemnly say to you, many prophets and upright men yearned to see what you are seeing, and did not see it, and to hear what you are hearing, and did not hear it. "Now listen closely to the story of the sower. When anyone hears the message of the kingdom and does not understand it, the wicked one comes and carries off the seed that was sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. And what was sown upon the thin rocky soil illustrates the man who hears the message and bubbling over with joy at once accepts it, but it takes no real root in him, and he lasts only a little while, and just as soon as suffering and persecution come for the truth's sake, he at once yields and falls. And what was sown among the thorns illustrates the man who hears the message, and the worries of the times and the pleasures of being rich choke the truth out, and he yields no fruit. And what was sown in rich soil illustrates the man who hears the message and understands it, and yields fruit, one a hundred, one sixty, another thirty-fold."

"Just so, no one of you who does not forsake everything that he has, can be a disciple of mine.

"What man among you, if he wishes to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost, to see whether he has money enough to complete it? Lest, perchance, after he has laid the foundation but cannot complete the building, all who see it begin to make sport of him, and say, 'This fellow started to erect a building but could not complete it!'

No one lights a lamp and puts it in a cellar or under a peck-measure, but he puts it on the lampstand, that the people who come in may enjoy the light. Your eye is the very lamp of your body. When your eye is sound, your whole body is full of light. But if your eye is unsound, your body is full of darkness. So be on your guard that the very source of light in you is not darkness. read more.
If then your whole body is full of light with no part of it in darkness, it will all be as light for you as it is when a lamp makes it light for you by its shining."

Then He put a question to them: "A lamp is not brought to be put under a peck-measure or under a bed, is it? Is it not rather to be put on the lamp-stand?

When a strong man well armed keeps guard over his dwelling, his property is secure.

But no one can get into a giant's house and carry off his goods, unless he first binds the giant; after that he can make a clean sweep of his house.

"Who then is the faithful and thoughtful slave, whom his master put in charge of his household, to deal out to the members of it their supplies at the proper time? Blessed is that slave if, when his master comes back, he finds him so doing. I solemnly say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. read more.
But if the slave is bad and says to himself, 'My master is going to be gone a long time,' and begins to beat his fellow-slaves, and keeps on eating and drinking with those who get drunk, the master of that slave will come on the very day he is not expecting him, and will cut him in two, and give him his share with the hypocrites, where they will weep and grind their teeth."

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet that was let down into the sea, and gathered fish of every kind, which, when it was full, the fishermen drew up on the shore, and sat down and picked out the good fish for their baskets and threw the bad away. So it will be at the close of the age; the angels will go out and separate the wicked from the upright, read more.
and will throw them into the furnace of torturing punishment. There they will wail and grind their teeth.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a gem-dealer who was looking for beautiful pearls. One day he found a very costly pearl, and he went and sold all he had and bought it.

And He called the people to Him and said, "Listen to this and learn it! It is not what goes into a man's mouth that makes him foul; no, it is what comes out of a man's mouth that makes him foul." Then His disciples came up to Him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were knocked breathless to hear what you have just said?" read more.
He answered, "Every plant that my heavenly Father did not plant must be rooted up. Let them alone. They are blind teachers! And if one blind man guides another, they will both fall into the ditch." Then Peter said to Him, "Explain the maxim for us."

So the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle up his accounts with his slaves, And when he began, a man was brought to him who owed him ten million dollars. And because he could not pay it, his master ordered him to be sold, yea, even his wife and children and all he had, and payment to be made. read more.
So the slave fell down at his feet and pleaded, 'Give me time, and I will pay you every cent of it.' And his master's heart was moved with pity, and he let the slave go free with his debt cancelled. "But that slave went out and found one of his fellow-slaves who owed him twenty dollars, and he caught him by the throat and began to choke him, demanding, 'Pay me what you owe me!' "And his fellow-slave fell down before him and pleaded, 'Give me time, and I will pay you.' But he refused and went out and had him put in jail until he should pay the debt. "When his fellow-slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly troubled, and went and reported all that happened to their master. Then his master called to him, and said, 'I cancelled all that huge debt of yours, because you pleaded with me to do so. Ought you not to have shown mercy to your fellow-slave, as I too had done for you?' And the master was enraged and turned him over to the official torturers, until he should pay the whole debt. This is the way my heavenly Father too will deal with you, if you do not, each one, heartily forgive your brother."

"Listen to another story. There was once an owner of an estate who planted a vineyard and built a fence around it, and hewed out a wine-vat in it, and built a tower, and rented it to tenant farmers, and then went abroad. But when the time for gathering grapes was near, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his rent. But the tenants took his slaves and beat the first one, killed the second, and stoned the third. read more.
Again he sent other slaves, and more than at first, and they treated them exactly the same way. At last he sent his son to them, for he said to himself, 'They will surely respect my son.' But when the tenants saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is his heir, come on, let us kill him, and get all that is coming to him!' So they took him and drove him out of the vineyard and murdered him. Now when the owner of the estate comes back, what will he do to these tenants?" They answered, "In vengeance he will put the scoundrels to death, and rent the vineyard to other tenants who will promptly pay him the rent." Then Jesus said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures: 'That stone which the builders threw away has become the cornerstone; this is the work of the Lord and seems wonderful to us!' "This, I tell you, is why the kingdom will be taken away from you, and given to a people who will pay a fair rent for it. Who ever falls upon that stone will be broken to pieces, but whomever it falls upon will be crushed to powder." When the high priests and the Pharisees heard His stories, they knew that He was speaking about them,

"Now learn what the story of the fig tree means. Just as soon as its branches grow tender, and put forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So when you see all these things, you will know that He is right at your door. I solemnly say to you, the present age will not pass away before all this takes place.

He told them this story, as follows: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it is grown it is the largest of plants; yea, it grows into a tree, so that the wild birds come and roost in its branches."

"But what do you think? There was a man who had two sons, He came to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in my vineyard today.' And he answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go. Then he came to the second and said the same thing. And he answered, 'I will not.' But afterward he changed his mind and went. read more.
Which of the two did what his father wanted?" They answered, "The second one." Jesus said to them, "I solemnly say to you, the tax-collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of heaven ahead of you. For John came to you walking in the way of uprightness, and yet you did not believe him. The tax-collectors and prostitutes did believe him, but you, even though you saw that, would not change your minds afterward and believe him.

"For it is just like a man who was going on a long journey from his homeland, who called to him his slaves and turned his property over to them. He gave one five thousand dollars, another two thousand, another one thousand, to each in accordance with his ability. Then he started on his long journey. The man who had received the five thousand dollars at once went out and invested it, and made five thousand more. read more.
In the same way the man who had received the two thousand made two thousand more. But the man who had received the one thousand went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master's money. After a long time the master of those slaves came back and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five thousand dollars came up and brought him five thousand more, saying, 'You turned over to me five thousand dollars; here are five thousand more I made.' His master said to him 'Well done, my good and faithful slave, you have been faithful in the use of a small amount; I will put you in charge of a larger one. Come, share your master's joy!' Then the man who had received the two thousand came up and said, 'Master, you turned over to me two thousand dollars; here are two thousand more I made.' His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful slave, you have been faithful in the use of a small amount; I will put you in charge of a larger one. Come, share your master's joy!' Then the man who had received the one thousand came up and said, 'Master, I knew you were a hard man, who reaped where you had not sown, who gathered where you had not threshed. So I was afraid, and went off and buried your thousand dollars in the ground. Here is your money.' His master answered him, 'You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reaped where I had not sown and gathered where I had not threshed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, so that when I came back I could have collected my principal with interest. So take the thousand dollars away from him and give it to him who has ten thousand. For the man who has will have more given to him, even till it overflows, but from the man who has nothing even what he has will be taken away. And throw the good-for-nothing slave out into the darkness on the outside, where he will weep and grind his teeth.'

"The kingdom of heaven is like a king, who gave a wedding reception for his son. And he sent his slaves to summon those who had been invited to the wedding reception, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other slaves, and said to them, 'Tell the invited guests that I have my reception all ready, my bullocks and fatlings are butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding reception!' read more.
But they paid no attention to it, but went off, one to his farm, another to his place of business, and the rest seized his slaves, treated them with violence, and murdered them. Then the king was enraged, and sent his soldiers to put those murderers to death and burned their city. After that he said to his slaves, 'My wedding reception is ready, but those invited have proved unworthy. So go out to the country crossroads and invite everybody you find to my wedding reception.' And those slaves went out into the roads and gathered everybody they found, both good and bad, and the bridal-hall was packed with guests. But when the king came in to take a look at the guests, he saw there a man who did not have on a wedding suit. So he said to him, 'My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding suit on?' But his lips were sealed. Then the king said to his attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot and throw him out into the darkness on the outside, where he will have to weep and grind his teeth.' For many are invited, but few are selected."

"For the kingdom of heaven is like an owner of an estate who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. When he had contracted with the laborers at twenty cents a day, he sent them off to his vineyard. He went out again about nine o'clock and found others standing around doing nothing. read more.
So he said to them, 'You too go out to my vineyard, and I will pay you what is right.' And they went. Again he went out about twelve o'clock and three o'clock, and did as before. About five he went out again and found still others standing around, and he said to them, 'Why have you been standing here all day doing nothing?' They answered him, 'Because nobody has hired us.' He said to them, 'You too go out to my vineyard.' "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last and ending with the first.' And they who had been hired at five o'clock came and received twenty cents each. And those who were hired first, when they came, supposed that they would receive more, but they too received twenty cents each. And as they received it, they began to grumble against the owner of the estate, and say, 'These last worked only one hour, and yet you have put them on the same footing with us who have borne the heavy burdens and scorching heat of the day.' But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no injustice. Did you not contract with me at twenty cents? Take what belongs to you and go. I want to give this man hired last as much as I do you. Have I not the right to do what I please with my own money? Or, is your eye causing you to be covetous, because I am generous? So those who are last now will be first then, and those first will be last."

"So everyone who listens to my words and practices their teaching, will be like a prudent man who built his house on a rocky foundation. And the rain fell, and the rivers rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, but it did not fall, for its pillars had been laid on a rocky foundation. And anyone who listens to my words and does not practice their teaching, will be like an imprudent man who built his house on sand. read more.
And the rain fell, and the rivers rose, and the wind blew and beat against that house, and it collapsed, and the wreck of it was complete."

"Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were thoughtless and five were thoughtful, for the thoughtless ones took their lamps but took no oil with them. read more.
But the thoughtful ones not only took their lamps but also extra oil in their oil cans. While the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and dropped off to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, 'Here comes the bridegroom! Go out to meet him!' Then all those bridesmaids awoke and trimmed their lamp-wicks. And the thoughtless ones said to the thoughtful ones, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the thoughtful ones answered, 'No, no, there may not be enough for you and us. Go to the store and buy your own oil.' And while they were going to buy it, the bridegroom came, and the bridesmaids that were ready went in with him to the wedding reception; and the door was closed. At last the rest of the bridesmaids came, and kept begging, 'Master, master, open the door for us!' But he answered, 'I positively say to you, I do not know you.' So you must keep on watching, for you do not know either the day or the hour.

But be sure of this, that if the master of the house had known in exactly what part of the night the thief would come, he would have been on guard and would not have let his house be broken into.

"The kingdom of heaven is like a pot of gold which was buried in a field, which a man found and buried again; and for joy over it he went and sold all he had and bought that field.

"Once there was a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and live in dazzling luxury every day. And a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores, had been laid at his gate, and he was always craving to get a square meal from the scraps that fell from the rich man's table. Yes, the very dogs used to come and lick his sores. read more.
One day the beggar died and was carried away by the angels to be Abraham's bosom companion, and the rich man too died and was buried. And in Hades he looked up, in constant tortures as he was, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus his bosom companion. So he called and said, 'Father Abraham, take pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water to cool off my tongue, because I am ceaselessly tortured in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'My child, remember that you received in full your blessings in your lifetime, and Lazarus his hardships in his, but now he is continuously comforted here, while you are continuously tortured there. Besides all this, between you and us there stands fixed a great chasm, so that those who want to cross from this side to you cannot, nor can they cross from your side to us.' Then he said, 'For this reason, I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house (for I have five brothers) to warn them, that they too may not come to this place of torture.' But Abraham said, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them listen to them.' But he pleaded, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone went to them from the dead, they would repent.' Then he answered, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced, even if someone rises from the dead.'"

"Or what king, when he is going to make an attack on another king, does not first sit down and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand soldiers to meet the other king who is coming against him with twenty thousand? And if he cannot, while the other is still far away, he sends envoys and asks for terms of peace. "Just so, no one of you who does not forsake everything that he has, can be a disciple of mine.

Jesus answered: "A man was on his way down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell into the hands of robbers, who both stripped him and beat him till he was half dead, and then went off and left him. Now a priest happened to be going that way, but when he saw him, he went by on the other side of the road. So a Levite likewise came down to the place, but when he saw him, he went by on the other side. read more.
But a Samaritan, while on a journey, came down to him, and when he saw him, his heart was moved with pity for him. So he went to him and dressed his wounds by pouring oil and wine upon them, and then he put him on his donkey and brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out a half dollar and handed it to the innkeeper, and said, 'Take care of him, and on my way back I will repay you.' Which one of these three do you think proved himself a real neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers' hands?" He said, "The one who took pity on him." Jesus said to him, "Go and practice it yourself."

And He said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, at once you say, 'It is going to rain,' and it does. And when you see a south wind blowing, you say, 'It is going to be very hot,' and so it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret day by day the look of earth and sky. Then how is it that you do not know how to interpret the present crisis? read more.
Why do you not of yourselves decide what is right?

Salt is good, but if salt itself loses its strength, how can that strength be restored? It is fit for neither soil nor manure. People throw it away. Let him who has ears to hear with give heed!"

Then He told them a story, as follows: "A certain rich man's lands yielded bountifully. So he began to argue with himself, 'What am I to do, because I have nowhere to store my crops?' Then he said, 'This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and in them I will store all my grains and my goods. read more.
Then I will say to my soul, "Soul, you have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Go on taking your ease; continue to eat, drink, and enjoy yourself."' But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your soul is to be demanded of you. Then who will have all that you have prepared?' So it is with the man who continues to pile up possessions for himself, and is not rich in God."

So He said: "Once upon a time a man of noble birth went off to a distant country to get for himself a kingdom and then return. He called in ten of his slaves and gave them twenty dollars apiece and told them to do business with his money while he was gone. But his citizens continued to hate him, and sent a delegation after him to say, 'We do not want this man to become king over us.' read more.
Then after he had gotten the appointment as king, he returned and ordered those slaves to whom he had given his money to be called in, that he might find out what business they had done. Now the first one came in and said, 'Your twenty dollars, sir, has made two hundred more.' So he said to him, 'Well done, my good slave! Because you have proven dependable in a very small business, be governor of ten cities!' The second one came in and said, 'Your twenty dollars, sir, has made a hundred!' So he said to him too, 'Be governor of five cities? But another one came in and said, 'Here is your twenty dollars, sir, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief. For I lived in constant dread of you, because you are a stern man, you pick up what you did not put down, you reap what you did not sow.' He said to him, 'On the ground of what you say I will sentence you, you wicked slave! You knew that I was a stern man, that I picked up what I did not put down, and reaped what I did not sow. So why did you not put my money into the bank? In that case, when I came back I could have gotten interest on my principal.' So he said to the bystanders, 'Take the twenty dollars away from him and give it to the man who has the two hundred.' And they said, 'Sir, he has two hundred already.' 'I tell you, the man who gets will have more given to him, but the man who does not get will have even what he has taken away from him! But bring those enemies of mine here who did not want me to become king over them and slay them in my presence!'"

It will be like a man who leaves his home and goes on a journey, after he has given orders to his slaves, to each his particular task, and has given orders to the watchman to keep watch. So you must keep alert, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming -- in the evening or at midnight or at daybreak or early in the morning -- so that he may not come unexpectedly and find you asleep. read more.
And so what I say to you, I say to everybody, keep alert."

"Whenever the foul spirit goes out of a man, it wanders about in deserts in search of rest, but cannot find it.

Then He said: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that falls to me.' So he divided his property between them. Not many days after that, the younger son got together all he had and went away to a distant country, and there he squandered all his property by living in dissipation. read more.
After he had spent it all, a severe famine struck that country, and he began to suffer want. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, and he sent him to his fields to feed hogs. And often he craved to fill himself with the carob-pods which the hogs were eating, and nobody gave him a bite. Then he came to himself and said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more to eat than they need, and here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your opinion; I no longer deserve to be called your son; just treat me like one of your hired men."' So he got up and went to his father. But, while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and his heart was moved with pity for him, and he ran and fell on his neck, and kissed him affectionately. His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your opinion; I no longer deserve to be called your son; just treat me like one of your hired men.' But his father said to his slaves, 'Bring out at once a robe, yes, the finest one, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet; take the fattening calf and kill it, and let us feast and celebrate, because this son of mine was dead and has come to life, was lost and has been found!' So they began to celebrate. "Now his elder son was in the field. So, on coming in, as he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. Then he called one of the servant-boys and asked him what this meant. He said to him, 'Your brother has come back, and your father has killed the fattening calf, because he has gotten him back safe and sound.' So he became angry and would not go into the house. Then his father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, 'See! I have served you all these years and have never disobeyed a command of yours, but you have never given me even a kid, so that I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours arrives, who has eaten up your property with immoral women, you have killed for him the fattening calf.' Then he said to him, 'My child, you have been with me all the time, and all I have is yours. But we just had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life, was lost and has been found.'"

He told another story: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to yeast which a woman took and worked into a bushel of flour until it all had risen."

Nobody sews a patch of brand-new goods on an old coat, for such a patch would tear away from the coat, and the hole would be bigger than ever.

Nobody pours new wine into old wine-bottles; or, if they do, the bottles burst, the wine runs out, and the bottles are ruined. But people pour new wine into new wine-bottles, and so both are preserved."

When He noticed how the guests were picking out the best places, He told them the following story: "When you are invited by anyone to a wedding supper, never take the best place, for someone of greater distinction than you may have been invited, so that your host may not come and say to you, 'Make room for this man'; and then in embarrassment you will proceed to take and keep the lowest place. read more.
But when you are invited anywhere, go and take the lowest place, so that when your host comes in, he may say to you, 'My friend, come up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow-guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

To some people who were confident that they themselves were upright, but who scorned everybody else, He told the following story: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax-collector. The Pharisee stood and said this self-centered prayer, 'O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men, robbers, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. read more.
I fast two days in the week. I pay a tithe on everything I get.' But the tax-collector stood at a distance and would not even lift his eyes to heaven, but continued to beat his breast, and say, 'O God, have mercy on me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man, and not the other, went back home forgiven and accepted by God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

"Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one of them, does not light a lamp and sweep the house, and look carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls in her friends and neighbors, and says, 'Rejoice with me, because I have found the coin which I lost!' Just so, I tell you, there is joy among the angels of God over one sinful person who repents!"

"Two men were in debt to a money-lender. One owed him a hundred dollars, the other ten. Since they could not pay him, he graciously canceled the debts for both of them. Now which one of them will love him more?" Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he canceled most." Then He said, "You are correct in your judgment." read more.
And turning face to face with the woman He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I came to your house; you did not give me any water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but she, from the moment I came in, has not ceased to kiss my feet with affection. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with perfume. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, as many as they are, are forgiven, for she has loved me so much. But the one who has little to be forgiven loves me little."

"For there never is a healthy tree that bears poor fruit, nor a sickly tree that bears good fruit. For every tree is known by its fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or gather grapes from a bramble-bush. The good man, out of his good inner storehouse, brings forth what is good, the bad man, out of his bad one, what is bad. For a man's mouth usually speaks the things that fill his heart.

Why do you continue to look at the tiny speck in your brother's eye, but pay no attention to the heavy girder in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me get that tiny speck out of your eye,' when you cannot see the girder in your own eye? You hypocrite! First get the girder out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly how to get out the tiny speck in your brother's eye.

Jesus said to them, "The wedding guests cannot mourn, can they, as long as they have the bridegroom with them? But a time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast.

He also was saying: "The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground, then continues sleeping by night and getting up by day, while the seed sprouts and comes up without his knowing how. The ground of itself produces, first the stalk, then the head; at last there is the matured grain of wheat in the head. read more.
But as soon as the crop Will permit it, he puts in the sickle, for the reaping time has come."

Then He said to them: "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him in the middle of the night and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has just come to my house on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him to eat.' And suppose he answers from inside, 'Stop bothering me; the door is now locked, and my children are packed about me in bed; I cannot get up and give you any.' read more.
I tell you, although he will not get up and give you any because he is your friend, yet because of your persistence he will get up and give you all your needs. So I tell you, keep on asking, and the gift will be given you; keep on seeking, and you will find; keep on knocking, and the door will open to you.

Now He told them the following story to show how necessary it is for people always to pray and never to give up: "Once there was in a city a judge who had no reverence for God nor respect for men. And in that city there was a widow who continued to come to him and say, 'Give me justice and protection from my opponent.' read more.
And he would not for a time, but afterward he said to himself, Though I have no reverence for God nor respect for men, yet because this widow continues to bother me, I will give her justice and protection, so that she may not finally wear me out by her continual coming." Then the Lord added, "Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! And will not God give justice and protection to His chosen people who continue to cry to Him day and night, since He is so patient with them? I tell you, He will give them justice and protection, and that without delay. But when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?"

Then He told them this story: "A man had a fig tree planted by his vineyard, and he kept going and looking for figs on it, but did not find any. So he said to the vine-dresser, 'Look here! for three years I have been coming to look for figs on this fig tree, and have not found any. Cut it down. Why waste the ground with it?' But he answered, 'Leave it, sir, just one more year, till I dig around it and manure it. read more.
If it bears figs in the future, well; but if not, you will have to cut it down.'"

Now He was saying to the disciples: "Once there was a rich man who had a household manager, and he was accused to his master of squandering the latter's property. So he called the manager to him and said, 'What is this that I am hearing about you? Balance your accounts and show how you are conducting my affairs, for you cannot be manager any longer.' Then the manager said to himself, What shall I do, because my master is going to take my position away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg. read more.
I know what I will do -- I will ask them to take me into their homes when I am removed from my position. So he called in each of his master's debtors, and asked the first one, 'How much do you owe my master?' He answered, 'Nine hundred gallons of oil.' Then he said to him, 'Take your bill and sit right down and write four hundred and fifty.' Then he asked another, 'And how much do you owe?' He answered, 'Twelve hundred bushels of wheat:' He said to him, 'Take your bill and write nine hundred and sixty.' And his master praised the dishonest manager, because he acted with shrewd business sense, for the men of the world act with more business sense toward their fellows than the men who enjoy spiritual light.

"I am the real vine, and my Father is the cultivator. He cuts away any branch on me that stops bearing fruit, and He repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more. You are already pruned because of the teaching that I have given you. read more.
You must remain in union with me and I will remain in union with you. Just as no branch by itself can bear fruit unless it remains united to the vine, so you cannot unless you remain in union with me. I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in union with me and I in union with him will bear abundant fruit, because you cannot do anything cut off from union with me.

"I most solemnly say to you, whoever does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs over at some other place is a thief and a robber. But the one who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. The doorkeeper opens the door to him, and the sheep obey his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. read more.
So when he gets his sheep all out, he goes on before them, and the sheep come on behind him, because they know his voice. But they will never come on behind a stranger, but will run away from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." Jesus told them this allegory, but they did not understand what He meant by it.

So He told them the following story: "What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep, and if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the desert and continue to look for the lost one until he finds it? And when he finds it, with joy he puts it on his shoulders, read more.
and when he reaches home he calls in his friends and neighbors, and says to them, 'Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!' Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinful person who repents than over ninety-nine upright people who do not need any repentance.

But he got very hungry and wanted something to eat. While they were getting it ready, he fell into a trance and saw the sky opened, and something like a great sheet coming down, lowered to the earth by the four corners, which contained all kinds of four-footed animals, reptiles, and wild birds. read more.
A voice came to him, "Get up, Peter, kill something and eat it." But Peter said, "Never by any means, sir, for I have never eaten anything common, or not ceremonially cleansed." A second time the voice came to him, "The things that God has cleansed you must not call unclean." This took place three times; then all at once the thing was taken up into the sky.

In any great house there are not only gold and silver articles but also wooden utensils, some for honorable uses and some for lowly uses. So if a man will cleanse himself from these things, he will be an instrument for honorable uses, consecrated, useful for the Master, and ready for any good service.

Because if anyone merely listens to the message without obeying it, he is like a man who looks in a mirror at his own face, for he looks and then goes off and at once forgets how he looked. But the man who looks at the flawless law that makes men free, and keeps on looking, proving himself to be, not a forgetful hearer but an actual doer of what it requires, will be blessed in what he does.

For the Scripture says that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave girl, the other by a free woman. But the child of the slave girl was born in the ordinary course of nature, while the child of the free woman was born to fulfill the promise. This is spoken as an allegory. For these women are two covenants, one coming from Mount Sinai, bearing children that are to be slaves; read more.
that is, Hagar (and Hagar means Mount Sinai, in Arabia) and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for Jerusalem is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. For the Scripture says: "Rejoice, you childless woman, who never bore a child; break forth into shouting, you who feel no birth pangs; for the desolate woman has many children, even more than the married one." Now we, brothers, like Isaac, are children born to fulfill the promise. But just as then the child born in the ordinary course of nature persecuted the one born by the power of the Spirit, so it is today. But what does the Scripture say? "Drive off the slave girl and her son, for the slave girl's son shall never share the inheritance with the son of the free woman." So, brothers, we are children, not of a slave girl but of a free woman.

If a kingdom is disunited, that kingdom cannot last.

And if a household is disunited, that household cannot last.

Then He told them a story: "Can one blind man lead another? Will they not both fall into the ditch?

Take your share of hardships like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier ever allows himself to be involved in the business affairs of life, so that he may please the officer who enlisted him.

No contestant in the games is crowned, unless he competes according to the rules.

The toiling farmer ought to be the first to share the crop.