Matthew 8-13

New International Version

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy^(A)

8 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. ² A man with leprosy^[a](B) came and knelt before him^(C) and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

³ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. ⁴ Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone.^(D) But go, show yourself to the priest^(E) and offer the gift Moses commanded,^(F) as a testimony to them.”

The Faith of the Centurion^(G)

⁵ When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help. ⁶ “Lord,” he said, “my servant lies at home paralyzed,^(H) suffering terribly.”

⁷ Jesus said to him, “Shall I come and heal him?”

⁸ The centurion replied, “Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.^{(I) 9} For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”

¹⁰ When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.^{(J) 11} I say to you that many will come from the east and the west,^(K) and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.^{(L) 12} But the subjects of the kingdom^(M) will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”^(N)

¹³ Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would.”^(O) And his servant was healed at that moment.

Jesus Heals Many^(P)

¹⁴ When Jesus came into Peter’s house, he saw Peter’s mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever. ¹⁵ He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.

¹⁶ When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.^{(Q) 17} This was to fulfill^(R) what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

The Cost of Following Jesus^(T)

¹⁸ When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.^{(U) 19} Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”

²⁰ Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man^(V) has no place to lay his head.”

²¹ Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

²² But Jesus told him, “Follow me,^(W) and let the dead bury their own dead.”

Jesus Calms the Storm^(X)(Y)

²³ Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. ²⁴ Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. ²⁵ The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

²⁶ He replied, “You of little faith,^(Z) why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.^(AA)

²⁷ The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”

Jesus Restores Two Demon-Possessed Men^(AB)

²⁸ When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes,^[c] two demon-possessed^(AC) men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. ²⁹ “What do you want with us,^(AD) Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?”^(AE)

³⁰ Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. ³¹ The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.”

³² He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and died in the water. ³³ Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. ³⁴ Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.^(AF)

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man^(AG)

9 Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town.^{(AH) 2} Some men brought to him a paralyzed man,^(AI) lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith,^(AJ) he said to the man, “Take heart,^(AK) son; your sins are forgiven.”^(AL)

³ At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, “This fellow is blaspheming!”^(AM)

⁴ Knowing their thoughts,^(AN) Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? ⁵ Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ⁶ But I want you to know that the Son of Man^(AO) has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” ⁷ Then the man got up and went home. ⁸ When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God,^(AP) who had given such authority to man.

The Calling of Matthew^(AQ)

⁹ As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,”^(AR) he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

¹⁰ While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. ¹¹ When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”^(AS)

¹² On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. ¹³ But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’^[d](AT) For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”^(AU)

Jesus Questioned About Fasting^(AV)

¹⁴ Then John’s^(AW) disciples came and asked him, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast often,^(AX) but your disciples do not fast?”

¹⁵ Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them?^(AY) The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast.^(AZ)

¹⁶ “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch will pull away from the garment, making the tear worse. ¹⁷ Neither do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Jesus Raises a Dead Girl and Heals a Sick Woman^(BA)

¹⁸ While he was saying this, a synagogue leader came and knelt before him^(BB) and said, “My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her,^(BC) and she will live.” ¹⁹ Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.

²⁰ Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak.^{(BD) 21} She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”

²² Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart,^(BE) daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.”^(BF) And the woman was healed at that moment.^(BG)

²³ When Jesus entered the synagogue leader’s house and saw the noisy crowd and people playing pipes,^{(BH) 24} he said, “Go away. The girl is not dead^(BI) but asleep.”^(BJ) But they laughed at him. ²⁵ After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.^{(BK) 26} News of this spread through all that region.^(BL)

Jesus Heals the Blind and the Mute

²⁷ As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”^(BM)

²⁸ When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they replied.^(BN)

²⁹ Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”;^{(BO) 30} and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.”^{(BP) 31} But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.^(BQ)

³² While they were going out, a man who was demon-possessed^(BR) and could not talk^(BS) was brought to Jesus. ³³ And when the demon was driven out, the man who had been mute spoke. The crowd was amazed and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”^(BT)

³⁴ But the Pharisees said, “It is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons.”^(BU)

The Workers Are Few

³⁵ Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.^{(BV) 36} When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them,^(BW) because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.^{(BX) 37} Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest^(BY) is plentiful but the workers are few.^{(BZ) 38} Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve^{(CA)(CB)(CC)(CD)(CE)}

10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits^(CF) and to heal every disease and sickness.^(CG)

² These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.^(CH)

⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans.^{(CI) 6} Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.^{(CJ) 7} As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven^(CK) has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,^[e] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

⁹ “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts^(CL)— ¹⁰ no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep.^{(CM) 11} Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. ¹² As you enter the home, give it your greeting.^{(CN) 13} If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴ If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.^{(CO) 15} Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah^(CP) on the day of judgment^(CQ) than for that town.^(CR)

¹⁶ “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.^(CS) Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.^{(CT) 17} Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils^(CU) and be flogged in the synagogues.^{(CV) 18} On my account you will be brought before governors and kings^(CW) as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. ¹⁹ But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it.^(CX) At that time you will be given what to say, ²⁰ for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father^(CY) speaking through you.

²¹ “Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents^(CZ) and have them put to death.^{(DA) 22} You will be hated by everyone because of me,^(DB) but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.^{(DC) 23} When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. Truly I tell you, you will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.^(DD)

²⁴ “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.^{(DE) 25} It is enough for students to be like their teachers, and servants like their masters. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul,^(DF) how much more the members of his household!

²⁶ “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.^{(DG) 27} What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. ²⁸ Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One^(DH) who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.^{[f] 30} And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.^{(DI) 31} So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.^(DJ)

³² “Whoever acknowledges me before others,^(DK) I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. ³³ But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.^(DL)

³⁴ “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. ³⁵ For I have come to turn

³⁷ “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.^{(DO) 38} Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.^{(DP) 39} Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.^(DQ)

⁴⁰ “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me,^(DR) and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.^{(DS) 41} Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. ⁴² And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.”^(DT)

Jesus and John the Baptist^(DU)

11 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples,^(DV) he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.^[h]

² When John,^(DW) who was in prison,^(DX) heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples ³ to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come,^(DY) or should we expect someone else?”

⁴ Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: ⁵ The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy^[i] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.^{(DZ) 6} Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”^(EA)

⁷ As John’s^(EB) disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness^(EC) to see? A reed swayed by the wind? ⁸ If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. ⁹ Then what did you go out to see? A prophet?^(ED) Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ This is the one about whom it is written:

¹¹ Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹² From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,^[k] and violent people have been raiding it. ¹³ For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John.^{(EG) 14} And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.^{(EH) 15} Whoever has ears, let them hear.^(EI)

¹⁶ “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others:

¹⁸ For John came neither eating^(EJ) nor drinking,^(EK) and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ ¹⁹ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’^(EL) But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.”

Woe on Unrepentant Towns^(EM)

²⁰ Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. ²¹ “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida!^(EN) For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon,^(EO) they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.^{(EP) 22} But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.^{(EQ) 23} And you, Capernaum,^(ER) will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.^[l](ES) For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. ²⁴ But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.”^(ET)

The Father Revealed in the Son^(EU)

²⁵ At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father,^(EV) Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.^{(EW) 26} Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

²⁷ “All things have been committed to me^(EX) by my Father.^(EY) No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.^(EZ)

²⁸ “Come to me,^(FA) all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.^{(FB) 29} Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,^(FC) for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.^{(FD) 30} For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”^(FE)

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath^(FF)(FG)

12 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain^(FH) and eat them. ² When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.”^(FI)

³ He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry?^{(FJ) 4} He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests.^{(FK) 5} Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath^(FL) and yet are innocent? ⁶ I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.^{(FM) 7} If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’^[m](FN) you would not have condemned the innocent. ⁸ For the Son of Man^(FO) is Lord of the Sabbath.”

⁹ Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, ¹⁰ and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus,^(FP) they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”^(FQ)

¹¹ He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?^{(FR) 12} How much more valuable is a person than a sheep!^(FS) Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.”

¹³ Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. ¹⁴ But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.^(FT)

God’s Chosen Servant

¹⁵ Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill.^{(FU) 16} He warned them not to tell others about him.^{(FV) 17} This was to fulfill^(FW) what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

Jesus and Beelzebul^(GA)

²² Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see.^{(GB) 23} All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?”^(GC)

²⁴ But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul,^(GD) the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.”^(GE)

²⁵ Jesus knew their thoughts^(GF) and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. ²⁶ If Satan^(GG) drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? ²⁷ And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul,^(GH) by whom do your people^(GI) drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. ²⁸ But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God^(GJ) has come upon you.

²⁹ “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house.

³⁰ “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.^{(GK) 31} And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.^{(GL) 32} Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age^(GM) or in the age to come.^(GN)

³³ “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.^{(GO) 34} You brood of vipers,^(GP) how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks^(GQ) what the heart is full of. ³⁵ A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. ³⁶ But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. ³⁷ For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”^(GR)

The Sign of Jonah^(GS)(GT)

³⁸ Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign^(GU) from you.”^(GV)

³⁹ He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.^{(GW) 40} For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish,^(GX) so the Son of Man^(GY) will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.^{(GZ) 41} The men of Nineveh^(HA) will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah,^(HB) and now something greater than Jonah is here. ⁴² The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came^(HC) from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here.

⁴³ “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. ⁴⁴ Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.^(HD) That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers^(HE)

⁴⁶ While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother^(HF) and brothers^(HG) stood outside, wanting to speak to him. ⁴⁷ Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”

⁴⁸ He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven^(HH) is my brother and sister and mother.”

The Parable of the Sower^(HI)(HJ)(HK)

13 That same day Jesus went out of the house^(HL) and sat by the lake. ² Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat^(HM) and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. ³ Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred,^(HN) sixty or thirty times what was sown. ⁹ Whoever has ears, let them hear.”^(HO)

¹⁰ The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

¹¹ He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven^(HP) has been given to you,^(HQ) but not to them. ¹² Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.^{(HR) 13} This is why I speak to them in parables:

¹⁴ In them is fulfilled^(HT) the prophecy of Isaiah:

¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.^{(HV) 17} For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see^(HW) but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

¹⁸ “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: ¹⁹ When anyone hears the message about the kingdom^(HX) and does not understand it, the evil one^(HY) comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. ²⁰ The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. ²¹ But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.^{(HZ) 22} The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth^(IA) choke the word, making it unfruitful. ²³ But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”^(IB)

The Parable of the Weeds

²⁴ Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like^(IC) a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

²⁷ “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

²⁸ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

²⁹ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”^(ID)

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast^(IE)(IF)

³¹ He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like^(IG) a mustard seed,^(IH) which a man took and planted in his field. ³² Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”^(II)

³³ He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like^(IJ) yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds^[p] of flour^(IK) until it worked all through the dough.”^(IL)

³⁴ Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.^{(IM) 35} So was fulfilled^(IN) what was spoken through the prophet:

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

³⁶ Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable^(IP) of the weeds in the field.”

³⁷ He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.^{(IQ) 38} The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one,^{(IR) 39} and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest^(IS) is the end of the age,^(IT) and the harvesters are angels.^(IU)

⁴⁰ “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man^(IV) will send out his angels,^(IW) and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. ⁴² They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^{(IX) 43} Then the righteous will shine like the sun^(IY) in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.^(IZ)

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like^(JA) treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.^(JB)

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like^(JC) a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶ When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

The Parable of the Net

⁴⁷ “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like^(JD) a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds^(JE) of fish. ⁴⁸ When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. ⁴⁹ This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous^{(JF) 50} and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^(JG)

⁵¹ “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.

“Yes,” they replied.

⁵² He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”

A Prophet Without Honor^(JH)

⁵³ When Jesus had finished these parables,^(JI) he moved on from there. ⁵⁴ Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue,^(JJ) and they were amazed.^(JK) “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. ⁵⁵ “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?^(JL) Isn’t his mother’s^(JM) name Mary, and aren’t his brothers^(JN) James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? ⁵⁶ Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”