The Parable of the Sower
(Mark 4:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. Luk 8:4-10Mat 13:1-15Mrk 4:1-12Mat 13:36Mat 9:28Mrk 2:13 Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore. Luk 5:3Gen 49:10Luk 8:4-8Mat 15:30Mat 4:25Mrk 4:1
And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed. Mrk 4:2-9Mrk 4:13Psa 78:22Sa 12:1-7Ezk 24:3-14Mat 13:10-13Mat 13:34-35Mat 13:53 And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Mat 13:18-19
Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. Ezk 36:26Ezk 11:19Zec 7:12Amo 6:12Mat 13:20 But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Jas 1:11-12Mat 13:21Luk 8:13Col 1:23Eph 3:17Isa 49:10Col 2:7Mat 7:26-27
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings. Mrk 4:18-19Jer 4:3-4Gen 3:18Mat 13:22
Still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold. Jhn 15:8Luk 8:15Gen 26:12Mat 13:23Gal 5:22-23Php 1:11Rom 7:18
He who has ears, 1 let him hear.” Mat 11:15Rev 2:11Rev 2:7Rev 2:17Mat 13:16Mrk 4:23Mrk 4:9Mrk 7:14-15
The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables
(Isaiah 6:1–13; Mark 4:10–12; Luke 8:9–10)
Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?” Mrk 4:33-34Mrk 4:10
He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 1Co 2:9-101Co 2:14Mat 19:11Jas 1:51Jn 2:271Jn 2:20Col 1:26-27Eph 1:9 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Mat 25:29Mrk 4:24-25Luk 8:18Luk 19:24-26Jhn 15:2-5Mat 21:43Rev 2:5Isa 5:4-7 This is why I speak to them in parables: Ezk 12:2Jer 5:21Isa 42:18-202Co 4:3-4Deu 29:3-4Jhn 3:19-20Mat 13:16Isa 44:18
‘Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ 2
In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: Isa 6:9-10Ezk 12:22Co 3:14Luk 8:10Act 28:25-27Mrk 4:12Jhn 12:39-40Rom 11:8-10
‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people’s heart has grown callous; Isa 6:10Mrk 4:12Zec 7:11Jhn 8:43-442Ti 2:25-26Isa 29:10-12Jer 17:14Mal 4:2
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts,
and turn, and I would heal them.’ 3
But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. Luk 10:23-24Eph 1:17-18Mat 16:17Jhn 20:29Act 26:182Co 4:6Luk 2:29-30Mat 5:3-11 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. Jhn 8:56Heb 11:131Pe 1:10-12Luk 10:24Eph 3:5-6Heb 11:39-40
The Parable of the Sower Explained
(Mark 4:13–20; Luke 8:11–15)
Consider, then, the parable of the sower: Luk 8:11-15Mat 13:11-12Mrk 4:13-20 When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown 4along the path. Luk 8:11-15Heb 2:1Mat 13:381Jn 5:18Mat 4:231Jn 3:12Pro 2:1-61Jn 2:13-14
The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. Ezk 33:31-32Psa 106:12-13Jhn 5:352Ch 24:2Isa 58:2Psa 78:34-371Sa 11:13-152Ch 24:14 But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. Mat 11:62Pe 1:8-9Eph 3:17Hos 6:4Jhn 15:5-7Job 19:28Pro 12:3Jhn 12:25-26
The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 1Ti 6:17Luk 8:141Ti 6:9-10Mrk 4:18-19Luk 12:152Ti 4:10Ecc 5:10-111Jn 2:15-16
But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.” Php 1:11Mat 12:33Jhn 15:16Gal 5:22-23Jhn 15:1-8Mat 13:8Psa 92:13-15Col 1:6
The Parable of the Weeds
(Ezekiel 17:1–10)
Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. Mat 25:1Mat 13:47Mat 20:1Mat 22:2Mat 13:37Luk 13:20Luk 13:18Mat 13:33 But while everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and slipped away. 1Pe 5:82Pe 2:1Act 20:30-31Mat 13:39Heb 12:15Rev 12:9Mat 25:52Co 11:13-15 When the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared. Mrk 4:26-29
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?’ Rom 16:172Co 6:12Co 5:18-201Co 12:28-291Co 16:102Co 6:41Co 1:11-131Co 15:12-34
‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. 1Co 5:3-71Th 5:14Luk 9:49-542Co 2:6-11Jud 1:22-23
So the servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
‘No,’ he said, ‘if you pull the weeds now, you might uproot the wheat with them. 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 into my barn.’” Mat 3:121Ti 5:241Co 4:5Jhn 15:6Mal 3:18Mat 13:39-43Mat 25:32Luk 3:17
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
(Mark 4:30–34; Luke 13:18–19)
He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field. Luk 13:18-19Mat 17:20Mrk 4:30-32Luk 17:6Mat 13:24Luk 20:9Luk 19:11 Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” Ezk 31:6Dan 4:12Ezk 17:23-24Act 21:20Dan 2:44-45Rom 15:18-19Zec 8:20-23Dan 2:34-35
The Parable of the Leaven
(Luke 13:20–21)
He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour, until all of it was leavened.” Gal 5:91Co 5:6-7Luk 13:21Php 2:13-15Gen 18:6Pro 4:18Job 17:9Mat 13:24
I Will Open My Mouth in Parables
(Psalms 78:1–72)
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable. Jhn 16:25Mrk 4:33-34Mat 13:13 So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: Psa 78:2Eph 3:91Pe 1:20-21Rom 16:25-261Co 2:7Jhn 17:24Amo 3:7Col 1:25-26
“I will open My mouth in parables;
I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.” 5
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
(Zephaniah 1:1–6)
Then Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” Jhn 16:17-20Mat 13:11Mat 13:1Mat 15:15-16Mat 9:28Mrk 6:45Mrk 7:17Mrk 8:9
He replied, “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 1Co 3:5-7Act 1:8Luk 10:16Mat 13:24Mat 13:27Mat 13:41Jhn 13:20Jhn 20:21 The field is the world, and the good seed represents the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, Jhn 8:44Act 13:10Php 3:18-191Jn 3:8-101Pe 1:23Gen 3:15Jas 1:18Mat 13:19 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. Mat 13:49Rev 14:15-19Mat 25:31Jol 3:13Rev 19:202Th 1:7-10Mat 13:25Mat 24:3
As the weeds are collected and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of the age. Mat 13:39 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness. Mat 24:312Pe 2:1-2Mat 18:7Rev 21:27Heb 1:14Heb 1:6-7Mat 13:49Rev 5:11-12 And they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Mat 13:50Luk 16:23-24Mat 8:12Rev 20:10Rev 20:14-15Rev 19:20Dan 3:6Mrk 9:43-49 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. 6 Dan 12:3Luk 12:321Co 15:41-54Mat 11:15Mat 25:34Rev 21:22-23Rev 21:3-5Jas 2:5
He who has ears, let him hear.
The Parables of the Treasure and the Pearl
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field. Pro 2:2-5Col 2:3Php 3:7-9Mat 6:21Luk 14:33Heb 11:24-26Mat 19:29Pro 16:16
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. Pro 8:10-11Mat 16:26Pro 3:13-18Job 28:18Mat 13:24Pro 8:18-20Ecc 12:13Mat 22:5 When he found one very precious pearl, he went away and sold all he had and bought it. Luk 18:28-30Eph 3:8Act 20:24Col 2:3Mat 13:44Pro 2:41Co 3:21-231Jn 5:11-12
The Parable of the Net
Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and caught all kinds of fish. Jhn 15:62Ti 3:2-5Mat 22:9-101Jn 4:1-62Ti 4:3-4Mrk 1:171Co 10:1-122Co 12:20-21 When it was full, the men pulled it ashore. Then they sat down and sorted the good fish into containers, but threw the bad away. Mat 13:30Mat 3:12Mat 13:40-43
So will it be at the end of the age: The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous, Rev 20:12-15Mat 13:39Mat 24:312Th 1:7-10Mat 22:12-14Mat 25:19-33Mat 25:5-12 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Luk 13:27-28Rev 14:10-11Mat 13:42Mat 8:12Mat 24:50-51Rev 16:10-11
Have you understood all these things?” Mrk 4:34Mat 13:11Mat 13:191Jn 5:20Act 8:30-31Luk 9:44-45Mat 15:17Mat 16:11
“Yes,” they answered.
Then He told them, “For this reason, every scribe who has been discipled in the kingdom of heaven is like a homeowner who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” 1Jn 2:7-8Tit 1:92Ti 3:16-172Co 3:4-6Mat 12:35Tit 2:6-71Ti 3:15-16Ezr 7:10
The Rejection at Nazareth
(Mark 6:1–6; Luke 4:16–30)
When Jesus had finished these parables, He withdrew from that place. Mat 7:28Mrk 4:33-35 Coming to His hometown, He taught the people in their synagogue, and they were astonished. “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?” they asked. Jhn 7:15-16Mat 7:28Mrk 6:1-6Luk 4:16-30Mat 2:23Mat 4:23Psa 22:22Act 13:46 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother’s name Mary, and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, 7 Simon, and Judas? Jhn 6:42Mrk 6:3Luk 3:23Luk 4:22Mrk 15:47Gal 1:19Jhn 19:25Luk 24:10 Aren’t all His sisters with us as well? Where then did this man get all these things?” And they took offense at Him. Jhn 4:44Luk 4:24Mat 11:6Isa 53:3Isa 49:7Jhn 6:611Co 1:23-28Act 7:51-52
But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own household is a prophet without honor.” And He did not do many miracles there, because of their unbelief. Mrk 6:5-6Rom 11:20Heb 3:12-19Luk 4:25-29Heb 4:6-11