Matthew 13

Matt 13, Mt 13


Matthew 13

1 The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

2 And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5 Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

6 And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

8 But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:

15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

19 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

20 But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;



21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

46 Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

48 Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.

49 So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,

50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

51 Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

52 Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

53 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

55 Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?

57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.

58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

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Summary and the Meaning of Chapter 13 of the Book of Matthew in the KJV Holy Bible

Chapter 13 of the Book of Matthew in the KJV Holy Bible is one of the most significant chapters in the New Testament. It contains seven parables that Jesus told to the crowds and his disciples, and these parables are central to Jesus' teachings about the Kingdom of Heaven. The parables include: The Sower, The Weeds, The Mustard Seed, The Yeast, The Hidden Treasure, The Pearl, and The Net. Each of these parables provides a unique perspective on the Kingdom of Heaven and offers valuable lessons on faith, righteousness, and the end times.

The Parable of the Sower

The chapter begins with the Parable of the Sower, where Jesus describes a sower who scatters seeds on different types of ground. The seeds represent the Word of God, while the different grounds illustrate various responses to God's Word. The path where birds eat the seeds signifies those who hear God's Word but do not understand it, and the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in their hearts. The rocky ground represents those who initially receive God's Word with joy but quickly fall away when trouble or persecution comes because of the Word. The thorny ground symbolizes those who hear God's Word, but the worries of life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the Word, making it unfruitful. Finally, the good soil represents those who hear God's Word, understand it, and produce a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.

The Parable of the Weeds

The Parable of the Weeds is a clear depiction of the end times, where the Son of Man will separate the righteous from the wicked. The good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, while the weeds are the sons of the evil one. The enemy who sows the weeds is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The parable emphasizes the final judgment and the eternal consequences of one's choices.

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast highlight the growth and influence of the Kingdom of Heaven. In the Parable of the Mustard Seed, the kingdom starts as the smallest of all seeds but grows into the largest of garden plants, providing shelter for the birds. This parable illustrates the humble beginnings of the Kingdom of Heaven and its eventual magnitude. In the Parable of the Yeast, the kingdom is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough. This parable underscores the pervasive influence of the Kingdom of Heaven.

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl emphasize the inestimable value of the Kingdom of Heaven. In the Parable of the Hidden Treasure, a man found a treasure hidden in a field. In his joy, he sold all he had and bought that field. Similarly, in the Parable of the Pearl, a merchant looking for fine pearls found one of great value. He went away and sold everything he had and bought it. These parables highlight the priceless worth of the Kingdom of Heaven and the willingness to give up everything for it.

The Parable of the Net

The Parable of the Net, like the Parable of the Weeds, speaks of the end times. In this parable, the kingdom is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 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. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The parable underscores the final judgment and the eternal consequences of one's choices.

Conclusion: The Purpose of Parables

In conclusion, the purpose of parables, as Jesus explained to his disciples, is to reveal the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven to those who are willing to hear and understand, and to conceal them from those who are not. This is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah: "By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive. For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed;" (Matthew 13:14-15, KJV). Therefore, the parables serve as a test of one's spiritual receptivity. Those who are receptive to God's Word, like the good soil in the Parable of the Sower, will understand the parables and bear fruit. Those who are not receptive will remain in their spiritual blindness and hardness of heart.

Overall, Chapter 13 of the Book of Matthew presents a comprehensive view of the Kingdom of Heaven. It starts with the reception of God's Word, continues with the growth and influence of the kingdom, emphasizes its inestimable value, warns of the final judgment, and ends with the purpose of parables. The chapter underscores the importance of hearing and understanding God's Word, the necessity of spiritual growth, the priceless worth of the kingdom, the reality of the final judgment, and the eternal consequences of one's choices. It calls for a response of faith, commitment, and perseverance in the face of opposition and hardship. It also encourages believers to look forward to the fulfillment of God's kingdom and to live in light of that hope.



This article is informed by the King James Version of the Holy Bible, the authors' personal knowledge, considerations and experience, and additional materials and resources available in internet.

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