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Matthew 13, 1-53: Jesus speaks of the kingdom of heaven in seven parables that compare the kingdom of heaven with earthly realities.
Matthew 13:1-9: The sower and the fallen seeds in different types of ground.
1 Ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ ἐξελθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τῆς οἰκίας ἐκάθητο παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν-
1 On that day Jesus, having left home, sat down by the sea:
2 καὶ συνήχθησαν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὄχλοι πολλοί, ὥστε αὐτὸν εἰς πλοῖον ἐμβάντα καθῆσθαι, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ἐπὶ τὸν αἰγιαλὸν εἱστήκει.
2 Many crowds had gathered near him, so that he got into a boat and sat down, and all the crowd remained on the shore.
3 καὶ ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς πολλὰ ἐν παραβολαῖς λέγων Ἰδοὺ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ σπείρων τοῦ σπείρειν.
3 And he spoke many parables to them, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow.
4 καὶ ἐν τῷ σπείρειν αὐτὸν ἃ μὲν ἔπεσεν παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν, ἐλθόντα τὰ πετεινὰ κατέφαγεν αὐτά.
4 And in his act of sowing, some [seeds] fell along the path, and when the birds came, they ate them.
5 ἄλλα δὲ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὰ πετρώδη ὅπου οὐκ εἶχεν γῆν πολλήν, καὶ εὐθέως ἐξανέτειλεν διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν βάθος γῆς,
5 others fell on the stony ground where they did not have much soil and immediately they grew because the soil had no depth,
6 ἡλίου δὲ ἀνατείλαντος ἐκαυματίσθη καὶ διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν ῥίζαν ἐξηράνθη.
6 the sun having risen they were burned and since they had no root they withered.
7 ἄλλα δὲ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὰς ἀκάνθας, καὶ ἀνέβησαν αἱ ἄκανθαι καὶ ἀπέπνιξαν αὐτά.
7 Others fell on the brambles and the brambles grew and choked them.
8 ἄλλα δὲ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τὴν καλὴν καὶ ἐδίδου καρπόν, ὃ μὲν ἑκατὸν ὃ ἑξήκοντα δὲ τριάκοντα.
8 Others fell on good soil and bore fruit, one a hundred, one sixty, one thirty.
9 ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκουέτω.
9 he who has ears let him hear.
(continued) Matthew 13:10-23: Jesus explains the parable of the sower
10 Καὶ προσελθόντες οἱ μαθηταὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ Διὰ τί ἐν παραβολαῖς λαλεῖς αὐτοῖς;
10 When the disciples came to him, they said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”
11 ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν ὅτι Ὑμῖν δέδοται γνῶναι τὰ μυστήρια τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἐκείνοις δὲ οὐ δέδοται.
11 He, answering, said, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, to these it is not given.
12 ὅστις γὰρ ἔχει, δοθήσεται αὐτῷ καὶ περισσευθήσεται- ὅστις δὲ οὐκ ἔχει, καὶ ὃ ἔχει ἀρθήσεται ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ.
12 For whoever has, it will be given to him and more will be left to him; whoever does not have, also what he has will be taken from him.
13 διὰ τοῦτο ἐν παραβολαῖς αὐτοῖς λαλῶ, ὅτι βλέποντες οὐ βλέπουσιν καὶ ἀκούοντες οὐκ ἀκούουσιν οὐδὲ συνίουσιν
13 It is because of this that I speak to them in parables, because while seeing, they do not see, and while hearing, they do not hear, nor understand
14 καὶ ἀναπληροῦται αὐτοῖς ἡ προφητεία Ἡσαΐου ἡ λέγουσα Ἀκοῇ ἀκούσετε καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε, καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε.
14 And for them Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled, saying, “Hearing you will hear and you will not [hear], so that you do not understand and looking you will look and you will not [look], so that you do not see.
15 ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν, καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν- μή ποτε ἴδωσιν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσιν καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσιν καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν, καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς.
15 For the heart of this people has become thick and they have heard heavily with the ears and they have closed their eyes: so that they may not see with the eyes and hear with the ears and understand with the heart and be converted and I will cure them (ἰάσομαι also heal).
16 ὑμῶν δὲ μακάριοι οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ὅτι βλέπουσιν, καὶ τὰ ὦτα ὑμῶν ὅτι ἀκούουσιν.
16 You, on the contrary, happy are your eyes because they see and your ears because they hear.
17 ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι πολλοὶ προφῆται καὶ δίκαιοι ἐπεθύμησαν ἰδεῖν ἃ βλέπετε καὶ οὐκ εἶδαν, καὶ ἀκοῦσαι ἃ ἀκούετε καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν.
17 Amen [So be it], I say to you, “Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see what you see and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear and have not heard it.
18 Ὑμεῖς οὖν ἀκούσατε τὴν παραβολὴν τοῦ σπείραντος.
18 You, therefore, listen to the parable of the one who sowed.
19 Παντὸς ἀκούοντος τὸν λόγον τῆς βασιλείας καὶ μὴ συνιέντος, ἔρχεται ὁ πονηρὸς καὶ ἁρπάζει τὸ ἐσπαρμένον ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ- οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν σπαρείς.
19 All who hear the word of the kingdom and do not [understand it], come the evil one and pluck out what has been sown in their hearts; this [is what] has been sown along the way.
20 ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τὰ πετρώδη σπαρείς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων καὶ εὐθὺς μετὰ χαρᾶς λαμβάνων αὐτόν-
20 That which has been sown on stony ground is he who hears the word and immediately, with joy, receives it:
21 οὐκ ἔχει δὲ ῥίζαν ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἀλλὰ πρόσκαιρός ἐστιν, γενομένης δὲ θλίψεως ἢ διωγμοῦ διὰ τὸν λόγον εὐθὺς σκανδαλίζεται.
21 but it has no root in it and it lasts only for a while, once oppression or persecution comes because of the word, immediately it comes to fall.
22 ὁ δὲ εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας σπαρείς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων, καὶ ἡ μέριμνα τοῦ αἰῶνος καὶ ἡ ἀπάτη τοῦ πλούτου συμπνίγει λόγον, καὶ ἄκαρπος γίνεται.
22 That which is sown upon the briers is he who hears the word, and the pursuits of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word and become unable to bear fruit.
23 ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν καλὴν γῆν σπαρείς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων καὶ συνιείς, ὃς δὴ καρποφορεῖ καὶ ποιεῖ ὃ μὲν ἑκατὸν ὃ δὲ ἑξήκοντα δὲ τριάκοντα.
23 That which has been sown on good ground is he who hears the word and understands; he, he bears fruit, who produces a hundred, who sixty, who tempts.
(continued) Matthew 13:24-30: The parable of the tares sown among the wheat.
24 Ἄλλην παραβολὴν παρέθηκεν αὐτοῖς λέγων Ὡμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀνθρώπῳ σπείραντι καλὸν σπέρμα ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ αὐτοῦ.
24 He set before them yet another parable, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sows good seed in his field.
25 ἐν δὲ τῷ καθεύδειν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἦλθεν αὐτοῦ ὁ ἐχθρὸς καὶ ἐπέσπειρεν ζιζάνια ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σίτου καὶ ἀπῆλθεν.
25 While the men slept, his enemy arrived and scattered tares among the wheat and departed.
26 ὅτε δὲ ἐβλάστησεν ὁ χόρτος καὶ καρπὸν ἐποίησεν, τότε ἐφάνη καὶ τὰ ζιζάνια.
26 When the grass grew and produced fruit, then also the tares appeared.
27 προσελθόντες δὲ οἱ δοῦλοι τοῦ οἰκοδεσπότου εἶπον αὐτῷ Κύριε, οὐχὶ καλὸν σπέρμα ἔσπειρας ἐν τῷ σῷ ἀγρῷ; πόθεν οὖν ἔχει ζιζάνια;
27 Coming to the master of the house, the servants said to him, “Lord, did you not sow good grain in the field? How, then, is there tares?
28 ὁ δὲ ἔφη αὐτοῖς Ἐχθρὸς ἄνθρωπος τοῦτο ἐποίησεν. οἱ δὲ δοῦλοι αὐτῷ λέγουσιν Θέλεις οὖν ἀπελθόντες συλλέξωμεν αὐτά;
28 Then he said to them, “An enemy man has done this.” The servants said to him, “Will you, then, that we go and pick it?”
29 ὁ δέ φησιν Οὔ, μή ποτε συλλέγοντες τὰ ζιζάνια ἐκριζώσητε ἅμα αὐτοῖς τὸν σῖτον-
29 Then he said, “No, otherwise in gathering the tares you would uproot the wheat at the same time:
30 ἄφετε συναυξάνεσθαι ἀμφότερα ἕως τοῦ θερισμοῦ- καὶ ἐν καιρῷ τοῦ θερισμοῦ ἐρῶ τοῖς θερισταῖς Συλλέξατε πρῶτον τὰ ζιζάνια καὶ δήσατε αὐτὰ εἰς δέσμας πρὸς τὸ κατακαῦσαι αὐτά, τὸν δὲ σῖτον συναγάγετε εἰς τὴν ἀποθήκην μου.
30 Let both grow until harvest, and at harvest time I will say to the reapers, “First gather the tares and bind them in bundles to be burned, but the wheat, bring it to my barn.”
(continued) Matthew 13:31-32: The parable of the mustard seed
31 Ἄλλην παραβολὴν παρέθηκεν αὐτοῖς λέγων Ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν κόκκῳ σινάπεως, ὃν λαβὼν ἄνθρωπος ἔσπειρεν ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ αὐτοῦ-
31 He offered them yet another parable, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man, having taken, sowed in his field.
32 ὃ μικρότερον μέν ἐστιν πάντων τῶν σπερμάτων, ὅταν δὲ αὐξηθῇ, μεῖζον τῶν λαχάνων ἐστὶν καὶ γίνεται δένδρον, ὥστε ἐλθεῖν τὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ κατασκηνοῖν ἐν τοῖς κλάδοις αὐτοῦ.
32 it is the smallest [seed] of all seeds, but when it has grown, it is larger than plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make their homes in its branches.”
(continued) Matthew 13:33: The parable of the leaven in the flour
33 Ἄλλην παραβολὴν ἐλάλησεν αὐτοῖς Ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ζύμῃ, ἣν λαβοῦσα γυνὴ ἐνέκρυψεν εἰς ἀλεύρου σάτα τρία, ἕως οὗ ἐζυμώθη ὅλον.
33 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of flour, until the whole was leavened.”
(continued) Matthew 13:34-43: Jesus explains the parable of the tares sown among the wheat
34 Ταῦτα πάντα ἐλάλησεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν παραβολαῖς τοῖς ὄχλοις, καὶ χωρὶς παραβολῆς οὐδὲν ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς-
34 All this Jesus told the crowds in parables, and he told them nothing without a parable,
35 ὅπως πληρωθῇ τὸ ῥηθὲν διὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος Ἀνοίξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὸ στόμα μου, ἐρεύξομαι κεκρυμμένα ἀπὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου.
35 So that what was foretold by the prophet who said, “I will open my mouth in parables; I will proclaim what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.” may be fulfilled.
36 Τότε ἀφεὶς τοὺς ὄχλους ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν. Καὶ προσῆλθον αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ λέγοντες Διασάφησον ἡμῖν τὴν παραβολὴν τῶν ζιζανίων τοῦ ἀγροῦ.
36 Then, leaving the crowds, he came to the house. And the disciples, came to him, saying, “Clear up for us the parable of the tares of the field.”
37 ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν Ὁ σπείρων τὸ καλὸν σπέρμα ἐστὶν ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου-
37 Then, answering, he said, “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
38 ὁ δὲ ἀγρός ἐστιν ὁ κόσμος- τὸ δὲ καλὸν σπέρμα, οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ υἱοὶ τῆς βασιλείας- τὰ δὲ ζιζάνιά εἰσιν οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ πονηροῦ,
38 the field is the world; the good seed are the sons of the kingdom; the tares are the sons of the evil one,
39 ὁ δὲ ἐχθρὸς ὁ σπείρας αὐτά ἐστιν ὁ διάβολος- ὁ δὲ θερισμὸς συντέλεια αἰῶνός ἐστιν, οἱ δὲ θερισταὶ ἄγγελοί εἰσιν.
39 the enemy who sowed it is the devil, the harvest is culmination of the ages, the reapers are the angels.
40 ὥσπερ οὖν συλλέγεται τὰ ζιζάνια καὶ πυρὶ κατακαίεται, οὕτως ἔσται ἐν τῇ συντελείᾳ τοῦ αἰῶνος.
40 As, then, the tares are gathered and cast into the fire, so shall it be in the culmination of the ages.
41 ἀποστελεῖ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ, καὶ συλλέξουσιν ἐκ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ πάντα τὰ σκάνδαλα καὶ τοὺς ποιοῦντας τὴν ἀνομίαν,
41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom every occasion of stumbling and those who act without law,
42 καὶ βαλοῦσιν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν κάμινον τοῦ πυρός- ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων.
42 And they shall cast them into a furnace of fire, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
43 τότε οἱ δίκαιοι ἐκλάμψουσιν ὡς ὁ ἥλιος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ Πατρὸς αὐτῶν. ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκουέτω.
43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. He who has ears, let him hear.
(continued) Matthew 13:44: The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.
44 Ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν θησαυρῷ κεκρυμμένῳ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, ὃν εὑρὼν ἄνθρωπος ἔκρυψεν, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς χαρᾶς αὐτοῦ ὑπάγει καὶ πωλεῖ ὅσα ἔχει καὶ ἀγοράζει τὸν ἀγρὸν ἐκεῖνον.
44 The kingdom of heaven is like treasure that was lost in the field; the man who found it recovered it, and for joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field.
(continued) Matthew 13:45-46: The kingdom of heaven is comparable to a merchant who finds a very precious pearl
45 Πάλιν ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐμπόρῳ ζητοῦντι καλοὺς μαργαρίτας-
45 Again the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls:
46 εὑρὼν δὲ ἕνα πολύτιμον μαργαρίτην ἀπελθὼν πέπρακεν πάντα ὅσα εἶχεν καὶ ἠγόρασεν αὐτόν.
46 having found a most precious pearl, being gone, he sold all that he had and bought it.
(continued) Matthew 13:47-53: The kingdom of heaven is like a net
47 Πάλιν ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν σαγήνῃ βληθείσῃ εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ ἐκ παντὸς γένους συναγαγούσῃ-
47 Again the kingdom of heaven is like a net that is cast into the sea and gathers of every kind:
48 ἣν ὅτε ἐπληρώθη ἀναβιβάσαντες ἐπὶ τὸν αἰγιαλὸν καὶ καθίσαντες συνέλεξαν τὰ καλὰ εἰς ἄγγη, τὰ δὲ σαπρὰ ἔξω ἔβαλον.
48 when it was full, those who brought it to shore and spread it out, they gathered the good into a container and the rotten they threw out.
49 οὕτως ἔσται ἐν τῇ συντελείᾳ τοῦ αἰῶνος- ἐξελεύσονται οἱ ἄγγελοι καὶ ἀφοριοῦσιν τοὺς πονηροὺς ἐκ μέσου τῶν δικαίων,
49 So it will be in the culmination of the age: the angels will come out and separate the wicked from among the righteous,
50 καὶ βαλοῦσιν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν κάμινον τοῦ πυρός- ἐκεῖ ἔσται ὁ κλαυθμὸς καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων.
50 and throw them into the furnace of fire, there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
51 Συνήκατε ταῦτα πάντα; λέγουσιν αὐτῷ Ναί.
51 Have you understood all this? Them, telling him, “Yes.”
52 ὁ δὲ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Διὰ τοῦτο πᾶς γραμματεὺς μαθητευθεὶς τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν ὅμοιός ἐστιν ἀνθρώπῳ οἰκοδεσπότῃ ὅστις ἐκβάλλει ἐκ τοῦ θησαυροῦ αὐτοῦ καινὰ καὶ παλαιά.
52 Then he said to them, “This is why every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a man, a householder, who takes out of his treasure new and old things.
53 Καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὰς παραβολὰς ταύτας, μετῆρεν ἐκεῖθεν.
53 And it happened that when Jesus came to the end of the parables, he went away from there.