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¹ The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea-side. ² and there was so great a croud of people got about him, that he was oblig'd to go into a bark, where he sat, while the people all stood on the shore. ³ Then he talk'd to them much in parables, and said, a sower went out to sow. ⁴ and in sowing, part of the grain fell in the high-way, and the fowls light and peck'd them up: ⁵ another part fell upon stony places, where it had not much earth: and it soon sprung up, because the soil was shallow: ⁶ so that as the sun arose it was scorched, and for want of root, withered away. ⁷ another part fell among thorns: and the thorns grew up and choked it. ⁸ but another part falling upon good soil, became fruitful, some grains yielding an hundred, some sixty, and some thirty. ⁹ he that hath ears to hear, let him hear. ¹⁰ And the disciples came, and said to him, why do you speak to them in parables? ¹¹ to whom he answered, because you are allowed to know the mysteries of the gospel-dispensation, but to them it is not allowed. ¹² for to him that uses what he has, shall be given, and he shall have abundantly: but from him that uses it not, shall be taken away, even what he hath. ¹³ therefore speak I to them in parables: because they over-look what they see: and are inattentive to what they hear, neither will they comprehend. ¹⁴ and in them is fulfilled that prophecy of Esaias, "by hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive. ¹⁵ for the heart of this people 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 understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them." ¹⁶ but happy are you that your eyes have sight; and that your ears have their hearing. ¹⁷ for I declare unto you, that many prophets and just men have desired to see what ye see, and have not seen it: and to hear what ye hear, and have not heard it. ¹⁸ Hear then the meaning of this parable of the sower. ¹⁹ when any one heareth the doctrine of the gospel, and considers it not, then comes the wicked one, and catches away what was sown in his heart: he is the person meant by the high-way, where some of the seed was sown: but the stony ground, ²⁰ where other seed fell, denotes the man that heareth the word, and at first receives it with pleasure: ²¹ but having no root in him he has only an occasional faith: for as soon as any oppression or persecution arises upon account of the gospel, he presently relapses. ²² he that is meant by the thorny ground, where other seed fell, is one that heareth the word: which by cares of this life, and the deceitful love of riches, is soon stifled, and becomes unfruitful: ²³ but the ground that received the grain, represents those, who hear the word, and consider it, who all become fruitful, some in one degree, and some in another.

²⁴ Another parable he propos'd to them in these words. the state of the gospel in this world may be compar'd to a man who sowed good grain in his field: ²⁵ but while the people slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. ²⁶ but when the blade was sprung up, and bore grain, the tares appeared too. ²⁷ so the servants of the yeoman came and said, Sir, did not you sow your field with good grain: how comes it then to have tares? ²⁸ 'tis some enemy, said he, has done this. the servants replied, shall we go then and pull them up? ²⁹ no, said he, lest in pulling up the tares, you should root ³⁰ up the wheat with them. let both grow together till the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will thus direct the reapers, first of all gather the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: then lodge the wheat in my barn. ³¹ He propos'd another parable to them, which was this; the gospel-state is like a grain of mustard-seed which a man took to sow in his field. ³² 'tis one indeed of the smallest grains: but when it is grown, it is the largest of the pulse kind, and becomes a tree: so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches. ³³ Another of his parables was this; the gospel-state is like unto leaven, which a woman took and mixt with three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. ³⁴ All these things spake Jesus to the multitude in parables, and did not discourse to them without some parable. ³⁵ so that this saying of the prophet was fulfilled, "I will talk in parables, I will utter what has been kept secret from the foundation of the world." ³⁶ Then Jesus leaving the multitude, went into the house: and his disciples coming to him, said, explain to us the parable of the tares of the field. ³⁷ he answered 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 conclusion of the age: and the reapers are the angels. ⁴⁰ as then the tares are gathered and burnt in the fire; so shall it be at the conclusion of the age. ⁴¹ the son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all that make others offend, and those who do iniquity; ⁴² and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³ then shall the just shine out like the sun, in the kingdom of their father. he that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

⁴⁴ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hid in a field: a man finds this treasure and buries it again, then goes in great joy, sells all that he hath, and purchases that field. ⁴⁵ Again, the heavenly kingdom is like a merchant-man, who is in quest of curious pearls: ⁴⁶ and meeting with one of great value, presently sells all that he has to make the purchase. ⁴⁷ Again, the gospel-kingdom is like a net that is cast into the sea, and draws all sorts of fish: ⁴⁸ when it is full, they drag it to shore, then sit down, and pick out the good to lay by, but throw the bad away. ⁴⁹ so it shall be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and after they have separated the wicked from the just, ⁵⁰ they shall cast the wicked into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. ⁵¹ Then Jesus said to them, have ye understood all this? ⁵² they reply'd, yes, Lord. then said he to them, thus every teacher who is instructed in the doctrine of the gospel, is like the master of a family, who taketh out of his treasure things new and old.

⁵³ When Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. ⁵⁴ and when he was come into his native country, he taught them in their synagogue, in such a manner that they cry'd out with astonishment, how came this man by all this wisdom, and extraordinary power? ⁵⁵ is not this the carpenter's son? is not Mary his mother? and James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas, are they not his brothers? ⁵⁶ and his sisters, don't they live just by us? how came he then by all this? ⁵⁷ and they were scandaliz'd at him. but Jesus said to them, a prophet is not without honour, except in his own country and in his own family. ⁵⁸ and he did not many miracles there, because of their incredulity.