Bible Reading Plan

Matthew 13

Chapter 13

The Parable of the Sower

¹ On that day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea.^{(a) 2} Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while the whole crowd stood on the shore.^(b)

³ Then He told them many things in parables,^(c) saying: "Consider the sower who went out to sow. ⁴ As he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate them up. ⁵ Others fell on rocky ground, where there wasn't much soil, and they sprang up quickly since the soil wasn't deep. ⁶ But when the sun came up they were scorched, and since they had no root, they withered. ⁷ Others fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them. ⁸  Still others fell on good ground and produced a crop: some 100, some 60, and some 30 times what was sown. ^{(d) 9} Anyone who has ears^[a] should listen!" ^(e)

Why Jesus Used Parables

¹⁰ Then the disciples^(f) came up and asked Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"^(g)

¹¹ He answered them, "Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know,^(h) but it has not been given to them. ¹² For whoever has, more will be given to him, and he will have more than enough. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.^{(i) 13} For this reason I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see,^(j) and hearing they do not listen or understand.^{(k) 14} Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:

¹⁶ "But your eyes are blessed⁽ⁿ⁾ because they do see, and your ears because they do hear!^{(o) 17} For I assure you: Many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see yet didn't see them; to hear the things you hear yet didn't hear them. ^(p)

The Parable of the Sower Explained

¹⁸ "You, then, listen to the parable of the sower:^{(q) 19} When anyone hears the word^[c] about the kingdom and doesn't understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one sown along the path.^{(r) 20} And the one sown on rocky ground—this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.^{(s) 21} Yet he has no root in himself, but is short-lived. When pressure or persecution^(t) comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles. ²² Now the one sown among the thorns—this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age^(u) and the seduction^[d] of wealth^(v) choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²³ But the one sown on the good ground—this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times what was sown."

The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds

²⁴ He presented another parable to them: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.^{(w) 25} But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds^[e] among the wheat, and left. ²⁶ When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. ²⁷ The landowner's slaves^(x) came to him and said, ‘Master, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?'

²⁸ "‘An enemy did this!' he told them.

"‘So, do you want us to go and gather them up?' the slaves asked him.

²⁹ "‘No,' he said. ‘When you gather up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I'll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but store the wheat in my barn.'"

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and of the Yeast

³¹ He^(y) presented another parable to them: "The kingdom of heaven^(z) is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. ³² It's the smallest of all the seeds, but when grown, it's taller than the vegetables and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches." ^(aa)

³³ He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into 50 pounds^[f] of flour until it spread through all of it." ^[g](ab)

Using Parables Fulfills Prophecy

³⁴ Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables, and He would not speak anything to them without a parable,^{(ac) 35} so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:

Jesus Interprets the Wheat and the Weeds

³⁶ Then He dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached Him and said, "Explain the parable of the weeds in the field to us."^(ae)

³⁷ He replied: "The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; ³⁸ the field is the world; and the good seed—these are the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, ^{(af) 39} and the enemy who sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.^{(ag) 40} Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.^{(ah) 41} The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin^[i] and those guilty of lawlessness. ^{[j](ai) 42} They will throw them into the blazing furnace^(aj) where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^{(ak) 43} Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father's kingdom. Anyone who has ears^[k] should listen! ^(al)

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and of the Priceless Pearl

⁴⁴ "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field. ^(am)

⁴⁵ "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. ⁴⁶ When he found one priceless^[l] pearl, he went and sold everything he had, and bought it. ^(an)

The Parable of the Net

⁴⁷ "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a large net thrown into the sea. It collected every kind of fish,^{(ao) 48} and when it was full, they dragged it ashore, sat down, and gathered the good fish into containers, but threw out the worthless ones. ⁴⁹ So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out, separate the evil people from the righteous,^{(ap) 50} and throw them into the blazing furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ^(aq)

The Storehouse of Truth

⁵¹ "Have you understood all these things?" ^[m]

"Yes," they told Him.

⁵² "Therefore," He said to them, "every student of Scripture^[n] instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who brings out of his storeroom what is new and what is old." ^{(ar) 53} When Jesus had finished these parables, He left there.

Rejection at Nazareth

⁵⁴ He went to His hometown^(as) and began to teach them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "How did this wisdom and these miracles come to Him?^{(at) 55} Isn't this the carpenter's son?^(au) Isn't His mother called Mary, and His brothers James,^(av) Joseph,^[o] Simon, and Judas?^{(aw) 56} And His sisters, aren't they all with us? So where does He get all these things?" ⁵⁷ And they were offended by Him.

But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his household." ^{(ax) 58} And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

Luke 8

Chapter 8

Many Women Support Christ's Work

¹ Soon afterward He was traveling from one town and village to another,^(a) preaching and telling the good news of the kingdom of God.^(b) The Twelve were with Him, ² and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses:^(c) Mary, called Magdalene (seven demons had come out^(d) of her); ³ Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward; Susanna; and many others who were supporting them from their possessions.

The Parable of the Sower

⁴ As a large crowd was gathering, and people were flocking to Him from every town, He said in a parable:^{(e) 5} "A sower went out to sow his seed. As he was sowing, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the sky ate it up. ⁶ Other seed fell on the rock; when it sprang up, it withered, since it lacked moisture. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns; the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good ground; when it sprang up, it produced a crop: 100 times what was sown." ^(f) As He said this, He called out, "Anyone who has ears to hear should listen!" ^(g)

Why Jesus Used Parables

⁹ Then His disciples asked Him, "What does this parable mean?"^{(h) 10} So He said, "The secrets of the kingdom of God have been given for you⁽ⁱ⁾ to know, but to the rest it is in parables, so that

The Parable of the Sower Explained

¹¹ "This is the meaning of the parable: ^[b](k) The seed is the word of God. ^{(l) 12} The seed along the path are those who have heard and then the Devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. ¹³ And the seed on the rock are those who, when they hear, welcome the word with joy. Having no root, these believe for a while and depart in a time of testing.^{(m) 14} As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life,⁽ⁿ⁾ and produce no mature fruit. ¹⁵ But the seed in the good ground—these are the ones who,^[c] having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring,^(o) bear fruit.

Using Your Light

¹⁶ "No one, after lighting a lamp,^(p) covers it with a basket or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand so that those who come in may see its light.^{(q) 17} For nothing is concealed that won't be revealed, and nothing hidden that won't be made known and come to light.^{(r) 18} Therefore take care how you listen. For whoever has, more will be given to him;^(s) and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him."

True Relationships

¹⁹ Then His mother and brothers^(t) came to Him,^(u) but they could not meet with Him because of the crowd. ²⁰ He was told, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see You."

²¹ But He replied to them, "My mother and My brothers are those who hear and do the word of God." ^(v)

Wind and Wave Obey the Master

²² One day He and His disciples got into a boat,^(w) and He told them, "Let's cross over to the other side of the lake." ^(x) So they set out, ²³ and as they were sailing He fell asleep. Then a fierce windstorm came down on the lake; they were being swamped and were in danger. ²⁴ They came and woke Him up, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to die!" Then He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves. So they ceased, and there was a calm.^{(y) 25} He said to them, "Where is your faith?"

They were fearful and amazed, asking one another, "Who can this be?^[d](z) He commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey Him!"

Demons Driven Out by the Master

²⁶ Then they sailed to the region of the Gerasenes,^[e](aa) which is opposite Galilee. ²⁷ When He got out on land, a demon-possessed man from the town met Him. For a long time he had worn no clothes and did not stay in a house but in the tombs. ²⁸ When he saw Jesus, he cried out,^(ab) fell down before Him, and said in a loud voice, "What do You have to do with me,^[f](ac) Jesus, You Son of the Most High God?^(ad) I beg You, don't torment me!" ²⁹ For He had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was guarded, bound by chains and shackles, he would snap the restraints and be driven by the demon into deserted places.

³⁰ "What is your name?" Jesus asked him.

"Legion,"^(ae) he said—because many demons had entered him. ³¹ And they begged Him not to banish them to the abyss.^(af)

³² A large herd of pigs was there, feeding on the hillside. The demons begged Him to permit them to enter the pigs, and He gave them permission. ³³ The demons came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and drowned. ³⁴ When the men who tended them saw what had happened, they ran off and reported it in the town and in the countryside. ³⁵ Then people went out to see what had happened. They came to Jesus and found the man the demons had departed from, sitting at Jesus' feet,^(ag) dressed and in his right mind. And they were afraid. ³⁶ Meanwhile, the eyewitnesses reported to them how the demon-possessed man was delivered.^{(ah) 37} Then all the people of the Gerasene region^[g] asked Him to leave them,^(ai) because they were gripped by great fear. So getting into the boat, He returned.

³⁸ The man from whom the demons had departed kept begging Him to be with Him. But He sent him away and said, ³⁹ "Go back to your home, and tell all that God has done for you." And off he went, proclaiming throughout the town all that Jesus had done for him.

A Girl Restored and a Woman Healed

⁴⁰ When Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed Him,^(aj) for they were all expecting Him.^{(ak) 41} Just then, a man named Jairus came. He was a leader of the synagogue.^(al) He fell down at Jesus' feet and pleaded with Him to come to his house, ⁴² because he had an only daughter^(am) about 12 years old, and she was at death's door.^[h]

While He was going, the crowds were nearly crushing Him.^{(an) 43} A woman suffering from bleeding^(ao) for 12 years,^(ap) who had spent all she had on doctors^[i] yet could not be healed by any, ⁴⁴ approached from behind and touched the tassel of His robe.^(aq) Instantly her bleeding stopped.

⁴⁵ "Who touched Me?" Jesus asked.

When they all denied it, Peter^[j] said, "Master,^(ar) the crowds are hemming You in and pressing against You."^[k]

⁴⁶ "Someone did touch Me," said Jesus. "I know that power has gone out from Me." ^{(as) 47} When the woman saw that she was discovered,^[l] she came trembling and fell down before Him. In the presence of all the people, she declared the reason she had touched Him and how she was instantly cured. ⁴⁸ "Daughter," He said to her, "your faith has made you well.^[m] Go in peace." ^(at)

⁴⁹ While He was still speaking,^(au) someone came from the synagogue leader's house, saying, "Your daughter is dead. Don't bother^(av) the Teacher^(aw) anymore."

⁵⁰ When Jesus heard it, He answered him, "Don't be afraid. Only believe, and she will be made well." ⁵¹ After He came to the house, He let no one enter with Him except Peter, John, James,^(ax) and the child's father and mother. ⁵² Everyone was crying^(ay) and mourning for her.^(az) But He said, "Stop crying, for she is not dead but asleep." ^(ba)

⁵³ They started laughing at Him, because they knew she was dead. ⁵⁴ So He^[n] took her by the hand^(bb) and called out, "Child, get up!" ^{(bc) 55} Her spirit returned,^(bd) and she got up at once. Then He gave orders that she be given something to eat. ⁵⁶ Her parents were astounded, but He instructed them to tell no one what had happened.^(be)