Matthew 13 :: Amplified Bible (AMP)

That same day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting beside the sea [of Galilee].

He told them many things in [fn]parables, saying, “Listen carefully: a sower went out to sow [seed in his field];

Then the disciples came to Him and asked, “Why do You speak to the crowds in parables?”

‘YOU WILL HEAR and KEEP ON HEARING, BUT NEVER UNDERSTAND;

AND YOU WILL LOOK and KEEP ON LOOKING, BUT NEVER COMPREHEND;

FOR THIS NATION’S HEART HAS GROWN HARD,

AND WITH THEIR EARS THEY HARDLY HEAR,

AND THEY HAVE [tightly] CLOSED THEIR EYES,

OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES,

AND HEAR WITH THEIR EARS,

AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART, AND TURN [to Me]

AND I WOULD HEAL THEM [spiritually].’

“But blessed [spiritually aware, and favored by God] are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.

“Listen then to the [meaning of the] parable of the sower:

Jesus gave them another parable [to consider], saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.

He gave them another parable [to consider], saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field;

He told them another parable, “The kingdom of heaven is like [fn]leaven, which a woman took and worked into three [fn]measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”

All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables, and He said nothing to them without [using] a parable.

“I WILL OPEN MY MOUTH IN PARABLES;

I WILL UTTER THINGS [unknown and unattainable] THAT HAVE BEEN HIDDEN [from mankind] SINCE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD.”

Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him saying, “Explain [clearly] to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

“The kingdom of heaven is like a [very precious] treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again; then in his joy he goes and sells all he has and buys that field [securing the treasure for himself].

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet which was lowered into the sea, and gathered fish of every kind,

“Have you understood all these things [in the lessons of the parables]?” They said to Jesus, “Yes.”

When Jesus had finished these parables, He left there.