Matthew 13 On that day (= That same day), after coming out of the house, Jesus had spent some time sitting on the shore, beside the lake (or: sea).

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ On that day (= That same day), after coming out of the house, Jesus had spent some time sitting on the shore, beside the lake (or: sea). ² And so great was the concourse of people that were gathered together toward Him, that He was stepping into a small boat to continue sitting down – and the entire crowd stood on the beach. ³ And so he spoke many things to them, continuing in gathering thoughts and laying them in order, in parables (things cast down at the side for comparison; illustrations; [note: used for Hebrew masal in the LXX, so = a variety of figures of speech: riddle; proverb; ethical maxim; by-word; allegory; fable; enigmatic saying that is meant to stimulate intense thinking): ⁴ "Look and consider! The sower comes out (or: went out) to be progressively sowing (scattering seed [in a field]). Now in the midst of his continued sowing, some [seeds] on the one hand fell alongside the path – and with the birds coming, they ate them down (devoured them). ⁵ On the other hand, other [seeds] fell upon the rocky places (or: shallow soil where layers of rock lie near the surface), where it continues having not much soil, and immediately it shoots forth again, back up – because of the [situation of] not having a depth of soil. ⁶ Yet upon a rising back up again of [the] sun, it was scorched – and thus, because of the [situation of] not having [sufficient] root, it was dried up and withered. ⁷ Now others fell upon the thornbushes (or: prickly weeds), and the thornbushes came up and choked them off (smothered them). ⁸ But others fell upon the ideal soil, and it began and kept on yielding fruit – this one, on the one hand, a hundred; that one, on the other hand, sixty; yet some, thirty. ⁹ Let the person possessing ears continue listening, hearing and paying attention." ¹⁰ Then, approaching, the disciples said to Him, "Why (Through what [purpose; motive]) are you continuing to speak to them in parables (here: = illustrative riddles; = Hebrew masal)?" ¹¹ So giving a decided response, He said to them, "To (or: For; With) you folks it has been given to intimately experience and insightfully know the secrets (mysteries) of the reign of the heavens (or: the kingdom which is the heavens; the royal rule which pertains to and has its origin in the heavens, and which emanates from the atmospheres), yet it has not been given to those people. ¹² "You see, whoever continues possessing (presently and habitually holds [understanding]; repeatedly has [something]), to him it (or: something; or: [understanding]) will continue being given and he will habitually be made to superabound (or: have more than enough); yet whoever does not continue possessing (habitually holding; repeatedly having), even what he does have will be progressively taken away from him. ¹³ "Therefore I continue speaking in parables (with illustrations) to them, because while seeing (or: observing) they continue not seeing, and during listening (or: hearing) they are not hearing (or: listening) – neither are they comprehending or understanding (having things flow together so as to get the picture or see the relationships). ¹⁴ "And so the prophecy of Isaiah is progressively being filled up in (or: for; by) them – the one continuing in saying, 'In listening you folks will keep on hearing, and yet you can by no means have things flow together so as to get the picture or see the relationships (or: comprehend or understand), and while constantly looking, you will continue observing, and yet you can by no means see so as to perceive. ¹⁵ 'For the heart of this people was made thick and fat, and thus has become impervious, dull and insensitive, and with the ears they hear heavily, and are thus hard of hearing, and they shut (or: closed) their eyes (or: they squint their eyes), lest at some time they might see with [their] eyes and should then be listening and hearing with [their] ears, and with the heart they could make things flow together so as to comprehend – and they might turn about! And so, I will progressively cure and heal them!' [Isa. 6:9-10] (or: ... and they squint their eyes! At some point should they not see with [their] eyes, and continue listening so as to hear with [their] ears, and thus understand in the heart? And then they can turn around, and I will continue healing them!') ¹⁶ "However, your eyes [are] happy (blessed and prosperous, and thus, privileged), because they continue seeing – as well as your ears, for they are presently and habitually hearing. ¹⁷ "You see I am now telling you frankly and truly that many prophets and rightwised folks (fair and just people) passionately desired to see [the] things which you folks are now habitually seeing (or: looking at) – and yet they did not see; and to hear things which you are continuously hearing – and yet they did not hear. ¹⁸ "Therefore, you folks listen to, and be hearing, the parable (illustration cast by your side) of the sower (or: the scattering of seed). ¹⁹ "Concerning everyone constantly listening to and hearing the Word of the sovereign reign and activities (or: the thought, idea and message of the kingdom) and yet continuing in not understanding (being unable to have things flow together unto comprehension): the worthless person or the disadvantageous circumstance (or: the one who brings pain and misery through hard labor; the malevolent and wicked man; the evil one; or: the difficult and wearisome situation) is repeatedly coming and is habitually snatching up what has been sown (scattered as seed) within his heart – this is the one sown alongside the path or road. ²⁰ "Now [as to] the one being sown (scattered) upon the rocky places, this one is the person continuing in hearing the Word (thought; idea; message), and at once progressively receiving it with joy! ²¹ "However, he is not continuing to have a root within himself, but is instead existing for [only] a season (is temporary, or lasts only for that particular situation or occasion), so with an occurring (happening; birthing) of pressure (tribulation; distress) or pursuit and persecution – because of the message (the Word; the idea) – he is at once caught in a trap, as though these circumstances were a trap-stick, and so he is made to stumble, being offended. ²² "Now [as to] the one being sown (scattered) into the midst of the thorns, this one is the person continuing in hearing the Word (message; thought; idea), and yet the anxiety (care; worry; concern; distraction) of the age [other MSS: this age], and the seductiveness and deception of the riches and wealth [involved], together progressively choke the Word (or: message) and it (or: he) progresses to become unfruitful. ²³ "As for the one sown (scattered) upon the ideal soil (earth), this is the person continuing in hearing the Word (or: message; idea) and progressively allowing things to flow together unto comprehension and understanding – who in reality does progressively bear fruit, and is continuing producing: this one, on the one hand, a hundred, that one, on the other hand, sixty, yet another one thirty [times what was sown]." ²⁴ He placed (or: put; set) another parable (illustration) beside [the previous one] for them, proceeding in saying, "The reign and sovereignty activities of the heavens (or: kingdom of the atmospheres) is likened and compared to a person (human) sowing (scattering) fine, ideal seed within his field. ²⁵ "Now during the continued sleeping of the people, his enemy (the one hostile to him) came and oversowed weed seeds (scattered-on darnel [= a wild grass, or, bastard wheat]; i.e., plants that would compete with the main crop, and that would cause extra work at harvest time) again, through the midst of the wheat (or: grain), and then went away. ²⁶ "So when the blade sprouted and put forth leaves, and then produced fruit (a crop), at that time the weeds (darnel: indistinguishable from wheat stalks until close to harvest time) also became apparent (visible and evident). ²⁷ "And so the slaves, upon approaching the householder, said to him, 'Master (Lord; Sir), did you not sow fine, ideal seed within your field? From where, then, is it now having weeds (darnel)?' ²⁸ "So the man affirmed to them, 'A human – an enemy – did this!' Now they continue in saying to him, 'Are you now, therefore, desiring [that] we, upon going off, should gather them [i.e., the weeds] together (= cull them out)?' ²⁹ "But he affirms, 'No, otherwise (or: lest at some point) during collecting together the weeds you men might at the same time uproot the wheat (or: grain) along with them. ³⁰ 'Allow (or: Leave) both to continue growing side by side until the harvest, and within the season of the harvest I will proceed to be telling the reapers, First gather the weeds together and bind them into bundles for the purpose of burning them down. But progressively gather the wheat (or: grain) into my barn (storehouse).'" ³¹ He placed (or: put; set) another parable (illustration) beside [the previous one] for them, proceeding in saying, "The reign and sovereignty of the heavens (or: kingdom of the sky and atmosphere) exists being (or: is) like seed of a mustard plant – which, upon taking, a man (a person) sowed within his field – ³² "which on the one hand is smaller than all the seeds, yet on the other hand, whenever it might grow, is greater than the vegetables (= is the largest of the garden plants and herbs) and progressively comes to be a [veritable] tree [in size and form], so that the birds of the sky (or: atmosphere) come and periodically roost within its branches." ³³ He spoke another parable (illustration) to them: "The reign (kingdom; sovereignty) of the heavens and atmospheres exists being (is) like leaven (or: yeast) which a woman, upon getting (taking; receiving) [it], hides within (= mixes in) three large measures (1.5 pecks, or 12 quarts, per measure) of wheat flour, or meal, until [the] whole [batch] is leavened to thus be fermented, risen [and teeming with life]!" ³⁴ Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the crowds, and apart from parables He was, and continued, speaking nothing to them, ³⁵ so that the [prophecy; oracle] being declared through the prophet would (or: could) be fulfilled, [which] continues saying, "I will repeatedly open My mouth in parables (illustrations); I will constantly disgorge and spew out things having been hidden from [the; a] casting-down (a laying of a foundation; or, metaphorically: a conception [as used in Heb. 11:11, "a casting-down of seed"]) [other MSS add: of {the} organized System (or: world; cosmos; universe; or: the world of culture and religion)]." [Ps. 78:2] ³⁶ At that time, after leaving the crowds, He went into the house. And then His disciples approached Him, one after another saying, "Make the parable (illustration) of the weeds (darnel) of the field thoroughly clear and distinct for (or: to) us (= explain it so that we can plainly understand it)." ³⁷ So He, setting forth a reply giving discernment, said, "The person habitually sowing the fine, ideal seed is the Son of the Man (or: mankind's son; = the son of Adam; = the human). ³⁸ "Now the field is the organized System (the ordered arrangement; the world; the world of religion as well as of economy, culture and government in the secular; = the realm of society). As for the fine, ideal seed, these are the sons of the reign (= the produce and resulting situation which have the kingdom as their source and origin; the offspring who are the reign; = those things having the character and quality of the kingdom and are associated with its reign). Yet the weeds (darnel) are the sons of the worthless person or the disadvantageous circumstance (or: the sons whose source and origin is the one who brings pain and misery through hard labor; the produce whose character and quality are malevolent and wicked; the sons of the evil one; or: offspring of the difficult and wearisome situation [the predicament of mankind?]; the bad environment; may = the result of the work of a worthless person [perhaps: the words of a religious person]). ³⁹ "And now the enemy (the hostile person) – the person sowing them – is the adversary (the person who will thrust something through you; or: the "devil"). And then [the] harvest is [the] bringing of the parts together to one destined end (or: a combined final act; a purposed consummation; a putting together of the final product; a joining of all aspects into the fruition of the goal) of an age, but the harvesters (reapers) are agents (messengers; folks with the message). ⁴⁰ "Therefore, just as the weeds (darnel) are periodically collected together and are normally burned down (or: up) in a fire, thus will it be within the conclusion (the combined final act; the joining of all parts and aspects to one end and goal) of the age [other MSS: this age]. ⁴¹ "The Son of the Man will progressively send off His agents (messengers; folks with the message) as emissaries, and they will continue gathering together out of His kingdom (collect and cull out of His reign) all the snares and things which entrap, as well as the folks habitually producing (or: doing; constructing; practicing; creating) the lawlessness. ⁴² "Next they will continue throwing them into the furnace (oven; kiln) of The Fire [note: a figure of being dealt with in, and by, God]: 'the weeping (crying and lamentation) and the grinding of teeth' will continue being in that situation (or: place). ⁴³ "At that time, the fair and equitable folks – who live in the pointed-out Way of right relationships, rightwised behavior and justice – will be progressively giving out light, as from lamps (or: will shine forth from out of the midst), in the same way as the sun, in union with the reign, and within the kingdom, of their Father. Let the person having ears to hear continue listening and be constantly hearing! ⁴⁴ "The reign (or: kingdom; sovereignty) of the heavens and atmospheres exists being (or: is) like a treasure – having been hidden (or: being concealed) within the midst of a field – which, upon finding, a person hid (concealed) [again] and then, from the joy he has, he proceeds leaving [it] and one after another sells as many things as he is then possessing and is proceeding in purchasing that field. ⁴⁵ "Again, the reign (or: kingdom; sovereignty) of the heavens and atmospheres exists being (or: is) like a human being – a traveling business man (or: merchant), constantly trying to find beautiful, ideal pearls. ⁴⁶ "Now upon finding one very valuable pearl, after at once going away, he has exported for sale and disposed of everything – as much as he was holding (possessing) – and he buys it at the market place. ⁴⁷ "Again, the reign (or: kingdom; sovereignty) of the heavens and atmospheres exists being (or: is) like a dragnet (a seine) being cast into the lake (or: sea) and gathering together [some] of every species [of marine life, into the net], ⁴⁸ "from which – when it was filled up, after hauling it up upon the beach and sitting down – they gathered together the ideal ones into containers (buckets, crocks or baskets). Yet the decayed and rotten ones they threw outside. ⁴⁹ "It will be the same way within the destined conclusion (the combined final act; the joining of all parts and aspects to one purposed end and goal) of the (or: = this) age: the agents (messengers) will be constantly going forth and will be progressively marking off boundaries for (limiting off, thus separating) the worthless and disadvantageous folks or circumstances (those people or situations who/which bring pain and misery through hard works; the wicked people or evil conditions) from out of the midst of the fair and equitable folks or situations (those having been placed within the Way of right relationships, rightwised behavior and justice) ⁵⁰ "and then will continue casting them into the furnace (oven; kiln) of The Fire [= God's dealings]: the weeping (crying and lamentation) and the grinding of teeth' will continue being in that situation or place. ⁵¹ "Do you folks understand all these things? Were you able to make them all flow together?" They were then saying to Him, "Yes." ⁵² So He said to them, "Therefore (or: That being the situation; For this reason), every scribe (well-trained writer, translator or scholar; or: theologian; expert and instructor in the Law), being one taught, schooled and made a disciple by the reign from the atmospheres (or: in the kingdom of the heavens) exists being (or: is) like a person (a human) – a householder (an owner of a home) – who is habitually extracting and spurting out from the midst of his store of treasures things fresh and new in character and quality, as well as old, well-worn and even obsolete." ⁵³ And then it happened (occurred), when Jesus finished these parables (illustrations), [that] He went across country (transferred Himself) from that place. ⁵⁴ So later, upon coming into His fatherland (= His native land and home territory), He began, and continued, teaching them within their synagogue, with the result for them to be constantly moved from out of their positions and be overwhelmed with astonishment, even to be periodically saying, "From where [comes] this wisdom and the expressions (demonstrations; effects; works) of power and ability by (or: in; to; for) this person? ⁵⁵ "Is this man not the builder's (carpenter's; skilled craftsman's; journeyman's) son? Is not his mother the one normally being called Mary (or: Miriam) – and his brothers Jacob (James), Joseph, Simon and Judah (or: Judas)? ⁵⁶ "And are not his sisters with us? From where, then, [come] all these things to (or: in; by) this person?" ⁵⁷ And thus, they continued being stumbled and entrapped by this trap-stick (snare) in Him. So Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not un-honored or without value, except in the midst of his own fatherland (home territory) and within his own household." ⁵⁸ And therefore He did not do (or: perform) many demonstrations (exhibitions; works; effects) of power in that place – through their lack of trust and absence of faith and confidence.