马太福音 13

撒种的比喻

（可4．1－9；路8．4－8）

1 就在那天，耶稣从房子里出来，坐在海边。 2 有一大群人到他那里聚集，他只好上船坐下，众人都站在岸上。 3 他用比喻对他们讲了许多话。他说：“有一个撒种的出去撒种。 4 他撒的时候，有的落在路旁，飞鸟来把它们吃掉了。 5 有的落在土浅的石头地上，因为土不深，很快就长出苗来， 6 太阳出来一晒，因为没有根就枯干了。 7 有的落在荆棘里，荆棘长起来，把它挤住了。 8 又有的落在好土里，就结出果实，有一百倍的，有六十倍的，有三十倍的。 9 有耳的，就应当听！”

用比喻的目的

（可4．10－12；路8．9－10）

10 门徒进前来问耶稣：“对众人讲话，为什么用比喻呢？” 11 耶稣回答他们说：“因为天国的奥秘只让你们知道，不让他们知道。 12 凡有的，还要给他，让他有余；凡没有的，连他所有的也要夺去。 13 我之所以用比喻对他们讲，是因为 他们看却看不清， 听却听不见，也不明白。

14 在他们身上，正应验了以赛亚的预言： ‘你们听了又听，却不明白， 看了又看，却看不清。

15 因为这百姓的心麻木， 耳朵发沉， 眼睛闭着， 免得眼睛看见， 耳朵听见， 心里明白，回转过来， 我会医治他们。’

16 但你们的眼睛是有福的，因为看得见；你们的耳朵也是有福的，因为听得见。 17 我实在告诉你们，从前有许多先知和义人要看你们所看的，却没有看见；要听你们所听的，却没有听见。”

解释撒种的比喻

（可4．13－20；路8．11－15）

18 “所以，你们要听这撒种的比喻。 19 凡听见天国的道而不明白的，那恶者就来，把撒在他心里的夺了去；这就是撒在路旁的了。 20 撒在石头地上的，就是人听了道，立刻欢喜领受， 21 只因心里没有根，不过是暂时的，一旦为道遭受患难或迫害，立刻就跌倒。 22 撒在荆棘里的，就是人听了道，后来有世上的忧虑、钱财的迷惑把道挤住了，结不出果实。 23 撒在好土里的，就是人听了道，明白了，后来结了果实，有一百倍的，有六十倍的，有三十倍的。”

杂草的比喻

24 耶稣又设个比喻对他们说：“天国好比人撒好种在田里， 25 在人睡觉的时候，他的仇敌来，把杂草撒在麦子里就走了。 26 到长苗吐穗的时候，杂草也显出来。 27 地主的仆人进前来对他说：‘主人，你不是撒好种在田里吗？哪里来的杂草呢？’ 28 主人回答他们：‘这是仇敌做的。’仆人对他说：‘你要我们去拔掉吗？’ 29 主人说：‘不必，恐怕拔杂草，也把麦子连根拔出来。 30 让这两样一起长，等到收割。当收割的时候，我会对收割的人说，先把杂草拔出来，捆成捆，留着烧，把麦子收在我的仓里。’”

芥菜种和面酵的比喻

（可4．30－32；路13．18－21）

31 他又设个比喻对他们说：“天国好比一粒芥菜种，有人拿去种在田里。 32 它原比所有的种子都小，等到长起来，却比各样的菜都大，且成了树，以致天上的飞鸟来在它的枝上筑巢。”

33 他又对他们讲另一个比喻：“天国好比面酵，有妇人拿来放进三斗面里，直到全团都发起来。”

用比喻的原因

（可4．33－34）

34 这都是耶稣用比喻对众人说的话，不用比喻，他就不对他们说什么。 35 这是要应验先知t所说的话： “我要开口说比喻， 说出从创世以来所隐藏的事。”

解释杂草的比喻

36 当时，耶稣离开众人，进了屋子。他的门徒进前来，说：“请把田间杂草的比喻讲给我们听。” 37 他回答：“那撒好种的就是人子， 38 田地就是世界，好种就是天国之子，杂草就是那恶者之子， 39 撒杂草的仇敌就是魔鬼，收割的时候就是世代的终结，收割的人就是天使。 40 正如把杂草拔出来用火焚烧，世代的终结也要如此。 41 人子要差遣他的使者，把一切使人跌倒的和作恶的从他国里挑出来， 42 丢在火炉里，在那里要哀哭切齿了。 43 那时，义人要在他们父的国里发出光来，像太阳一样。有耳的，就应当听！”

藏宝和寻珠的比喻

44 “天国好比宝贝藏在地里，人发现了就把它藏起来，欢欢喜喜地去变卖一切所有的，买这块地。

45 “天国又好比商人寻找好的珍珠， 46 发现一颗贵重的珍珠，就去变卖他一切所有的，买下这颗珍珠。”

撒网的比喻

47 “天国又好比网撒在海里，聚拢各种鱼类， 48 网一满，人们就把它拉上岸，坐下来，拣好的收在桶里，不好的丢掉。 49 世代的终结也要这样：天使要出来，把恶人从义人中分别出来， 50 丢在火炉里，在那里要哀哭切齿了。”

新旧库藏

51 耶稣说：“这一切的话你们都明白了吗？”他们对他说：“明白了。” 52 他对他们说：“凡文士学习作天国的门徒，就像一个家的主人从他库里拿出新的和旧的东西来。”

拿撒勒人厌弃耶稣

（可6．1－6；路4．16－30）

53 耶稣说完了这些比喻，就离开那里， 54 来到自己的家乡，在会堂里教导人，以致他们都很惊奇，说：“这人哪来这样的智慧和异能呢？ 55 这不是那木匠的儿子吗？他母亲不是叫马利亚吗？他兄弟们不是叫雅各、约瑟t、西门、犹大吗？ 56 他姊妹们不是都在我们这里吗？他这一切是从哪里来的呢？” 57 他们就厌弃他。耶稣对他们说：“先知除了在本乡和自己的家之外，没有不被尊敬的。” 58 耶稣因为他们不信，没有在那里行很多异能。

MATTHEW 13

A Story about a Farmer

(Mark 4.1-9; Luke 8.4-8)

1 That same day Jesus left the house and went out beside Lake Galilee, where he sat down to teach.t 2 t Such large crowds gathered around him that he had to sit in a boat, while the people stood on the shore.

3 Then he taught them many things by using stories. He said:
A farmer went out to scatter seed in a field. 4 While the farmer was scattering the seed, some of it fell along the road and was eaten by birds. 5 Other seeds fell on thin, rocky ground and quickly started growing because the soil wasn't very deep. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched and dried up, because they did not have deep roots. 7 Some other seeds fell where thornbushes grew up and choked the plants. 8 But a few seeds did fall on good ground where the plants produced 100 or 60 or 30 times as much as was scattered.

9 If you have ears, pay attention!

Why Jesus Used Stories

(Mark 4.10-12; Luke 8.9,10)

10 Jesus' disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you use stories to speak to the people?”

11 Jesus answered:
I have explained the secrets about the kingdom of heaven to you, but not to others. 12 t Everyone who has something will be given more. But people who don't have anything will lose even what little they have. 13 I use stories when I speak to them because when they look, they cannot see, and when they listen, they cannot hear or understand.

14 t So God's promise came true, just as the prophet Isaiah had said,
“These people will listen
and listen,
but never understand.
They will look and look,
but never see.

15 All of them have
stubborn minds!
They refuse to listen;
they cover their eyes.
They cannot see or hear
or understand.
If they could,
they would turn to me,
and I would heal them.”
16  t But God has blessed you, because your eyes can see and your ears can hear!

17 Many prophets and good people were eager to see what you see and to hear what you hear. But I tell you they did not see or hear.

Jesus Explains the Story //about the Farmer

(Mark 4.13-20; Luke 8.11-15)

18 Now listen to the meaning of the story about the farmer:
19 The seeds that fell along the road are the people who hear the message about the kingdom, but don't understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches the message from their hearts. 20 The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it at once.

21 But they don't have deep roots, and they don't last very long. As soon as life gets hard or the message gets them in trouble, they give up.
22 The seeds that fell among the thornbushes are also people who hear the message. But they start worrying about the needs of this life and are fooled by the desire to get rich. So the message gets choked out, and they never produce anything.

23 The seeds that fell on good ground are the people who hear and understand the message. They produce as much as 100 or 60 or 30 times what was planted.

Weeds among the Wheat

24 Jesus then told them this story:
The kingdom of heaven is like what happened when a farmer scattered good seed in a field.

25 But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and scattered weed seeds in the field and then left.
26 When the plants came up and began to mature, the farmer's servants could see the weeds.

27 The servants came and asked, “Sir, didn't you scatter good seed in your field? Where did these weeds come from?”

28 “An enemy did this,” he replied.
His servants then asked, “Do you want us to go out and pull up the weeds?”
29 “No!” he answered. “You might also pull up the wheat.

30 Leave the weeds alone until harvest time. Then I'll tell my workers to gather the weeds and tie them up and burn them. But I'll order them to store the wheat in my barn.”

Stories about a Mustard Seed //and Yeast

(Mark 4.30-32; Luke 13.18-21)

31 Jesus told them another story:
The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when a farmer plants a mustard seed in a field.

32 Although it is the smallest of all seeds, it grows larger than any garden plant and becomes a tree. Birds even come and nest on its branches.

33 Jesus also said:
The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when a woman mixes a little yeast into three big batches of flour. Finally, all the dough rises.

The Reason for Teaching //with Stories

(Mark 4.33,34)

34 Jesus used stories when he spoke to the people. In fact, he did not tell them anything without using stories.

35 t So God's promise came true, just as the prophett had said,
“I will use stories
to speak my message
and to explain things hidden
since the creation
of the world.”

Jesus Explains the Story //about the Weeds

36 After Jesus left the crowd and went inside, t his disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the story about the weeds in the wheat field.”

37 Jesus answered:
The one who scattered the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seeds are the people who belong to the kingdom. The weeds are those who belong to the evil one,

39 and the one who scattered them is the devil. The harvest is the end of time, and angels are the ones who bring in the harvest.
40 Weeds are gathered and burned. That's how it will be at the end of time. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom everyone who does wrong or causes others to sin. 42 Then he will throw them into a flaming furnace, where people will cry and grit their teeth in pain.

43 t But everyone who has done right will shine like the sun in their Father's kingdom. If you have ears, pay attention!

A Hidden Treasure

44 The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when someone finds a treasure hidden in a field and buries it again. Such a person is happy and goes and sells everything in order to buy that field.

A Valuable Pearl

45 The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when a shop owner is looking for fine pearls.

46 After finding a very valuable one, the owner goes and sells everything in order to buy that pearl.

A Fish Net

47 The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when a net is thrown into a lake and catches all kinds of fish. 48 When the net is full, it is dragged to the shore, and the fishermen sit down to separate the fish. They keep the good ones, but throw the bad ones away. 49 That's how it will be at the end of time. Angels will come and separate the evil people from the ones who have done right.

50 Then those evil people will be thrown into a flaming furnace, where they will cry and grit their teeth in pain.

New and Old Treasures

51 Jesus asked his disciples if they understood all these things. They said, “Yes, we do.”

52 So he told them, “Every student of the Scriptures who becomes a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like someone who brings out new and old treasures from the storeroom.”

The People of Nazareth Turn //against Jesus

(Mark 6.1-6; Luke 4.16-30)

53 When Jesus had finished telling these stories, he left 54 and went to his hometown. He taught in their synagogue, and the people were so amazed that they asked, “Where does he get all this wisdom and the power to work these miracles? 55 Isn't he the son of the carpenter? Isn't Mary his mother, and aren't James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas his brothers? 56 Don't his sisters still live here in our town? How can he do all this?”

57 t So the people were upset because of what he was doing.
But Jesus said, “Prophets are honored by everyone, except the people of their hometown and their own family.” 58 And because the people did not have any faith, Jesus did not work many miracles there.