¶ The same day went Iesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side, and much people resorted unto him, so greatly that he went, and sat in a ship, and all the people stood on the shore. And he spake many things to them in similitudes, saying: Behold, the sower went forth to sow. And as he sowed, some fell by the ways side, and the fowls came, and devoured it up. Some fell upon stony ground where it had not much earth, and anon it sprong up, because it had no depth of earth: and when the sun was up, it caught heat, and for lack of rooting withered away. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns arose and choked it. Part fell in good ground, and brought forth good fruit: some an hundred fold, some fifty fold, some thirty fold. Whosoever hath ears to hear, let him hear.
¶ And his disciples came, and said to him: Why speakest thou to them in parables? He answered and said unto them: It is given unto you to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given: and he shall have abundance. But whosoever hath not: from him shall be taken away even that same that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in similitudes. For though they see, they see not: and hearing they hear not: nether understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esay, which prophecy saith: with your ears ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and with your eyes ye shall see, and shall not perceive. For this people's heart is waxed gross. And their ears were dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should turn, that I might heal them.
¶ But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Verily I say unto you, that many prophets and perfect men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them: and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. Hear ye therefore the similitude of the sower. When a man heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, there cometh the evil man, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. And this is he which was sown by the way side. But he that was sown in the stony ground, is he, which heareth the word of God, and anon with joy receiveth it, yet hath no roots in himself, and therefore dureth but a season: for as soon as tribulation or persecution ariseth be cause of the word, by and by he falleth. He that was sown among thorns, is he, that heareth the word of God, but the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and so is he made unfruitful. He which is sown in the good ground, is he, that heareth the word and understandeth it, which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundred fold, some fifty fold, and some thirty fold.
¶ Another similitude put he forth, unto them saying: The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man which sowed good seed in his field. But while men slept, there came his foe, and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. When the blade was sprung up, and had brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. The servants came to the householder, and said unto him. Sir sowest not thou good seed in thy close, from whence then hath it tares? He said to them, the envious man hath done this. Then the servants said unto him: wilt thou then that we go and gather it? and he said, nay, lest while ye go about to weed out the tares, ye pluck up also with them the wheat by the roots: let both grow to gether till harvest come, and in time of harvest, I will say yea unto my reapers, gather ye first the tares, and bind them in sheaves to be brent: but gather the wheat into my barn.
¶ Another parable he put forth unto them saying: The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man taketh and soweth in his field, which is the least of all seeds. But when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and is a tree: so that the birds of the air come, and build in the branches of it.
¶ Another similitude said he to them. The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven which a woman took and hideth in iij. pecks of meal, till all was leavened.
¶ All these things spake Iesus unto the people by similitudes, and with out similitudes spake he nothing to them, to fulfil that which was spoken by the prophet saying: I will open my mouth in similitudes, and will speak forth things which have been kept secret from the beginning of the world.
¶ Then sent Iesus the people away, and came to house, and his disciples came unto him, saying: declare unto us the similitude of the tares of the field: Then answered he and said to them. He that soweth the good seed, is the son of man, the field is the world. The children of the kingdom are the good seed. The evil man's children are the tares. But the enemy which soweth it, is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the reapers be the angels. For even as the tares are gathered, and brent in the fire: so shall it be in the end of this world. The son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that do hurt, and all them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire. There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the just men shine as bright as the son in the kingdom of their father. whosoever hath ears to hear, let him hear.
¶ Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in the field, the which a man found and hid it: and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.
¶ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant, seeking good pearls, which when he had found one precious pearl, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
¶ Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net cast in to the sea, that gathereth of all kinds of fishes: the which when it is full, men draw to land, and sit and gather the good into their vessels, and cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world. The angels shall come and sever the bad from the good, and shall cast them in to a furnace of fire, there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
¶ Iesus said unto them: have ye understood all these things? They said, yea sir. Then said he unto them: Therefore every scribe which is conning unto the kingdom of heaven, is like an householder, which bringeth forth, out of his treasure, things both new and old.
¶ And it came to pass when Iesus had finished these similitudes that he departed thence, and came in to his own country, and taught them in their synagogues, in somuch that they were astonied, and said, whence came all this wisdom and power unto him? is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren be called, Iames and Ioses and Simon and Iudas? and are not his sisters all here with us? Whence hath he all these things. And they were hurt by him. Then Iesus said unto them: there is no prophet without honour, save in his own country, and among his own kin. And he did not many miracles there, for their unbelief's sake.
© Faith of God
William Tyndale 1525