(Mark 4:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)
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The same day went Iesus out of the house, and sate by the sea side.
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And great multitudes resorted vnto him, so that he went into a ship, and sate downe: and the whole multitude stoode on the shore.
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Then he spake many things to them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sowe.
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And as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the foules came and deuoured them vp.
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And some fell vpon stony grounde, where they had not much earth, and anon they sprong vp, because they had no depth of earth.
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And when the sunne was vp, they were parched, and for lacke of rooting, withered away.
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And some fell among thornes, and the thornes sprong vp, and choked them.
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Some againe fel in good ground, and brought forth fruite, one corne an hundreth folde, some sixtie folde, and another thirtie folde.
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He that hath eares to heare, let him heare.
The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables
(Isaiah 6:1–13; Mark 4:10–12; Luke 8:9–10)
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Then the disciples came, and said to him, Why speakest thou to them in parables?
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And he answered, and said vnto them, Because it is giuen vnto you, to know the secretes of the kingdome of heauen, but to the it is not giue.
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For whosoeuer hath, to him shalbe giuen, and he shall haue abundance: but whosoeuer hath not, from him shalbe taken away, euen that he hath.
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Therefore speake I to them in parables, because they seeing, doe not see: and hearing, they heare not, neither vnderstand.
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So in them is fulfilled the prophecie of Esaias, which prophecie saieth, By hearing, ye shall heare, and shall not vnderstand, and seeing, ye shall see, and shall not perceiue.
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For this peoples heart is waxed fat, and their eares are dull of hearing, and with their eyes they haue winked, lest they should see with their eyes, and heare with their eares, and should vnderstand with their hearts, and should returne, that I might heale them.
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But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your eares, for they heare.
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For verely I say vnto you, that many Prophets, and righteous men haue desired to see those things which ye see, and haue not seene them, and to heare those things which ye heare, and haue not heard them.
The Parable of the Sower Explained
(Mark 4:13–20; Luke 8:11–15)
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Heare ye therefore ye parable of ye sower.
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Whensoeuer any man heareth the woorde of that kingdome, and vnderstandeth it not, that euil one commeth, and catcheth away that which was sowen in his heart: and this is he which hath receiued the seede by the way side.
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And hee that receiued seede in the stonie grounde, is he which heareth the woorde, and incontinently with ioy receiueth it,
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Yet hath he no roote in himselfe, and dureth but a season: for assoone as tribulation or persecution commeth because of the woorde, by and by he is offended.
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And hee that receiued the seede among thornes, is hee that heareth the woorde: but the care of this worlde, and the deceitfulnesse of riches choke the word, and he is made vnfruitfull.
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But he that receiued the seede in the good ground, is he that heareth the worde, and vnderstandeth it, which also beareth fruite, and bringeth foorth, some an hundreth folde, some sixtie folde, and some thirtie folde.
The Parable of the Weeds
(Ezekiel 17:1–10)
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Another parable put hee foorth vnto them, saying, The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a man which sowed good seede in his fielde.
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But while men slept, there came his enemie, and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his waie.
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And when the blade was sprong vp, and brought forth fruite, then appeared the tares also.
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Then came the seruaunts of the housholder, and sayd vnto him, Master, sowedst not thou good seede in thy fielde? from whence then hath it tares?
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And hee said to them, Some enuious man hath done this. Then the seruants saide vnto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them vp?
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But he saide, Nay, lest while yee goe about to gather the tares, yee plucke vp also with them the wheat.
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Let both growe together vntill the haruest, and in time of haruest I will say to the reapers, Gather yee first the tares, and binde them in sheaues to burne them: but gather the wheate into my barne.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
(Mark 4:30–34; Luke 13:18–19)
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Another parable he put foorth vnto them, saying, The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a graine of mustard seede, which a man taketh and soweth in his fielde:
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Which in deede is the least of all seedes: but when it is growen, it is the greatest among herbes, and it is a tree, so that the birdes of heauen come and builde in the branches thereof.
The Parable of the Leaven
(Luke 13:20–21)
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Another parable spake hee to them, The kingdome of heauen is like vnto leauen, which a woman taketh and hideth in three pecks of meale, till all be leauened.
I Will Open My Mouth in Parables
(Psalm 78:1–72)
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All these thinges spake Iesus vnto the multitude in parables, and without parables spake he not to them,
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That it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the Prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables, and will vtter the thinges which haue beene kept secrete from the foundation of the worlde.
The Parable of the Weeds Explained
(Zephaniah 1:1–6)
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Then sent Iesus the multitude away, and went into the house. And his disciples came vnto him, saying, Declare vnto vs the parable of the tares of that fielde.
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Then answered he, and saide to them, He that soweth the good seede, is the Sonne of man.
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And the field is the worlde, and the good seede are the children of the kingdome, and the tares are the children of that wicked one.
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And the enemie that soweth them, is the deuill, and the haruest is the end of the worlde, and the reapers be the Angels.
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As then the tares are gathered and burned in ye fire, so shall it be in the end of this world.
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The Sonne of man shall send forth his Angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which doe iniquitie,
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And shall cast them into a fornace of fire. There shalbe wailing and gnashing of teeth.
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Then shall the iust men shine as ye sunne in the kingdome of their Father. Hee that hath eares to heare, let him heare.
The Parables of the Treasure and the Pearl
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Againe, the kingdom of heauen is like vnto a treasure hid in ye field, which when a man hath found, he hideth it, and for ioy thereof departeth and selleth all that he hath, and buieth that field.
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Againe, the kingdome of heauen is like to a marchant man, that seeketh good pearles,
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Who hauing found a pearle of great price, went and solde all that he had, and bought it.
The Parable of the Net
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Againe, the kingdom of heauen is like vnto a drawe net cast into the sea, that gathereth of all kindes of things.
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Which, when it is full, men draw to lande, and sit and gather the good into vessels, and cast the bad away.
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So shall it be at the end of the world. The Angels shall goe foorth, and seuer the bad from among the iust,
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And shall cast them into a fornace of fire: there shalbe wailing, and gnashing of teeth.
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Iesus saide vnto them, Vnderstand yee all these things? They saide vnto him, Yea, Lord.
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Then sayd hee vnto them, Therefore euery Scribe which is taught vnto the kingdome of heauen, is like vnto an householder, which bringeth foorth out of his treasure things both newe and olde.
The Rejection at Nazareth
(Mark 6:1–6; Luke 4:16–30)
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And it came to passe, that when Iesus had ended these parables, he departed thence,
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And came into his owne countrey, and taught them in their Synagogue, so that they were astonied, and saide, Whence commeth this wisdome and great woorkes vnto this man?
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Is not this the carpenters sonne? Is not his mother called Marie, and his brethren Iames and Ioses, and Simon and Iudas?
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And are not his sisters all with vs? Whence then hath he all these things?
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And they were offended with him. Then Iesus said to them, A Prophet is not without honour, saue in his owne countrey, and in his owne house.
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And he did not many great woorkes there, for their vnbeliefes sake.