13Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake.G1161G1722G1565G2250G1831G2424G575G3614G2521G3844G22812A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore.G2532G4183G3793G4863G4314G846G5620G846G1684G1519G4143G2521G2532G3956G3793G2476G1909G1233He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: "Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds.G2532G2980G4183G846G1722G3850G3004G2400G4687G1831G46874As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them.G2532G1722G846G4687G3739G3303G4098G3844G3598G2532G4071G2064G2532G2719G846G27195Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.G1161G243G4098G1909G4075G3699G2192G3756G4183G1093G2532G2112G1816G1223G2192G3361G899G10936But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn't have deep roots, they died.G1161G2246G393G2739G2532G1223G2192G3361G4491G35837Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.G1161G243G4098G1909G173G2532G173G305G2532G638G8468Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!G1161G243G4098G1909G2570G1093G2532G1325G2590G3739G3303G1540G1161G3739G1835G1161G3739G51449Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand."G3588G2192G3775G191G19110His disciples came and asked him, "Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?"G2532G3101G4334G2036G846G1302G2980G846G1722G385011He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.G611G1161G2036G846G3754G1325G5213G1097G3466G932G3772G1161G1565G1325G3756G132512To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.G1063G3748G2192G846G1325G2532G4052G1161G3748G2192G3756G575G846G142G2532G3739G219213That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don't really see. They hear, but they don't really listen or understand.G1223G5124G2980G846G1722G3850G3754G991G991G3756G2532G191G191G3756G3761G492014This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, 'When you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend.G2532G1909G846G378G4394G2268G3588G3004G189G191G2532G4920G3364G4920G2532G991G991G2532G1492G3364G149215For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.'G1063G5127G2992G2588G3975G2532G3775G917G191G2532G846G3788G2576G3379G1492G3788G2532G191G3775G2532G4920G2588G2532G1994G2532G2390G84616"But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.G1161G3107G5216G3788G3754G991G2532G5216G3775G3754G19117I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn't see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn't hear it.G1063G281G3004G5213G3754G4183G4396G2532G1342G1937G1492G3739G991G2532G1492G3756G1492G2532G191G3739G191G2532G191G3756G19118"Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds.G191G5210G3767G3850G468719The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don't understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.G3956G191G3056G932G2532G4920G3361G2064G4190G2532G726G3588G4687G1722G846G2588G3778G2076G4687G3844G359820The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.G1161G4687G1909G4075G3778G2076G191G3056G2532G2117G3326G5479G2983G84621But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word.G1161G2192G3756G4491G1722G1438G235G2076G4340G1161G2347G2228G1375G1096G1223G3056G2117G462422The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God's word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.G1161G4687G1519G173G2076G3778G191G3056G2532G3308G5127G165G2532G539G4149G4846G3056G2532G1096G17523The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God's word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"G1161G4687G1909G2570G1093G2076G3778G191G3056G2532G4920G3739G1211G2592G2532G4160G3739G3303G1540G1161G3739G1835G1161G3739G5144
Parable of the Wheat and Weeds
24Here is another story Jesus told: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field.G243G3850G3908G846G3004G932G3772G3666G444G4687G4687G2570G4690G1722G846G6825But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away.G1161G1722G444G2518G846G2190G2064G2532G4687G2215G303G3319G4621G2532G56526When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.G1161G3753G5528G985G2532G4160G2590G5119G5316G2215G253227"The farmer's workers went to him and said, 'Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?'G1161G1401G3617G4334G2036G846G2962G4687G3780G4687G2570G4690G1722G4674G68G4159G3767G2192G221528"'An enemy has done this!' the farmer exclaimed. "'Should we pull out the weeds?' they asked.G1161G5346G846G2190G444G4160G5124G1161G1401G2036G846G2309G3767G565G4816G846G481629"'No,' he replied, 'you'll uproot the wheat if you do.G1161G5346G3756G3379G4816G2215G1610G4621G260G84630Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.'"G863G297G4885G3360G2326G2532G1722G2540G2326G2046G2327G4816G4412G2215G2532G1210G846G1519G1197G4314G2618G846G1161G4863G4621G1519G3450G596
Parable of the Mustard Seed
31Here is another illustration Jesus used: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field.G243G3850G3908G846G3004G932G3772G2076G3664G2848G4615G3739G444G2983G4687G1722G846G6832It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches."G3739G3303G2076G3398G3956G4690G1161G3752G837G2076G3187G3001G2532G1096G1186G5620G4071G3772G2064G2532G2681G1722G2798G846
Parable of the Yeast
33Jesus also used this illustration: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough."G243G3850G2980G846G932G3772G2076G3664G2219G3739G1135G2983G1470G1519G5140G4568G224G2193G3650G3739G222034Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables.G3956G5023G2980G2424G3793G1722G3850G2532G5565G3850G2980G3756G84635This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet: "I will speak to you in parables. I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world."G3704G4137G3588G4483G1223G4396G3004G455G3450G4750G1722G3850G2044G2928G575G2602G2889
Parable of the Wheat and Weeds Explained
36Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, "Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field."G5119G2424G863G3793G863G2064G1519G3614G2532G846G3101G4334G846G3004G5419G2254G3850G2215G6837Jesus replied, "The Son of Man is the farmer who plants the good seed.G611G1161G2036G846G4687G2570G4690G2076G5207G44438The field is the world, and the good seed represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one.G1161G68G2076G2889G1161G2570G4690G3778G1526G5207G932G1161G2215G1526G5207G419039The enemy who planted the weeds among the wheat is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world, and the harvesters are the angels.G1161G2190G4687G846G2076G1228G1161G2326G2076G4930G165G1161G2327G1526G3240"Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world.G5618G3767G2215G4816G2532G2618G4442G3779G2071G1722G4930G5127G16541The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will remove from his Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.G5207G444G649G846G32G2532G4816G1537G846G932G3956G4625G2532G4160G45842And the angels will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.G2532G906G846G1519G2575G4442G1563G2071G2805G2532G1030G359943Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father's Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand!G5119G1342G1584G5613G2246G1722G932G846G3962G3588G2192G3775G191G191
Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
44"The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.G3825G932G3772G2076G3664G2344G2928G1722G68G3739G444G2147G2928G2532G575G5479G846G5217G2532G4453G3956G3745G2192G2532G59G1565G6845"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls.G3825G932G3772G2076G3664G1713G444G2212G2570G313546When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!G3739G2147G1520G3135G4186G565G4097G3956G3745G2192G2532G59G846
Parable of the Fishing Net
47"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a fishing net that was thrown into the water and caught fish of every kind.G3825G932G3772G2076G3664G4522G906G1519G2281G2532G4863G1537G3956G108548When the net was full, they dragged it up onto the shore, sat down, and sorted the good fish into crates, but threw the bad ones away.G3739G3753G4137G307G1909G123G2532G2523G4816G2570G1519G30G1161G906G4550G185449That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels will come and separate the wicked people from the righteous,G3779G2071G1722G4930G165G32G1831G2532G873G4190G1537G3319G134250throwing the wicked into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.G2532G906G846G1519G2575G4442G1563G2071G2805G2532G1030G359951Do you understand all these things?" "Yes," they said, "we do."G2424G3004G846G4920G3956G5023G3956G3004G846G3483G296252Then he added, "Every teacher of religious law who becomes a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a homeowner who brings from his storeroom new gems of truth as well as old."G1161G2036G846G1223G5124G3956G1122G3100G1519G932G3772G2076G3664G444G3617G3748G1544G1537G846G2344G2537G2532G3820
Jesus Rejected at Nazareth
53When Jesus had finished telling these stories and illustrations, he left that part of the country.G2532G1096G3753G2424G5055G5025G3850G3332G156454He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, "Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?"G2532G2064G1519G846G3968G1321G846G1722G846G4864G5620G846G1605G2532G3004G4159G5129G3778G4678G2532G141155Then they scoffed, "He's just the carpenter's son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas.G2076G3756G3778G5045G5207G3004G3780G846G3384G3004G3137G2532G846G80G2385G2532G2500G2532G4613G2532G245556All his sisters live right here among us. Where did he learn all these things?"G2532G846G79G1526G3780G3956G4314G2248G4159G3767G5129G3956G502357And they were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, "A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family."G2532G4624G1722G846G1161G2424G2036G846G4396G2076G3756G820G1508G1722G846G3968G2532G1722G846G361458And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief.G2532G4160G3756G4183G1411G1563G1223G846G570
Matthew 14
The Death of John the Baptist
14When Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, heard about Jesus,G1722G1565G2540G2264G5076G191G189G24242he said to his advisers, "This must be John the Baptist raised from the dead! That is why he can do such miracles."G2532G2036G846G3816G3778G2076G2491G910G846G1453G575G3498G2532G1223G5124G1411G1754G1722G8463For Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias .G1063G2264G2902G2491G1210G846G2532G5087G1722G5438G1223G2266G1223G846G80G5376G11354John had been telling Herod, "It is against God's law for you to marry her."G1063G2491G3004G846G1832G3756G1832G4671G2192G8465Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet.G2532G2309G615G846G615G5399G3793G3754G2192G846G5613G43966But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias's daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him,G1161G2264G1077G71G2364G2266G3738G1722G3319G2532G700G22647so he promised with a vow to give her anything she wanted.G3606G3670G3326G3727G1325G846G3739G1437G1548At her mother's urging, the girl said, "I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!"G1161G4264G5259G846G3384G5346G1325G3427G5602G2491G910G2776G1909G40949Then the king regretted what he had said; but because of the vow he had made in front of his guests, he issued the necessary orders.G2532G935G3076G1161G1223G3727G2532G4873G2753G132510So John was beheaded in the prison,G2532G3992G607G2491G1722G543811and his head was brought on a tray and given to the girl, who took it to her mother.G2532G846G2776G5342G1909G4094G2532G1325G2877G2532G5342G846G338412Later, John's disciples came for his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus what had happened.G2532G846G3101G4334G142G4983G2532G2290G846G2532G2064G518G2424
Jesus Feeds Five Thousand
13As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns.G2532G2424G191G402G1564G1722G4143G1519G2048G5117G2596G2398G2532G3793G191G190G846G3979G575G417214Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.G2532G2424G1831G1492G4183G3793G2532G4697G1909G846G2532G2323G846G73215That evening the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves."G1161G1096G3798G846G3101G4334G846G3004G2076G2048G5117G2532G5610G2235G3928G630G3793G630G2443G565G1519G2968G59G1438G103316But Jesus said, "That isn't necessary—you feed them."G1161G2424G2036G846G5532G3756G565G2192G1325G5210G846G531517"But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!" they answered.G1161G3004G846G2192G5602G3756G1508G4002G740G2532G1417G248618"Bring them here," he said.G1161G2036G5342G846G5602G342719Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people.G2532G2753G3793G347G1909G5528G2532G2983G4002G740G2532G1417G2486G308G1519G3772G2127G2532G2806G1325G740G3101G1161G3101G379320They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers.G2532G5315G3956G5315G2532G5526G2532G142G2801G4052G1427G2894G413421About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and children!G1161G2068G2258G5616G4000G435G5565G1135G2532G3813
Jesus Walks on Water
22Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home.G2532G2112G2424G315G846G3101G1684G1519G4143G2532G4254G846G1519G4008G2193G3739G630G3793G63023After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.G2532G630G3793G630G305G1519G3735G2596G2398G4336G1161G3798G1096G2258G1563G344124Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.G1161G4143G2258G2235G3319G2281G928G5259G2949G1063G417G2258G172725About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water.G1161G5067G5438G3571G2424G565G4314G846G4043G1909G228126When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, "It's a ghost!"G2532G3101G1492G846G4043G1909G2281G5015G3004G3754G2076G5326G2532G2896G575G540127But Jesus spoke to them at once. "Don't be afraid," he said. "Take courage. I am here!"G1161G2112G2424G2980G846G3004G2293G1510G1473G5399G3361G539928Then Peter called to him, "Lord, if it's really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water."G1161G4074G611G846G2036G2962G1487G1488G4771G2753G3165G2064G4314G4571G1909G520429"Yes, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.G1161G2036G2064G2532G4074G2597G575G4143G4043G1909G5204G2064G4314G242430But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted.G1161G991G417G2478G5399G2532G756G2670G2896G3004G2962G4982G316531Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. "You have so little faith," Jesus said. "Why did you doubt me?"G1161G2112G2424G1614G5495G1949G846G2532G3004G846G3640G1519G5101G136532When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped.G2532G846G1684G1519G4143G417G286933Then the disciples worshiped him. "You really are the Son of God!" they exclaimed.G1161G1722G4143G2064G4352G846G3004G230G1488G5207G231634After they had crossed the lake, they landed at Gennesaret.G2532G1276G2064G1519G1093G108235When the people recognized Jesus, the news of his arrival spread quickly throughout the whole area, and soon people were bringing all their sick to be healed.G2532G435G1565G5117G1921G846G649G1519G3650G1565G4066G2532G4374G846G3956G2192G256036They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.G2532G3870G846G2443G680G3440G680G2899G846G2440G2532G3745G680G1295
Psalms 87
87[A song. A psalm of the descendants of Korah.] On the holy mountain stands the city founded by the Lord.H4210H7892H1121H7141H3248H6944H20422He loves the city of Jerusalem more than any other city in Israel.H3068H157H8179H6726H4908H32903O city of God, what glorious things are said of you! InterludeH3513H1696H5892H430H55424I will count Egypt and Babylon among those who know me—also Philistia and Tyre, and even distant Ethiopia. They have all become citizens of Jerusalem!H2142H7294H894H3045H6429H6865H3568H32055Regarding Jerusalem it will be said, “Everyone enjoys the rights of citizenship there.” And the Most High will personally bless this city.H6726H559H376H3205H5945H35596When the Lord registers the nations, he will say, “They have all become citizens of Jerusalem.” InterludeH3068H5608H3789H5971H3205H55427The people will play flutes and sing, “The source of my life springs from Jerusalem!”H7891H2490H4599
Dublin, OH
of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.G611
