The Gospels in Four Part Harmony Part 10

LK 8:9-10

9 When his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of G.o.d; but to others it is given in parables, so that 'Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'

45.12 The Parable of the Sower Explained

MT 13:18-23

18 "Hear then the parable of the sower: 19 when anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and s.n.a.t.c.hes away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 But he who received the seed on rocky places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. And when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.

22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, but the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But the one who received seed on the good soil is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."

MK 4:13-20

13 And he said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word.

15 And these are the ones along the path where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 And these likewise are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; 17 and they have no root in themselves, but endure for only a time. Then, when tribulation or ersecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns; they are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But these are the ones sown on good soil, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit thirtyfold, sixty, and a hundred."

LK 4:11-15

11 "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of G.o.d. 12 The ones along the path are those who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved. 13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. 14 And the ones that fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 But the ones that fell on the good soil are those who, having heard the word with a n.o.ble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

45.13 The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds

MT 13:24-30

24 Another parable he put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 So when the plants sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then has enemy has done this.' The servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them up?' 29 But he said, 'No, lest while you gather up the weeds you also root up the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers. Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"

45.14 The Parable of the Lamp

MK 4:21-25

21 And he said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden, except to be revealed; nor is anything secret, but that it should come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."

24 Then he said to them, "Take heed what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you; and more will be given you. 25 For whoever has, to him will more be given; and whoever does not have, from him even what he has will be taken away."

LK 8:16-18

16 "No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. 18 Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him."

LK 11:33-36

33 "No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a stand, that those who come in may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 Therefore be careful that the light in you is not darkness. 36 If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the bright s.h.i.+ning of a lamp gives you light."

45.141 The Parable of the Scattered Seed

MK 4:26-29

26 And he said, "The kingdom of G.o.d is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. 28 All by itself the earth produces grain-first the blade, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

45.15 The Parable of the Mustard Seed

MT 13:31-32

31 Another parable he put forth to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; 32 it is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches."

MK 4:30-32

30 And he said, "With what shall we compare the kingdom of G.o.d, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is the smallest of all seeds in the earth; 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."

LK 13:18-19

18 Then he said, "What is the kingdom of G.o.d like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air nested in its branches."

45.16 The Parable of the Leaven

MT 13:33

33 He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour till it was all leavened."

LK 13:20-21

20 And again he said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of G.o.d? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour till it was all leavened."

45.17 He Did Not Speak Without a Parable

MT 13:34-35

34 All these things Jesus spoke to the crowd in parables; and without a parable he did not speak to them. 35 So was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world."

MK 4:33-34

33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34 But without a parable he did not speak to them. And when they were alone, he explained everything to his own disciples.

45.18 The Explanation of the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds

MT 13:36-43

36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." 37 He answered, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; 38 the field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Therefore as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil, 42 and will throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnas.h.i.+ng of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will s.h.i.+ne like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

45.19 Parable of the Treasure Hidden in a Field

MT 13:44

44 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and then in his joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

45.191 Parable of the Pearl of Great Price

MT 13:45-46

45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.