The Parable of the Sower

1 ^dAgain he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd ^egathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 And he was teaching them many things in ^fparables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the ^gsun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a ^hhundredfold.” 9 And he said, “He who has ⁱears to hear, let him hear.”

The Purpose of the Parables

10 ^jAnd when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, ^k“To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that

13 ^mAnd he said to them, ⁿ“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 immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or ^opersecution arises on account of the word, immediately they ^pfall away.¹ 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the ^qcares of the world and the ^rdeceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and ^sbear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

A Lamp Under a Basket

21 ^tAnd he said to them, ^u“Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For ^vnothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: ^wwith the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25 For ^xto the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

The Parable of the Seed Growing

26 And he said, ^y“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he ^zputs in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 ^aAnd he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, ^bso that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

33 ^cWith many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34 He did not speak to them without a parable, but ^dprivately to his own disciples he explained everything.

Jesus Calms a Storm

35 ^eOn that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great ^fwindstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, ^gasleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are ^hperishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” ⁱAnd the wind ^jceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? ^kHave you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, ^l“Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Jesus Heals a Man with a Demon

1 ^mThey came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes.² 2 And when Jesus³ had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, ⁿJesus, ^oSon of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.” 8 For he was saying to him, ^p“Come out of the man, you unclean spirit!” 9 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “My name is Legion, for we are many.” 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of ^qpigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, “Send us to the pigs; let us enter them.” 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea.

14 The herdsmen fled and told it in the city and in the country. And people came to see what it was that had happened. 15 And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed⁴ man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. 16 And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17 And they began ^rto beg Jesus⁵ to depart from their region. 18 As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19 And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the ^sLord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

Jesus Heals a Woman and Jairus’s Daughter

21 ^tAnd when Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered about him, and he was beside the sea. 22 Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name, and seeing him, he fell at his feet 23 and implored him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” 24 And he went with him.

And a great crowd followed him and ^uthronged about him. 25 And there was a woman who had had a ^vdischarge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and ^wtouched his garment. 28 For she said, ^x“If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that ^ypower had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, ^zyour faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

35 ^aWhile he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. ^bWhy trouble the Teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing⁶ what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 And he allowed no one to follow him except ^cPeter and James and John the brother of James. 38 They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus⁷ saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 And when he had entered, he said to them, ^d“Why are you making a commotion and weeping? The child is ^enot dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. But he put them all ^foutside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 ^gTaking her by the hand he said to her, ^h“Talitha cumi,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise.” 42 And immediately the girl got up and began walking (for she was twelve years of age), and they were immediately overcome with amazement. 43 And he strictly charged them that ⁱno one should know this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

1 ^jHe went away from there and came to his ^khometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the Sabbath he began to ^lteach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were ^mastonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 ⁿIs not this the carpenter,⁸ the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they ^otook offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, ^p“A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief.

And he went about among the villages teaching.

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles

7 ^qAnd he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and ^rgave them authority over the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them to take ^snothing for their journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— 9 but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.⁹ 10 And he said to them, ^t“Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. 11 And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, ^ushake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” 12 So they went out and proclaimed that people should ^vrepent. 13 And they ^wcast out many demons and ^xanointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

The Death of John the Baptist

14 ^yKing Herod heard of it, for Jesus’¹⁰ name had become known. Some¹¹ said, ^z“John the Baptist¹² has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 But others said, ^a“He is Elijah.” And others said, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” 16 But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I ^bbeheaded, has been raised.” 17 For it was Herod who had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not ^clawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 And Herodias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him to death. But she could not, 20 for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly.

21 But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday ^dgave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for ^ewhatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23 And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, ^fup to half of my kingdom.” 24 And she went out and said to her mother, “For what should I ask?” And she said, “The head of John the Baptist.” 25 And she came in immediately with haste to the king and asked, saying, “I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.” 26 And ^gthe king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s¹³ head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

30 ^hThe apostles returned to Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a desolate place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had ⁱcompassion on them, because they were like sheep ^jwithout a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. 35 And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late. 36 Send them away to go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.” 37 But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred ^kdenarii¹⁴ worth of bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 And he said to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” 39 Then he commanded them all to sit down in groups on the ^lgreen grass. 40 So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. 41 And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing and broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the people. And he divided the two fish among them all. 42 And they all ^mate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.

Jesus Walks on the Water

45 ⁿImmediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, ^ohe went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night¹⁵ he came to them, ^pwalking on the sea. He meant to ^qpass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ^rghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; ^sit is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ^tceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were ^uhardened.

Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret

53 ^vWhen they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. 54 And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him 55 and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might ^wtouch ^xeven the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

Women Accompanying Jesus

1 Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, ^oproclaiming and ^pbringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, 2 and also some ^qwomen who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom ^rseven demons had gone out, 3 and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them¹ out of their means.

The Parable of the Sower

4 ^sAnd when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, 5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. 6 And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. 8 And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

The Purpose of the Parables

9 ^tAnd when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, ^u“To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ^v‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ 11 ^wNow the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not ^xbelieve 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 testing ^yfall away. 14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the ^zcares and ^ariches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. 15 As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and ^bbear fruit with patience.

A Lamp Under a Jar

16 ^c“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. 17 For ^dnothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. 18 Take care then how you hear, for ^eto the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”