The Life of Jesus

Another parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

which indeed is less than all seeds; but when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the heaven come and lodge in the branches thereof.

Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened.

All these things spake Jesus in parables unto the multitudes; and without a parable spake he nothing unto them:

that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.

Then he left the multitudes, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

And he answered and said, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;

and the enemy that sowed them is the devil: and the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are angels.

As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of the world.

The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity,

and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear.

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field; which a man found, and hid; and in his joy he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls:

and having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away.

So shall it be in the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the righteous,

and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.

Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea.

And he said unto them, Therefore every scribe who hath been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, who bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

And coming into his own country he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas?