Jesus

Someone told Him, “Look, Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to You.”

But Jesus replied, “Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?”

Pointing to His disciples, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers.

For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.

Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore.

And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed.

Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?”

This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’

For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’

For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.

He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field.

He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour, until all of it was leavened.”

Jesus spoke all these things to the crowds in parables. He did not tell them anything without using a parable.

So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.”

Then Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

He replied, “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.

The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will weed out of His kingdom every cause of sin and all who practice lawlessness.

Have you understood all these things?” “Yes,” they answered.

Then He told them, “For this reason, every scribe who has been discipled in the kingdom of heaven is like a homeowner who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”

When Jesus had finished these parables, He withdrew from that place.

Coming to His hometown, He taught the people in their synagogue, and they were astonished. “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?” they asked.

“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother’s name Mary, and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?

Aren’t all His sisters with us as well? Where then did this man get all these things?”