The Holy Bible

[13:31] He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.

[13:32] It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

[13:33] He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

[13:34] All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable.

[13:35] This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”

[13:36] Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.”

[13:37] He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.

[13:38] The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,

[13:39] and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

[13:40] Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.

[13:41] The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers,

[13:42] and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

[13:43] Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

[13:45] “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,

[13:46] who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

[13:47] “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.

[13:48] When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.

[13:49] So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous

[13:50] and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

[13:51] “Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.”

[13:52] And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

[13:53] And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there,

[13:54] and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?

[13:55] Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

[13:56] And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”

[13:57] And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.”

[13:58] And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.

[14:1] At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus,

[14:2] and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.”

[14:3] For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife,

[14:4] because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.”

[14:5] And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet.

[14:6] But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod,

[14:7] so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask.

[14:8] Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.”

[14:9] And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given.

[14:10] He sent and had John beheaded in the prison,

[14:11] and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

[14:12] And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.

[14:13] Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.

[14:14] When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

[14:15] Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.”

[14:16] But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.”

[14:17] They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.”

[14:18] And he said, “Bring them here to me.”

[14:19] Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

[14:20] And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over.

[14:21] And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.