When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve disciples, came and asked, "Why do you speak to them in parables?"

He answered them, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God in Heaven. But to the rest, those who are outside, it is not given to them. So, all things are done in parables. For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever doesn't have, from him will be taken away even that which he has. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don't see nor perceive, and hearing, they don't hear, neither do they understand. In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, 'By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive: lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.' for this people's heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and should turn again; and I would heal them.

But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn't see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and didn't hear them"

Then his disciples asked him, "What does this parable mean?"

He said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables? Hear, then, the parable of the farmer (the sower): the seed is the word of God and the farmer sows the word." 

"The ones by the road, where the word is sown, are the ones who hear, then  when anyone hears the word of the Kingdom, and doesn't understand it, the evil one comes, and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. Or, when they have heard, immediately Satan comes, and takes away the word which has been sown in them. The devil comes, and takes away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. This is what was sown by the roadside."

"In the same way are what was sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy. But they have no root in themselves, and are short-lived. So, this is he who hears the word, and immediately with joy and (gladness), receives it. yet he has no root in himself, but endures and believes only for a while. For when oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. So, he falls away in time of temptation."

"Others are what was sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word. But, the cares of this age choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. So, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches, the pleasures of life, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. As they go on their way they bring no fruit to maturity."

"That, what was sown on the good ground, are those who hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit. So, this is he who hears the word, with an honest and good heart, and understands it and accepts it, so that they (keep it). Having heard the word, they hold it tightly, and bring forth fruit with patience some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times. They most certainly bear fruit."

"No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a container, or puts it under a bed; but puts it on a stand, that those who enter in may see the light. For nothing is hidden, that will not be revealed; nor anything secret, that will not be known and come to light. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear." 

He said to them, "Take heed what you hear. With whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you who hear. So, be careful therefore how you hear. For whoever has, to him will more be given, and he will have abundance, and he who doesn't have, even that which he has will be taken away from him. Even that which he thinks he has will be taken away."

Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the darnel weeds of the field." 

He answered them, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the Kingdom; and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. As therefore the darnel weeds are gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the end of this age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field."

"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls, who 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 a dragnet, that was cast into the sea, and gathered some fish of every kind, which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach. They sat down, and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away. So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come forth, and separate the wicked from among the righteous, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth."

Jesus said to them, "Have you understood all these things?" 

They answered him, "Yes, Lord." 

He said to them, "Therefore, every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things." 

It happened that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there.