Chapter XIX

PHARISEES SEEK A SIGN--JESUS TEACHES BY PARABLES.

Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them,

An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and
there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the
prophet Jonas: for as Jonas was three days and three nights in
the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and
three nights in the heart of the earth.

The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this
generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the
preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas _is_
here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment
with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from
the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of
Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon _is_ here.

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh
through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he
saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and
when he is come, he findeth _it_ empty, swept, and garnished.
Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits
more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there:
and the last _state_ of that man is worse than the first. Even
so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

While he yet talked to the people, behold _his_ mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. And the multitude sat about him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him,

Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

And he looked round about on them which sat about him. And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said,

Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the
will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother,
and sister, and mother.

The same day went Jesus out of the house. And he began again to teach by the seaside: and great multitudes were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city; so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow his seed: and
it came to pass, as he sowed, some _seeds_ fell by the
way-side, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air
came and devoured them up.

Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth:
and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of
earth: and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and
because they had no root, they withered away; because it
lacked moisture.

And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked
it, and it yielded no fruit.

And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang
up, and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, some sixty,
and some an hundred.

And when he had said these things, he cried,

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them,

Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the
kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever
hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more
abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken
away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables:
because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not,
neither do they understand.

And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith,
By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing
ye shall see and shall not perceive: for this people's heart
is waxed gross and _their_ ears are dull of hearing, and their
eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with
_their_ eyes, and hear with _their_ ears, and should
understand with _their_ heart, and should be converted, and I
should heal them. But blessed _are_ your eyes, for they see:
and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That
many prophets and righteous _men_ have desired to see _those
things_ which ye see, and have not seen _them_; and to hear
_those things_ which ye hear, and have not heard _them_.

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying,

The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good
seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and
sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the
blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared
the tares also.

So the servants of the householder came and said unto him,
Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence
then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done
this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go
and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up
the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow
together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will
say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and
bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into
my barn.

And he said,

So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into
the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the
seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the
earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then
the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the
fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle,
because the harvest is come.

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying,

Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what
comparison shall we compare it? The kingdom of heaven is like
to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his
field: which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all
the seeds that be in the earth: but when it is sown, it
groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth
out great branches, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of
the air 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 the whole was
leavened.

And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear _it_. But without a parable spake he not unto them: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world. And when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.