INTERPRETING
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER
[18]
Hear then the parable of the sower.
[19] When any one hears the word of the kingdom and does not
understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in his
heart; this is what was sown along the path.
[20] As for what was sown
on rocky ground, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives
it with joy;
[21] yet he has no root
in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution
arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.
[22] As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears
the word, but the cares of the world and the delight in riches choke
the word, and it proves unfruitful.
[23] As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears
the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit, and yields, in one
case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.
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[13] And
he said to them, Do you not understand this parable? How then will
you understand all the parables?
[14] The sower sows the
word.
[15] And these are the
ones along the path, where the word is sown; when they hear, Satan immediately
comes and takes away the word which is sown in them.
[16] And these in like
manner are the ones sown upon rocky ground, who, when they hear the word,
immediately receive it with joy;
[17] and they have no root
in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution
arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.
[18] And others are the
ones sown among thorns; they are those who hear the word,
[19] but the cares of the
world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter
in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
[20] But those that were
sown upon the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and
bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.
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[11] Now the parable is this: The seed is the word
of God.
[12] The ones along the path are those who have heard; then
the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may
not believe and be saved.
[13] And the ones on the rock are those
who, when they hear the word, receive it with
joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in
time of temptation fall away.
[14] And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who
hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches
and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
[15] And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing
the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit
with patience. .
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THE SEVENTY RETURN
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[17] The seventy returned with joy, saying, "Lord, even the demons
are subject to us in your name!"
[18] And he said to them, I saw Satan fall like
lightning from heaven.
[19] Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and
scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt
you.
[20] Nevertheless do not rejoice
in this, that the spirits are subject to you; but rejoice that your names
are written in heaven."
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THE
HIDDEN TREASURE
[44] The kingdom of heaven is like treasure
hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys
that field.
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THE STRAYING SHEEP
[10] See that you do not despise one of these little ones; for
I tell you that in heaven their angels always behold the face of my Father
who is in heaven.
[12] What do you think? If
a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not
leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that
went astray?
[13] And if he finds it, truly,
I say to you, he rejoices over it more
than over the ninety-nine that never went astray.
[14] So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one
of these little ones should perish.
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[3] So he told them this parable:
[4] What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one
of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after
the one which is lost, until he finds it?
[5] And when he has found it,
he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.
[6] And when he comes home,
he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, `Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which
was lost.'
[7] Just so, I tell you, there
will be more joy in heaven over one
sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
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THE LOST COIN
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[8]
Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not
light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?
[9] And when she has found it, she
calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, `Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which
I had lost.'
[10] Just so, I tell you, there
is joy before the angels
of God over one sinner who repents.
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THE PARABLE
OF THE TALENTS
[14] For
it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted
to them his property;
[15] to one he gave five talents,
to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he
went away.
[16] He who had received the
five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents
more.
[17] So also, he who had the
two talents made two talents more.
[18] But he who had received
the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.
[19] Now after a long time
the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
[20] And he who had received
the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, `Master,
you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.'
[21] His master said to him,
`Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little,
I will set you over much; enter into the joy
of your master.'
[22] And he also who had the
two talents came forward, saying, `Master, you delivered to me two talents;
here I have made two talents more.'
[23] His master said to him,
`Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little,
I will set you over much; enter into the joy
of your master.'
[24] He also who had received
the one talent came forward, saying, `Master, I knew you to be a hard man,
reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow;
[25] so I was afraid, and I
went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.'
[26] But his master answered
him, `You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have
not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed?
[27] Then you ought to have
invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received
what was my own with interest.
[28] So take the talent from
him, and give it to him who has the ten talents.
[29] For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have
abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
[30] And cast the worthless
servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.
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[12] He said
therefore, A nobleman went into a far country to receive a kingdom
and then return.
[13] Calling ten of his servants,
he gave them ten pounds, and said to them, `Trade with these till I come.'
[14] But his citizens hated
him and sent an embassy after him, saying, `We do not want this man to reign
over us.'
[15] When he returned, having received the kingdom, he commanded
these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that
he might know what they had gained by trading.
[16] The first came before
him, saying, `Lord, your pound has made ten pounds more.'
[17] And he said to him, `Well
done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you
shall have authority over ten cities.'
[18] And the second came, saying, `Lord, your pound has made five
pounds.'
[19] And he said to him, `And you are to be over five cities.'
[20] Then another came, saying,
`Lord, here is your pound, which I kept laid away in a napkin;
[21] for I was afraid of you,
because you are a severe man; you take up what you did not lay down, and
reap what you did not sow.'
[22] He said to him, `I will condemn you out of your own mouth,
you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking up what I
did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow?
[23] Why then did you not put
my money into the bank, and at my coming I should have collected it with
interest?'
[24] And he said to those who
stood by, `Take the pound from him, and give it to him who has the ten pounds.'
[25] (And they said to him,
`Lord, he has ten pounds!')
[26] I tell you, that to every
one who has will more be given; but from him who has not, even what he
has will be taken away.
[27] But as for these enemies
of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay
them before me.
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JOY AND REJOICING IN THE FOURTH GOSPEL
REJOICING TOGETHER
John.4
[34] Jesus said to them, My food is to do the will of him who sent
me, and to accomplish his work.
[35] Do you not say, `There are yet four
months, then comes the harvest'? I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see how
the fields are already white for harvest.
[36] He who reaps receives wages, and
gathers fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together.
[37] For here the saying holds true, `One
sows and another reaps.'
[38] I sent you to reap that for which
you did not labor; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.
SOME LAST
WORDS
[25]
These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you.
[26] But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring
to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
[27] Peace I leave with you; my peace
I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts
be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
[28] You heard me say to you, `I go away,
and I will come to you.' If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the
Father is greater than I.
[29] And now I have told you before it
takes place, so that when it does take place, you may believe.
[30] I will no longer talk much with you,
for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me;
[31] but I do as the Father has commanded
me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go hence.
THAT YOUR
JOY MIGHT BE FULL
[7]
If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and
it shall be done for you.
[8] By this my Father is glorified, that
you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.
[9] As the Father has loved me, so have
I loved you; abide in my love.
[10] If you keep my commandments, you
will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide
in his love.
[11] These things I have spoken to you,
that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
THE WOMAN
IN TRAVAIL
[20]
Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your
sorrow will turn into joy.
[21] When a woman is in travail she has
sorrow, because her hour has come; but when she is delivered of the child,
she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy
that a child is born into the world.
[22] So you have sorrow now, but I will
see you again and your hearts will rejoice,
and no one will take your joy from you.
[23] In that day you will ask nothing
of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, he
will give it to you in my name.
[24] Hitherto you have asked nothing in
my name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy
may be full.
MY JOY FULFILLED
[11] And now I am
no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to thee.
Holy Father, keep them in thy name, which thou hast given me, that they may
be one, even as we are one.
[12] While I was with them, I kept them
in thy name, which thou hast given me; I have guarded them, and none of them
is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled.
[13] But now I am coming to thee; and
these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
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