Parables of the Kingdom
Matthew 13
These are parables (stories) which Jesus told. In them he was explaining about the Kingdom: it is a great prize which people should long for, and on earth good and bad are mixed together - but in heaven there will only be good.
1. The Sower
"Listen! A sower went out to sow.
And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up.
Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil.
But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away.
Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Let anyone with ears listen!"
2. The Parable of the Weeds
He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field;
but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away.
So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well.
And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?'
He answered, 'An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?'
But he replied, 'No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them.
Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.' "
3. Parable of the Mustard Seed
He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field;
it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs
and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its
branches."
4. The Parable of the Yeast
He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman
took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened."
5. The Hidden Treasure
"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and
hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
6. The Parable of the Pearls
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls;
on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
7. The Parable of the Net
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and
caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the
good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels
will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of
fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Parables of the Kingdom
Each of these stories has been mixed up or is incomplete in some way. Put the
sentences into the correct order and copy them into your files.
The Parable of the Sower
Match up the sentences, then copy them out in order.
A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed,
| some seeds fell on the path, | they sprang up quickly, but when the sun rose, they were scorched; so they withered away. |
| Other seeds fell on rocky ground, | the thorns grew up and choked them. |
| Other seeds fell among thorns, | the birds came and ate them up. |
| Other seeds fell on good soil | they brought forth very much grain |
Let anyone with ears listen!"
The Parable of the Weeds
Put the speeches in the right order, and copy the parable into your file.
The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; but
while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went
away. When the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well.
- Servants: 'Do you want us to go and gather them?' Servants: 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' Master: 'An enemy has done this.' Master: 'No; if you gather the weeds you will pull up the wheat at the same time. Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'
The Speeches go in this order:
Fill the Gaps
In the rest of the parables below, fill in the gaps and copy the parables into your
files.
3. The Parable of the Mustard Seed
smallest
shrubs
seed 
nests
The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard (1)___________________ that someone took and
sowed in his field; it is the (2)___________________ of all the seeds, but when it has
grown it is the greatest of (3)___________________ and becomes a tree, so that the birds
of the air come and make (4)___________________ in its branches."
4. The Parable of the Yeast
kingdom
woman
flour
measures
The (5)___________________ of heaven is like yeast that a (6)___________________ took
and mixed in with three (7)___________________ of (8)___________________ until all of it
was leavened."
5. The Parable of the Hidden Treasure
heaven
joy
buys
treasure
"The kingdom of (9)___________________ is like (10)___________________ hidden in a
field, which someone found and hid; then in his (11)___________________ he goes and sells
all that he has and (12)___________________ that field.
6. The Parable of the Pearls
pearls
value
bought
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine
(13)___________________ ; on finding one pearl of great (14)___________________ , he went
and sold all that he had and (15)___________________ it.
7. The Parable of the Net
net
fish
full
bad
righteous
gnashing
The kingdom of heaven is like a (16)___________________ that was thrown into the sea
and caught (17)___________________ of every kind; when it was (18)___________________ ,
they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the (19)___________________ into baskets but threw
out the (20)___________________ . So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will
come out and separate the evil from the (21)___________________ and throw them into the
furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and (22)___________________ of teeth.
Signposts
is a Painsley