Read the Bible
KING JAMES BIBLE · PCE

Matthew 13:2–4

TEXT EDITION
Pure Cambridge Edition selected
And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;
And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
Share
Email linkOpen a new message in your email app
Read chapterReport issue
More

PASSAGE SELECTION

Build from either side

3 selected · 55 available

Add or remove verses within this chapter. The study tools update with the selected passage.

SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE

Cross References

All 33 ranked passages are available for comparison.

From verse 2

  1. Luke 5:3Rank 1 from verse 2
    Open

    3And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

  2. Genesis 49:10Rank 2 from verse 2
    Open

    10The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

  3. Luke 8:4–8Rank 3 from verse 2
    Open

    4¶ And when much people were gathered together, and were come to him out of every city, he spake by a parable:

    5A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

    6And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

    7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

    8And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

  4. Mark 4:1Rank 4 from verse 2
    Open

    1AND he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.

  5. Matthew 15:30Rank 5 from verse 2
    Open

    30And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them:

  6. Matthew 4:25Rank 6 from verse 2
    Open

    25And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judæa, and from beyond Jordan.

From verse 3

  1. Mark 4:2–9Rank 1 from verse 3
    Open

    2And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

    3Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

    4And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

    5And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:

    6But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

    7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

    8And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.

    9And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

  2. Mark 4:13Rank 2 from verse 3
    Open

    13And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

  3. Psalms 78:2Rank 3 from verse 3
    Open

    2I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:

  4. 2 Samuel 12:1–7Rank 4 from verse 3
    Open

    1AND the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.

    2The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:

    3But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.

    4And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man’s lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.

    5And David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:

    6And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.

    7¶ And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

  5. Ezekiel 24:3–14Rank 5 from verse 3
    Open

    3And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it:

    4Gather the pieces thereof into it, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones.

    5Take the choice of the flock, and burn also the bones under it, and make it boil well, and let them seethe the bones of it therein.

    6¶ Wherefore thus saith the Lord God; Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it.

    7For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the top of a rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust;

    8That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance; I have set her blood upon the top of a rock, that it should not be covered.

    9Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great.

    10Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned.

    11Then set it empty upon the coals thereof, that the brass of it may be hot, and may burn, and that the filthiness of it may be molten in it, that the scum of it may be consumed.

    12She hath wearied herself with lies, and her great scum went not forth out of her: her scum shall be in the fire.

    13In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee.

    14I the Lord have spoken it: it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord God.

  6. Mark 4:33Rank 6 from verse 3
    Open

    33And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.

  7. Matthew 13:10–13Rank 7 from verse 3
    Open

    10And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

    11He 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.

    12For 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.

    13Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

  8. Matthew 13:34–35Rank 8 from verse 3
    Open

    34All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

    35That 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.

  9. Matthew 13:53Rank 9 from verse 3
    Open

    53¶ And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence.

  10. Judges 9:8–20Rank 10 from verse 3
    Open

    8The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us.

    9But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

    10And the trees said to the fig tree, Come thou, and reign over us.

    11But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees?

    12Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us.

    13And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?

    14Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us.

    15And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth ye anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.

    16Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, and if ye have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done unto him according to the deserving of his hands;

    17(For my father fought for you, and adventured his life far, and delivered you out of the hand of Midian:

    18And ye are risen up against my father’s house this day, and have slain his sons, threescore and ten persons, upon one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his maidservant, king over the men of Shechem, because he is your brother;)

    19If ye then have dealt truly and sincerely with Jerubbaal and with his house this day, then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you:

    20But if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech.

  11. Luke 8:5–8Rank 11 from verse 3
    Open

    5A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.

    6And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.

    7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.

    8And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

  12. Mark 12:12Rank 12 from verse 3
    Open

    12And they sought to lay hold on him, but feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way.

  13. Matthew 24:32Rank 13 from verse 3
    Open

    32Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

  14. Psalms 49:4Rank 14 from verse 3
    Open

    4I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

  15. Ezekiel 17:2Rank 15 from verse 3
    Open

    2Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;

  16. Ezekiel 20:49Rank 16 from verse 3
    Open

    49Then said I, Ah Lord God! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?

  17. Habakkuk 2:6Rank 17 from verse 3
    Open

    6Shall not all these take up a parable against him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his! how long? and to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!

  18. Isaiah 5:1–7Rank 18 from verse 3
    Open

    1NOW will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching his vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill:

    2And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes.

    3And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard.

    4What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?

    5And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

    6And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

    7For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.

  19. John 16:25Rank 19 from verse 3
    Open

    25These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father.

  20. Luke 12:41Rank 20 from verse 3
    Open

    41¶ Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?

  21. Luke 15:3–7Rank 21 from verse 3
    Open

    3¶ And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

    4What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

    5And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

    6And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

    7I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

  22. Luke 8:10Rank 22 from verse 3
    Open

    10And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.

  23. Mark 12:1Rank 23 from verse 3
    Open

    1AND he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.

  24. Mark 3:23Rank 24 from verse 3
    Open

    23And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?

  25. Micah 2:4Rank 25 from verse 3
    Open

    4¶ In that day shall one take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled: he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.

  26. Matthew 22:1Rank 26 from verse 3
    Open

    1AND Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

From verse 4

  1. Matthew 13:18–19Rank 1 from verse 4
    Open

    18¶ Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

    19When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

WORDS IN THIS PASSAGE

Definitions

Open a word for its full definition and concordance.

DEFINED WORDS

Matthew 13:2

COMBINED MEANING

gathered

↗

Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of gather, meaning to collect, bring together, or assemble.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

ship

↗

A vessel or boat used for travel or for carrying persons or goods over water.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sat

↗

Was seated, took a seat, remained seated, or occupied a seat or place.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

COMBINED MEANING

multitude

↗

1. A great number or large gathered body of persons, creatures, or forces; a crowd, company, or host. 2. A great number, amount, fullness, or abundance of years, words, deeds, mercies, sins, possessions, waters, or other stated things.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

on

↗

1. At, upon, or in contact with the named place, object, side, or time. 2. Toward, against, concerning, depending upon, or directed to the named person or thing. 3. Forward or continuing; in joined expressions such as go on, put on, and lay hold on, the other words supply the particular action.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

shore

↗

The coast or land adjoining the sea, a large lake, or another large body of water; the edge toward which a vessel may draw.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

DEFINED WORDS

Matthew 13:3

COMBINED MEANING

spake

↗

The past tense of speak: uttered or expressed words, addressed someone, or communicated a matter in words.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

in

↗

1. A preposition marking position, presence, state, circumstance, manner, means, sphere, reference, relation, association, or participation. 2. As an adverb, inward, inside, or into the place or position referred to.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

behold

↗

1. Used as an attention word or command directing someone to look at or take notice of the person, thing, statement, or event presented: look; see; take notice. 2. As a verb, to look upon, see, observe, or witness.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

forth

↗

1. Outward, away, or forward from a place, person, possession, or former position. 2. In constructions of bearing or producing, into birth, growth, fruit, or another stated result. 3. With verbs such as put, stretch, spread, or reach, outward by extension or exertion. 4. In constructions of showing, speaking, issuing, or displaying, into view, expression, publication, or effect. 5. Onward from a stated time or point, as in from that time forth.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

sow

↗

Sense 1: To scatter or plant seed. Sense 2: Figuratively, to spread what will produce a result. Sense 3: An adult female swine.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

DEFINED WORDS

Matthew 13:4

COMBINED MEANING

sowed

↗

Sense 1: Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of sow, meaning to scatter or plant seed. Sense 2: Figuratively, to spread what will produce a result.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

fell

↗

1. Came or went down; dropped, bowed, lay flat, collapsed, or lost an upright or raised place. 2. Was slain, died, was overthrown, or came under another's hand or power. 3. Came upon, seized, or affected someone or something, or entered a stated condition such as sickness, sleep, fear, lusting, or a trance. 4. Attacked or set upon. 5. Happened or came to pass. 6. Joined, yielded, went over, or departed from a person, side, office, or former standing. 7. Was assigned or determined by lot or portion. 8. As the present verb fell, to cut or bring down a tree or other standing thing.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

side

↗

Sense 1: A lateral part, edge, or surface. Sense 2: A party or position in a dispute.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

fowls

↗

1. Winged creatures, especially birds. 2. In the law's phrase “fowls that creep,” winged creeping creatures.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references

COMBINED MEANING

devoured

↗

Past-tense, participial, or adjectival form of devour, meaning to eat greedily; to consume, destroy, or waste rapidly and completely.

Meaning drawn from: KJV context and cross-references · Webster 1828

READ THE PASSAGE

View in context

Suggested context · Matthew 13:1–9

The selected passage is highlighted. Context is a study aid.

13:1THE same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

13:2And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

Selected passage

13:3And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

Selected passage

13:4And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

Selected passage

13:5Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

13:6And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

13:7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

13:8But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

13:9Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

LOCAL PASTOR DIRECTORY

Ask a Pastor Near You

Enter a U.S. ZIP code to find nearby pastors committed to holding fast the faithful word.

Your ZIP is processed in this browser from local data. It is not sent to a ZIP lookup service or to a church. ZIP coordinates from GeoNames, licensed under CC BY 4.0.