3 And He told them many things in parables, saying, "A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.

5 Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings.

8 Still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop — a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.

9 He who has ears,* let him hear."

25 One day an expert in the law stood up to test Him. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

26 "What is written in the Law?" Jesus replied. "How do you read it?"

27 He answered, "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’* and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’*"

28 "You have answered correctly," Jesus said. "Do this and you will live."

29 But wanting to justify himself, he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30 Jesus took up this question and said, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him half dead.

31 Now by chance a priest was going down the same road, but when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.

32 So too, when a Levite came to that spot and saw him, he passed by on the other side.

33 But a Samaritan on a journey came upon him, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him.

35 The next day he took out two denarii* and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Take care of him,’ he said, ‘and on my return I will repay you for any additional expense.’

36 Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"

37 "The one who showed him mercy," replied the expert in the law.

Then Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."

4 "What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the pasture and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, 6 comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent.

11 Then Jesus said, "There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger son said to him, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

13 After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.

14 After he had spent all he had, a severe famine swept through that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. 16 He longed to fill his belly with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one would give him a thing.

17 Finally he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have plenty of food, but here I am, starving to death! 18 I will get up and go back to my father and say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants."’

20 So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still in the distance, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.

21 The son declared, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.*’

22 But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let us feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.

25 Meanwhile the older son was in the field, and as he approached the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on.

27 ‘Your brother has returned,’ he said, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has him back safe and sound.’

28 The older son became angry and refused to go in. So his father came out and pleaded with him.

29 But he answered his father, ‘Look, all these years I have served you and never disobeyed a commandment of yours. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

31 ‘Son, you are always with me,’ the father said, ‘and all that is mine is yours. 32 But it was fitting to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’"

45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. 46 When he found one very precious pearl, he went away and sold all he had and bought it.

9 To some who trusted in their own righteousness and viewed others with contempt, He also told this parable: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed,* ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men — swindlers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’

13 But the tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."

14 For it is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions. 15 To one he gave five talents,* to another two talents, and to another one talent — each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey.

16 The servant who had received the five talents went at once and put them to work* and gained five more. 17 Likewise, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18 But the servant who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.

19 After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The servant who had received the five talents came and presented five more. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’

21 His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’

22 The servant who had received the two talents also came and said, ‘Master, you entrusted me with two talents. See, I have gained two more.’

23 His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’

24 Finally, the servant who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what belongs to you.’

26 ‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest.

28 Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 30 And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

19 Now there was a rich man dressed in purple and fine linen, who lived each day in joyous splendor. 20 And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores 21 and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 One day the beggar died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side.* And the rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham from afar, with Lazarus by his side.

24 So he cried out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. For I am in agony in this fire.’

25 But Abraham answered, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. But now he is comforted here, while you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that even those who wish cannot cross from here to you, nor can anyone cross from there to us.’

27 ‘Then I beg you, father,’ he said, ‘send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also end up in this place of torment.’

29 But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let your brothers listen to them.’

30 ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone is sent to them from the dead, they will repent.’

31 Then Abraham said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.’"

24 Jesus put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and slipped away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared.

27 The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

28 ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

So the servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

29 ‘No,’ he said, ‘if you pull the weeds now, you might uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat into my barn.’"

1 "At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take along any extra oil. 4 But the wise ones took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

6 At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

7 Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

9 ‘No,’ said the wise ones, ‘or there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

10 But while they were on their way to buy it, the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and the door was shut.

11 Later the other virgins arrived and said, ‘Lord, lord, open the door for us!’

12 But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’

13 Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.*