As 10 parábolas mais importantes de Jesus

3 He explained many things to them, using stories as illustrations.*

"The sower went out to sow," he began. 4 "As he was sowing, some of the seeds fell on the path. The birds came and ate them up. 5 Other seeds fell on stony ground where there wasn’t much earth where they sprouted quickly. 6 The sun rose and scorched them and they withered because they had no roots. 7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked them. 8 Still other seeds fell on good soil. They produced a harvest—some one hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what had been planted. 9 Anybody who has ears should be listening!"

25 Once an expert in religious law stood up and tried to trap Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "What do I have to do to gain eternal life?"

26 "What is written in the law? How do you read it?" asked Jesus.

27 "You shall love the Lord your God with your whole heart, and your whole spirit, and your whole strength, and your whole mind; and love your neighbor as yourself,"* the man replied.

28 "You’re right," Jesus told him. "Do this, and you will live."

29 But the man wanted to vindicate himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"

30 Jesus replied, saying, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He was attacked by robbers who stripped him and beat him, and left him for dead. 31 It so happened that a priest was going the same way. He saw the man, but he passed by on the other side of the road. 32 Then a Levite came along. But when he got to the place and saw the man, he also passed by on the other side.

33 Finally a Samaritan man came along. As he passed by, he saw the man and felt sorry for him. 34 He went over and treated the man’s wounds with oil and wine, and bandaged them. Then he placed the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn where he took care of him. 35 The next day he gave two denarii to the innkeeper and told him, ‘Take care of him, and if you spend more than this, I’ll pay you back when I return.’ 36 Which one of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by robbers?"

37 "The one who showed him kindness," the man replied.

"You go and do the same," Jesus told him.

4 "Imagine a man who had a hundred sheep lost one of them. Wouldn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture, and search for the one that’s lost until he finds it? 5 When he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders. 6 Once he gets home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Come and celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ 7 I tell you that there’s more joy in heaven over a sinner that repents than over ninety-nine good people who don’t need to repent.

11 Once there was a man who had two sons," Jesus explained. 12 "The younger one told his father, ‘Father, give me my inheritance now.’ So the man divided his property between them. 13 A few days later the younger son packed up what he had and left for a distant country. Here he wasted all his money living a reckless life.

14 After he’d spent everything, the country was hit by a severe famine and he was starving. 15 So he went and took a job with one of the farmers there who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He was so hungry that he would have eaten even the pig food,* but no one gave him anything. 17 When he came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘All of my father’s workers have more than enough to eat—why am I dying from hunger here? 18 I’m going home to my father! I’ll tell him: Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I’m no longer worthy to be called your son. Please treat me as one of your hired workers.’ 20 So he left and went home to his father.

Even though he was still far away in the distance, his father saw him coming, and his heart went out to his son. The father ran to his son, hugging and kissing him. 21 The son said to him, ‘Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and against you. I’m no longer worthy to be called your son.’

22 But the father told 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 calf we’ve been fattening and kill it. Let’s have a feast to celebrate 24 because this is my son who was dead, but who has returned alive; he was lost but now he’s found.’ So they started celebrating.

25 Now the older son was working out in the fields. As he walked towards the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked what was going on.

27 ‘Your brother is back,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he’s come home safe and sound.’

28 The brother became angry. He refused to go in. So his father came out to plead with him.

29 He told his father, ‘Look, all these years I’ve served you, and never disobeyed you, but you never once gave me even a young goat so I could have a party with my friends. 30 Now this son of yours comes back, having spent your money on prostitutes, and you kill the fattened calf for him!’

31 ‘Son,’ the father replied, ‘you are always here with me. Everything I have is yours. 32 But we should be happy and celebrate! This is your brother who was dead, but who has returned alive; he was lost but now he’s found!’"

45 The kingdom of heaven is also like a trader looking for good pearls. 46 When he found the most expensive pearl ever he went and sold all he had and bought it.

9 He also told this story about those who are so sure that they are living right, and who put everybody else down.

10 "Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed to himself, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—cheats, criminals,* adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week, and I pay tithe on my income.’

13 But the tax collector stood at a distance. He wouldn’t even look up to heaven. Instead he beat his chest and prayed, ‘God, please be merciful to me. I am a sinner.’

14 I tell you, it was this man who went home right in God’s sight and not the other. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, while those who humble themselves will be exalted."

14 It’s like a man who went away on a trip. He called in his servants and entrusted them with what he owned. 15 To one of them he gave five talents,* to another he gave two, and to another one, according to their different abilities. Then he left. 16 Immediately the one with five talents went and invested them in a business, and made another five talents. 17 In the same way the one with two talents made another two. 18 But the man who’d received the one talent went off and dug a hole and hid his master’s money. 19 A long time later the master of those servants returned, and settled accounts with them. 20 The one with five talents came and presented the other five talents. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘You gave me five talents. Look, I’ve made a profit of five talents.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘You’ve done well—you are a good, faithful servant. You have proved yourself trustworthy over small things, so now I’m placing you in charge over many things. Be happy because I’m really pleased with you!’ 22 The one with two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘You gave me two talents. Look, I’ve made a profit of two talents.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘You’ve done well—you are a good, faithful servant. You have proved trustworthy over small things, so now I’m placing you in charge over many things. Be happy because I’m really pleased with you!’

24 Then the man with one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I know that you’re a hard man. You reap where you didn’t sow, and you harvest crops that you didn’t plant. 25 So since I was afraid of you I went and buried your talent in the ground. Look, you can have back what belongs to you.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you think I reap where I don’t sow, and harvest crops I didn’t plant, 27 then you should have deposited my silver in the bank so that when I returned I could have had my money with interest. 28 Take the talent away from him, and give it to the one with ten talents. 29 For everyone who has will be given even more; and everyone who doesn’t have anything, even what they have will be taken away from them. 30 Now throw this useless servant out into the darkness where there’ll be crying and gnashing of teeth.’

19 Once there was a man who was rich. He wore purple clothes* and fine linen, and enjoyed a luxurious life. 20 A beggar named Lazarus used to sit at his gate, covered in sores, 21 longing to eat the leftovers from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 Then the beggar died, and angels carried him away to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham in the far distance, with Lazarus beside him.

24 ‘Father Abraham,’ he called out, ‘Have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I’m burning in agony.’

25 But Abraham replied, ‘My son, remember that you enjoyed the good things of life, while Lazarus had a very poor life. Now he is here being comforted, while you suffer in torment. 26 Apart from that, there’s a great gulf that stretches between us and you. Nobody who wants to cross from here to you can do so, and nobody can cross from there over to us.’

27 The rich man said, ‘Then Father, I beg you, please send him to my father’s house. 28 For I have five brothers and he can warn them so that they don’t end up here in this place of torment.’

29 But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. They should listen to them.’

30 ‘No, Father Abraham,’ said the man. ‘But they would repent if someone went to them from the dead!’

31 Abraham said to him, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be convinced even if someone returns from the dead.’"

24 Then he told them another illustrated story: "The kingdom of heaven is like a farmer who sowed good seeds in his field. 25 But while his workers were sleeping, an enemy came and sowed weed seeds* on top of the wheat. Then they left. 26 So when the wheat grew and produced ears of grain, the weeds also grew up. 27 The farmer’s workers came and asked him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seeds in your field? Where did the weeds come from?’

28 ‘Some enemy has done this,’ he replied. ‘Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?’ they asked him. 29 ‘No,’ he answered, ‘as you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat too. 30 Let them both grow until harvest, and then at harvest-time I’ll tell the reapers to first gather the weeds, tie them up into bundles and burn them, and then gather the wheat and store it in my barn.’"

1 "The kingdom of heaven is like ten girls, who took their lamps with them to go and meet the bridegroom. 2 Five were foolish, and five were wise. 3 The foolish girls took their lamps but didn’t take any oil with them, 4 while the wise took jars of oil with them as well as their lamps. 5 The bridegroom took a long time and all the girls became drowsy and fell asleep. 6 At midnight the shout came, ‘Look, the bridegroom’s here! Come out and meet him!’ 7 All the girls got up and trimmed the wicks of their lamps. The foolish girls said to the wise ones, 8 ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ But the wise girls replied, 9 ‘No, because otherwise there won’t be enough for both you and for us. Go to the shopkeepers and buy some oil for yourselves.’ 10 While they went to buy oil, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding, and the door was locked shut. 11 The other girls came later. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they called, ‘Open the door for us!’ 12 But he answered, ‘I tell you the truth: I don’t know you.’ 13 So stay alert, for you don’t know the day, or the hour.