The Words of Jesus Christ Page 32 Jesus Christ (cont'd) 11 Parables about Himself (cont'd)
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PAGE 32
11 Parables about Himself (cont'd)
The Tares
The kingdom of heaven is
likened unto a man that sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept,
his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away. But when
the blade sprang up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
And the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou
not sow good seed in thy field? whence then hath it tares? And he said unto
them, An enemy hath done this. And the servants say unto him, Wilt thou then
that we go and gather them up? But he saith, Nay; lest haply while ye gather
up the tares, ye root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until
the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers,
Gather up first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather
the wheat into my barn.
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The Interpretation of The Tares
[The disciples: Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field.]
He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; and the field is the world;
and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the
sons of the evil one, and the enemy that sowed them is the devil: and the
harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are angels. As therefore
the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of
the world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather
out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do
iniquity, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the
weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the
sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear.
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The Shepherd
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the
fold of the sheep, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a
robber. But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To
him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own
sheep by name, and leadeth them out. When he hath put forth all his own, he
goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. And a
stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the
voice of strangers.
[This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things
they were which he spake unto them.]
Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that came
before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the
door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and go
out, and shall find pasture. The thief cometh not, but that he may steal,
and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have it
abundandly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down his life
for the sheep. He that is a hireling, and not a shepherd, whose own the
sheep are not, beholdeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth,
and the wolf snatcheth them, and scattereth them: he fleeth because he is a
hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; and I know
mine own, and mine own know me, even as the Father knoweth me, and I know
the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have,
which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my
voice; and they shall become one flock, one shepherd. Therefore doth the
Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No one
taketh it away from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it
down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment received I from my
Father.
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