Jesus teaches in parables, explains to the disciples why he teaches in parables and explains to them the meaning of the parable. This chapter has several parables including the parable of the sower, weeds among wheat, treasure in a field and the pearl of great price.

Matthew 13

The same day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea.

2 Great crowds gathered together so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole crowd stood on the shore.

3 He spoke many things to them in parables, saying “A sower went out to sow;

4 And when he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and ate them up.

5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much soil: and they sprung up quickly because they had no depth of soil:

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

7 Some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprung up and choked them:

8 But others fell on good ground, and brought forth fruit, some a hundred times, some sixty times and some thirty times what was sown. 

9 The one who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

10 And the disciples came and said to him “Why do you speak to them in parables?”

11 He answered and said “Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12 For whoever has, more will be given, and he shall have abundance: but whoever has not, even what he has will be taken away.

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

14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled which says ‘By hearing you shall hear, and not understand; and seeing you shall see, and not perceive.

15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are dull of hearing, and they have closed their eyes; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.’

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

17 For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things that you see, and have not seen them; and to hear the things that you hear, and have not heard them.

18 So hear the parable of the sower:

19 When any one hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and catches away what was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed along the path.

20 The one who received the seed into stony places, the same is he that hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy;

21 he has no root in himself, but endures for a while: for when worries or persecution arises because of the word, he stumbles and falls away.

22 The one who received seed among the thorns is he that hears the word; and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word and he becomes unfruitful.

23 But the one who received seed into the good ground is he that hears the word and understands it; who also beareth fruit some a hundred times, some sixty times and some thirty times.”

24 He presented another parable to them, saying “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.

25 But while his men slept, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went his way.

26 When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds appeared also.

27 So the servants of the landowner came and said to him “Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where did the weeds come from?”

28 He said “An enemy has done this.” The servants said to him “Will you have us go and gather them up?”

29 But he said “No, or else while you gather up the weeds you root up the wheat with them also. 

30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers ‘Gather first the weeds, and bind them together in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.”

31 Another parable put before them them, saying “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field.

32 It is indeed the smallest of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and build in its branches.”

33 Another parable he spoke to them; “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of flour, until all of it was leavened.”

34 All these things Jesus spoke to the crowd in parables; he said nothing to them without a parable; 

35 That 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.”

36 Then Jesus sent the crowds away, and went into the house: and his disciples came to him, saying “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”

37 He answered and said “He that sows the good seed is the Son of man;

38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the weeds are the children of the evil one;

39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

40 So as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of this world.

41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all lawbreakers;

42 And cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who has ears to hear, let him hear.

44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field that a man found and buried again. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.

45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls:

46 When he had found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind fish:

48 And when it was full, they drew it to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into containers but threw the bad away.

49 So it will be at the end of the world: the angels shall come and the evil from the just;

50 And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”

51 Jesus said to them “Have you understood all these things?” They say to him “Yes, Lord”

52 Then he said to them “Every scribe who is trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a house, who brings out of his treasure things that are new and things that are old.”

53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there.

54 When he came into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said “Where did this man get this wisdom, and these abilities?

55 Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brothers James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? How then does this man have all these things?”

57 And they were offended by him. But Jesus said to them “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, and in his own house.”

58 He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

See also: Matthew 13 in ESV, HCSB, NASB, NIV via Bible Gateway.