A Story about a Farmer
(Mark 4.1-9Luke 8.4-8)1 That same day Jesus left the house and went out beside Lake Galilee, where he sat down to teach. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he had to sit in a boat, while the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he taught them many things by using stories. He said:
A farmer went out to scatter seed in a field. 4 While the farmer was scattering the seed, some of it fell along the road and was eaten by birds. 5 Other seeds fell on thin, rocky ground and quickly started growing because the soil wasn't very deep. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched and dried up, because they did not have deep roots. 7 Some other seeds fell where thornbushes grew up and choked the plants. 8 But a few seeds did fall on good ground where the plants produced 100 or 60 or 30 times as much as was scattered. 9 If you have ears, pay attention!
Why Jesus Used Stories
(Mark 4.10-12Luke 8.9Luke 10)10 Jesus' disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you use stories to speak to the people?”
11 Jesus answered:
I have explained the secrets about the kingdom of heaven to you, but not to others. 12 Everyone who has something will be given more. But people who don't have anything will lose even what little they have. 13 I use stories when I speak to them because when they look, they cannot see, and when they listen, they cannot hear or understand. 14 So God's promise came true, just as the prophet Isaiah had said,
“These people will listen
and listen,
but never understand.
They will look and look,
but never see.
15 All of them have
stubborn minds!
They refuse to listen;
they cover their eyes.
They cannot see or hear
or understand.
If they could,
they would turn to me,
and I would heal them.”
16 But God has blessed you, because your eyes can see and your ears can hear! 17 Many prophets and good people were eager to see what you see and to hear what you hear. But I tell you they did not see or hear.
Jesus Explains the Story about the Farmer
(Mark 4.13-20Luke 8.11-15)18 Now listen to the meaning of the story about the farmer:
19 The seeds that fell along the road are the people who hear the message about the kingdom, but don't understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches the message from their hearts. 20 The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it at once. 21 But they don't have deep roots, and they don't last very long. As soon as life gets hard or the message gets them in trouble, they give up.
22 The seeds that fell among the thornbushes are also people who hear the message. But they start worrying about the needs of this life and are fooled by the desire to get rich. So the message gets choked out, and they never produce anything. 23 The seeds that fell on good ground are the people who hear and understand the message. They produce as much as 100 or 60 or 30 times what was planted.
Weeds among the Wheat
24 Jesus then told them this story:
The kingdom of heaven is like what happened when a farmer scattered good seed in a field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and scattered weed seeds in the field and then left.
26 When the plants came up and began to mature, the farmer's servants could see the weeds. 27 The servants came and asked, “Sir, didn't you scatter good seed in your field? Where did these weeds come from?”
28 “An enemy did this,” he replied.
His servants then asked, “Do you want us to go out and pull up the weeds?”
29 “No!” he answered. “You might also pull up the wheat. 30 Leave the weeds alone until harvest time. Then I'll tell my workers to gather the weeds and tie them up and burn them. But I'll order them to store the wheat in my barn.”
Stories about a Mustard Seed and Yeast
(Mark 4.30-32Luke 13.18-21)31 Jesus told them another story:
The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when a farmer plants a mustard seed in a field. 32 Although it is the smallest of all seeds, it grows larger than any garden plant and becomes a tree. Birds even come and nest on its branches.
33 Jesus also said:
The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when a woman mixes a little yeast into three big batches of flour. Finally, all the dough rises.
The Reason for Teaching with Stories
(Mark 4.33Mark 34)34 Jesus used stories when he spoke to the people. In fact, he did not tell them anything without using stories. 35 So God's promise came true, just as the prophet had said,
“I will use stories
to speak my message
and to explain things hidden
since the creation
of the world.”
Jesus Explains the Story about the Weeds
36 After Jesus left the crowd and went inside, his disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the story about the weeds in the wheat field.”
37 Jesus answered:
The one who scattered the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seeds are the people who belong to the kingdom. The weeds are those who belong to the evil one, 39 and the one who scattered them is the devil. The harvest is the end of time, and angels are the ones who bring in the harvest.
40 Weeds are gathered and burned. That's how it will be at the end of time. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom everyone who does wrong or causes others to sin. 42 Then he will throw them into a flaming furnace, where people will cry and grit their teeth in pain. 43 But everyone who has done right will shine like the sun in their Father's kingdom. If you have ears, pay attention!
A Hidden Treasure
44 The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when someone finds a treasure hidden in a field and buries it again. Such a person is happy and goes and sells everything in order to buy that field.
A Valuable Pearl
45 The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when a shop owner is looking for fine pearls. 46 After finding a very valuable one, the owner goes and sells everything in order to buy that pearl.
A Fish Net
47 The kingdom of heaven is like what happens when a net is thrown into a lake and catches all kinds of fish. 48 When the net is full, it is dragged to the shore, and the fishermen sit down to separate the fish. They keep the good ones, but throw the bad ones away. 49 That's how it will be at the end of time. Angels will come and separate the evil people from the ones who have done right. 50 Then those evil people will be thrown into a flaming furnace, where they will cry and grit their teeth in pain.
New and Old Treasures
51 Jesus asked his disciples if they understood all these things. They said, “Yes, we do.”
52 So he told them, “Every student of the Scriptures who becomes a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like someone who brings out new and old treasures from the storeroom.”
The People of Nazareth Turn against Jesus
(Mark 6.1-6Luke 4.16-30)53 When Jesus had finished telling these stories, he left 54 and went to his hometown. He taught in their synagogue, and the people were so amazed that they asked, “Where does he get all this wisdom and the power to work these miracles? 55 Isn't he the son of the carpenter? Isn't Mary his mother, and aren't James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas his brothers? 56 Don't his sisters still live here in our town? How can he do all this?” 57 So the people were upset because of what he was doing.
But Jesus said, “Prophets are honored by everyone, except the people of their hometown and their own family.” 58 And because the people did not have any faith, Jesus did not work many miracles there.
Omasanekero womukune
(Mk 4:1-9Lk 8:4-8)1 Meyuva tjingero ndo Jesus wa zire po pondjuwo ndjo, a i komukuro womuronga na kakara pehi okuhonga. 2 Otjimbumba tjovandu tji tja woronganene pu ye tja ri otjingi tjinene nai nga eye tja karonda mokayaha na kakara pehi mu tjo, ihi otjimbumba tjovandu ngunda atja kurama pomukuro womuronga. 3 Eye we ve honga oviṋa ovingi momasanekero na tja:
“Eyuva rimwe omukune wa ire okukakuna ovikokotwa. 4 Neye ngunda ama kunu ozondwi motjikunino, tjiva za wira meṋe yondjira, nozonḓera aze ya naze ze ri. 5 Tjiva za wira mehi romawe pu pe ha ri nehi enyingi; nozo za pita tjimanga, ehi tjinga ari ha hitire oukoto. 6 Nungwari eyuva tji ra pita ra nyosa ozondwi nḓa nḓa pita, nozo tjinga aze ha nangananisire nawa omize vyazo mehi, za hakahana okukukuta. 7 Ozongwao za wira mokati kozohongwe; nozohongwe za hapa naze ṋee inḓa ozondwi. 8 Nungwari ozondwi tjiva za wira mehi ewa, nozo za hapa aze twako ovikokotwa; tjiva za twako esere, tjiva aze twako omirongo hamboumwe, nozongwao aze twako omirongo vitatu.”
9 Nu Jesus wa hungirire komurungu a tja: “Ngu nomatwi okuzuva nga zuve!”
Omaheero womasanekero
(Mk 4:10-12Lk 8:9-10)10 Ovahongewa ve ere ku Jesus nave mu pura ave tja: “Okutjavi tji mo hungire novandu tji u hungira momasanekero?”
11 Jesus wa zirire a tja: “Eṋe mwa pewa okutjiwa oviundikwa vyouhona womayuru, nungwari imba ovandu varwe kave perwe ko. 12 Orondu auhe ngu notjiṋa ma wezirwako komeho na kara novingi okukapita pupaenene, nungwari ingwi ngu hi notjiṋa ma yekwa nangarire ihi otjiṱiṱi tje na tjo. 13 Pu mbi zokuhungira momasanekero tji me hungire ku novandu okongwi okutja owo ve tara, nungwari kave munu, ve puratena, nungwari kave zuu. 14 Omaprofetero wa Jesaja opu maye zu okuyenenisirwa wo ngu maye tja:
‘Otjiwaṋa hi matji puratene atji puratene,
nungwari atji ha zuu;
nu matji tara atji tara,
nungwari atji ha munu.
15 Otjo tja kukutisa omutima watjo;
nu tja woroparisa omatwi watjo,
na tji pata omeho watjo.
Tjarwe ma tji munu nomeho watjo,
na tji zuu nomatwi
nomutima watjo,
nu Ndjambi ma tja otjo nga tji ritanaurire ku ami,
nami me tji verukisa.’
16 “Nungwari omeho weṋu omaṋingandu tjinga amamu munu, nomatwi weṋu tjinga amamu zuu. 17 Tjiri, memu raere kutja ovaprofete ovengi novengi votjiwaṋa tja Ndjambi wina va vangere tjinene okumuna imbi mbi mamu munu, nungwari kave vi mwine ko, nokuzuva imbi mbi mamu zuu, nungwari kave vi zuvire ko.
Jesus ma handjaura omasanekero womukune
(Mk 4:13-20Lk 8:11-15)18 “Purateneye nu mu rihonge omaheero womasanekero womukune. 19 Imba mbe zuva embo rouhona nu ave ha ṱakamisa ro nawa momitima vyawo ve ri otja ozondwi nḓa nḓa wira meṋe yondjira. Ingwi Omunauvi meya na hakana imbi mbya kunwa momitima vyawo. 20 Ozondwi nḓa nḓa wira mehi romawe ozo ovandu mba mbe yakura indi embo nenyando tjimanga tji ve ri zuu. 21 Nungwari embo ndi ka ri hara omize mu wo, notji ve hi nomaramangero mu ro. Nombamisiro nomatatumisiro tji vye ya mena raindi embo, owo ve poka ku ro tjimanga. 22 Ozondwi nḓa nḓa wira mokati kozohongwe ozo ovandu mba mbe zuva indi embo, nungwari omerikendero wouye mbwi notjiwova tjoutumbe vi ṋeya indi embo, noro ari ha twamo ovihape mu wo. 23 Nozondwi nḓa nḓa kunwa mehi ewa ozo ovandu mba mbe zuva indi embo nave zuu nawa, owo ve kara novihape, tjiva a rire esere, tjiva avi rire omirongo hamboumwe, nu tjiva a rire omirongo vitatu.”
Omasanekero wozondombora
24 Jesus we ve serekarerera omasanekero omakwao a tja: “Ouhona womayuru u ri nai. Omundu worive wa kunine ozondwi ozombwa mehi re romakunino. 25 Nouṱuku umwe, avehe ngunda ava rara, kwe ya omunavita na kunu ozondombora mokati kovikokotwa nu a i. 26 Ozondwi tji za hapa novikokotwa tji vya uta okutwa ko, ozondombora wina arire tji za piti mehi. 27 Ovakarere vomundu ngwi ve ya ku ye ave tja: ‘Muhona, ove wa kuna ozondwi ozombwa mehi roye romakunino, nu inḓa ozondombora maze zu pi?’ 28 Eye wa zirire a tja: ‘Ozo za kunwa i omunavita worive.’ Ovakarere ave ziri ave tja: ‘Mo vanga kutja tu kahomone ozondombora nḓo?’ 29 Eye a ziri a tja: ‘Amu kezezukura mehi, orondu tji mamu kawonga inḓa ozondombora rumwe mamu kahomonena imbi ovikokotwa wina. 30 Ovikokotwa nozondombora ngavi isiwe vi hape mumwe nga oruveze rwomakondero tji rwa yenene. Nu ami me raere ovakonde kutja ve zukure inḓa ozondombora rutenga, ve ze kute momikuta nu ve ze nyosa momuriro, tjazumba ve wonge imbi ovikokotwa nu ve kevipwike motjipwikiro tjandje.’ ”
Omasanekero wondwi yomuti omumosteri
(Mk 5:30-32Lk 13:18-19)31 Jesus we ve serekarerera omasanekero omakwao a tja: “Ouhona womayuru u ri nai. Omundu worive ma toora ondwi yomuti omumosteri ne keikuna mehi re romakunino. 32 Oyo ondji ri onḓiṱinḓiṱi pozondwi azehe, nungwari oyo tji ya hapa ondji ri onenenene povihape avihe. Oyo i rira omuti omunene, nozonḓera zeyuru maze ya aze tungu oviruwo mozondavi zawo.”
Omasanekero wosurise
(Lk 13:20-21)33 Jesus we ve serekarera omasanekero omakwao rukwao a tja: “Ouhona womayuru wa sana nai. Owo u ri otja osurise omukazendu ndja hoveke mumwe noruhere orunguvize rwozorita omirongo vine nga oruhere aruhe tji rwa suru.”
Jesus u hungira momasanekero
(Mk 4:33-34)34 Jesus aa hongo ovandu oviṋa avihe mbi momasanekero; eye kaa hungire ku wo nokuhinomasanekero, 35 kokutja imbi omuprofete mbya hungirire vi yenenisiwe, indu tja tjere:
“Ami me hungire ku wo momasanekero;
meve raere oviṋa, mbi ve hi na ve vi tjivirwe okuza kombutiro youye.”
Jesus ma handjaura omasanekero wominanyiva
36 Jesus tja zire nokuisa ovandu wa ka hitire mondjuwo, novahongewa ve ve ere ku ye nave tja: “Tu raera kutja omasanekero wozondombora mehi romakunino maye hee tjike?”
37 Jesus wa zira a tja: “Omundu ngwi ngwa kuna ozondwi ozombwa eye Omuna wOmundu. 38 Ehi romakunino oro ouye; ozondwi ozombwa ovandu mba vouhona; ozondombora ozo ovandu mba vOmunauvi. 39 Nomunavita ngwa kuna ozondombora eye oSatan. Omakondero owo omaandero wouye, nu imba ovakonde owo ovaengeri. 40 Otja ozondombora punga aze wongwa naze nyosiwa momuriro, otjinga amape tjitwa tjingetjo komaandero wouye, 41 okutja Omuna wOmundu ma hindi ovaengeri ve okukawonga mouhona we imba avehe mba tjitisa kutja ovandu ve ture ondjo, na imba avehe ovatjite wouvi, 42 nowo mave ve yumbu mezuko romuriro mu mave karirira nokukakweya omayo. 43 Oruveze ndo otjiwaṋa tja Ndjambi matji yere otja eyuva mouhona wa Ihe yawo. Ngu nomatwi okuzuva nga zuve!
Omasanekero wotjihuze tji tja horekwa
44 “Ouhona womayuru u ri nai. Owo wa sana notjihuze tji tja horekwa mehi romakunino. Nomundu tje tji munu me tji horeke rukwao; nu tjinga e nenyando tjinene, a karandisa avihe mbye na vyo, okuzambo a kotoka e yokuranda ehi romakunino ndi.
Omasanekero womawe omahuze
45 “Norukwao ouhona womayuru wa sana nomundu ngu ma paha omawe omawa omahuze. 46 Nu tja munu rimwe ewa emanisa, eye ma karandisa avihe mbye na vyo nu e yokuranda ewe ewa emanisa ndi.
Omasanekero wombate
47 “Ouhona womayuru wina wa sana nombate yozohi. Novapate wozohi mave yumbu ombate yawo momuronga nave kambura ozohi omihoko pekepeke. 48 Ombate tji ye ura, owo mave i nanene komukuro nave kara pehi okutuka ozohi, nu inḓa ozombwa maze tuwa movitjuma, nu inḓa ozombi aze imbirahiwa. 49 Komaandero wouye mape kara nai: Ovaengeri mave haṋa ovanauvi movasemba, 50 nave ve yumbu mezuko romuriro mu mave karirira nokukakweya omayo.”
Ovihuze ovipe novikuru
51 Jesus we ve purire a tja: “Eṋe oviṋa avihe mbi mwe vi zuu nawa?”
Owo ave ziri ave tja: “Ii, twe vi zuu nawa.”
52 Jesus opa zirira a tja: “Ihi matji hee kutja onongo yomambo aihe ndji ma i rire omuhongewa mouhona womayuru wa sana nomuini wondjuwo ngu ma isa mo oviṋa ovipe novikuru mondjuwo ye yomapwikiro.”
Jesus ma nyengewa mOnasaret
(Mk 6:1-16Lk 4:16-30)53 Jesus tja manene okuserekarera omasanekero nga, arire tja zu po poṋa mbo 54 na yaruka kotjirongo ke kurira. Eye wa hongere mosinagoge, nu imba mbe mu zuva va himwa nave pura ave tja: “Ounongo mbwi nomasa wokutjita ovihimise wa isa pi? 55 Eye kamuna womuhonge womiti are? Nu Maria kangu ri ina are? Nu Jakobus na Josef na Simon na Juda kambe ri ovangu ve are? 56 Nu imba mba tura mokati ketu kavaṱena kwe are? Noviṋa mbi avihe eye wa isa pi?” 57 Nowo kave mu yakurire ko.
Nu Jesus wa tjere ku wo: “Omuprofete u yozikwa poṋa apehe posi yo moyawo na mokati kovazamumwe ve.” 58 Owo tjinga ave ha ri nongamburiro, Jesus otjinga e ha tjitire ovihimise ovingi mo.
