What does the Bible say about parables?

Top passages, ranked by readers

Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

• Luke 15:11-32

  [11] He said, "A certain man had two sons. [12] The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of your property.' He divided his livelihood between them. [13] Not many days after, the younger son gathered all of this together and traveled into a far country. There he wasted his property with riotous living. [14] When he had spent all of it, there arose a severe famine in that country, and he began to be in need. [15] He went and joined himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs. [16] He wanted to fill his belly with the husks that the pigs ate, but no one gave him any. [17] But when he came to himself he said, 'How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough to spare, and I'm dying with hunger! [18] I will get up and go to my father, and will tell him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. [19] I am no more worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired servants."' [20] "He arose, and came to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. [21] The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' [22] "But the father said to his servants, 'Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. [23] Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat, and celebrate; [24] for this, my son, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.' They began to celebrate. [25] "Now his elder son was in the field. As he came near to the house, he heard music and dancing. [26] He called one of the servants to him, and asked what was going on. [27] He said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and healthy.' [28] But he was angry, and would not go in. Therefore his father came out, and begged him. [29] But he answered his father, 'Behold, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed a commandment of yours, but you never gave me a goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. [30] But when this, your son, came, who has devoured your living with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him.' [31] "He said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. [32] But it was appropriate to celebrate and be glad, for this, your brother, was dead, and is alive again. He was lost, and is found.'"

• Matthew 18:23-35

  [23] Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants. [24] When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. [25] But because he couldn't pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. [26] The servant therefore fell down and kneeled before him, saying, 'Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!' [27] The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. [28] "But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!' [29] "So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will repay you!' [30] He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due. [31] So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done. [32] Then his lord called him in, and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. [33] Shouldn't you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?' [34] His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him. [35] So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don't each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds."

• Matthew 22:1-14

  [1] Jesus answered and spoke again in parables to them, saying, [2] "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son, [3] and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast, but they would not come. [4] Again he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "Behold, I have made ready my dinner. My oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage feast!"' [5] But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise, [6] and the rest grabbed his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them. [7] When the king heard that, he was angry, and he sent his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. [8] "Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited weren't worthy. [9] Go therefore to the intersections of the highways, and as many as you may find, invite to the marriage feast.' [10] Those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together as many as they found, both bad and good. The wedding was filled with guests. [11] But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn't have on wedding clothing, [12] and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?' He was speechless. [13] Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness; there is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.' [14] For many are called, but few chosen."

• Luke 16:19-31

  [19] "Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. [20] A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was laid at his gate, full of sores, [21] and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. [22] It happened that the beggar died, and that he was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. [23] In Hades, he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. [24] He cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.' [25] "But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in like manner, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you are in anguish. [26] Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that none may cross over from there to us.' [27] "He said, 'I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house; [28] for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they won't also come into this place of torment.' [29] "But Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.' [30] "He said, 'No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' [31] "He said to him, 'If they don't listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.'"

• Matthew 13:3-8

  [3] He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, "Behold, a farmer went out to sow. [4] As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them. [5] Others fell on rocky ground, where they didn't have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth. [6] When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away. [7] Others fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them: [8] and others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.

• Luke 10:30-37

  [30] Jesus answered, "A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. [31] By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. [32] In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. [33] But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, [34] came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. [35] On the next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, and gave them to the host, and said to him, 'Take care of him. Whatever you spend beyond that, I will repay you when I return.' [36] Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?" [37] He said, "He who showed mercy on him." Then Jesus said to him, "Go and do likewise."

• Matthew 20:1-16

  [1] "For the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who was the master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. [2] When he had agreed with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. [3] He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace. [4] To them he said, 'You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will give you.' So they went their way. [5] Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. [6] About the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle. He said to them, 'Why do you stand here all day idle?' [7] "They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' "He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and you will receive whatever is right.' [8] When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his steward, 'Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.' [9] "When those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a denarius. [10] When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise each received a denarius. [11] When they received it, they murmured against the master of the household, [12] saying, 'These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat!' [13] "But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn't you agree with me for a denarius? [14] Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to this last just as much as to you. [15] Isn't it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil, because I am good?' [16] So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen."

• Matthew 13:24-33

  [24] He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, [25] but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel also among the wheat, and went away. [26] But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then the darnel appeared also. [27] The servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where did this darnel come from?' [28] "He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and gather them up?' [29] "But he said, 'No, lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel, you root up the wheat with them. [30] Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, "First, gather up the darnel, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn."'" [31] He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field; [32] which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches." [33] He spoke another parable to them. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, until it was all leavened."

• Matthew 13:44-50

  [44] "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field. [45] "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls, [46] who having 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 dragnet, that was cast into the sea, and gathered some fish of every kind, [48] which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach. They sat down, and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away. [49] So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come forth, and separate the wicked from among the righteous, [50] and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth."

• Matthew 25:1-13

  [1] "Then 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] Those who were foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them, [4] but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. [5] Now while the bridegroom delayed, they all slumbered and slept. [6] But at midnight there was a cry, 'Behold! The bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet him!' [7] Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. [8] The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' [9] But the wise answered, saying, 'What if there isn't enough for us and you? You go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' [10] While they went away to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. [11] Afterward the other virgins also came, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us.' [12] But he answered, 'Most assuredly I tell you, I don't know you.' [13] Watch therefore, for you don't know the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

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