MAT 13:23 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

13:23 See http://scrollandscreen.com/biblestudyresources/Matthew%2013.1-23%20mgvh%20notes.pdf

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT Now the one having been sown on the good soil, this is the one hearing the word and understanding it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, some 100, and some 60, and some 30.”

UST Other people are like the seeds that fell on fertile soil. When they hear the message about God’s kingdom, they learn from it. They are like the plants that produced a crop. Some plants produced 100 grains of wheat each, others produced 60 grains each, and others produced 30 grains each.”

BSB But the [seed] sown on good soil is the [one who] hears the word [and] understands [it]. [He] indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”

MSB But the [seed] sown on good soil is the [one who] hears the word [and] understands [it]. [He] indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”

BLB But the one having been sown on the good soil, this is the one hearing the word and understanding, who indeed brings forth fruit and produces--indeed, some a hundredfold, and some sixty, and some thirty."

AICNT But the one sown on the good ground, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”

OEB But by the seed which was sown on the good ground is meant the person who hears the message and understands it, and really yields a return, sometimes one hundred, sometimes sixty, sometimes thirty fold.’

WEBBE What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit and produces, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.”

WMBB (Same as above)

NET But as for the seed sown on good soil, this is the person who hears the word and understands. He bears fruit, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.”

LSV And that sown on the good ground: this is he who is hearing the word, and is understanding, who indeed bears fruit, and makes, some indeed a hundredfold, and some sixty, and some thirty.”

FBV The seeds sown on good soil are people who hear the message, and understand it, and who produce a good harvest—some one hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown.”

TCNT But the seed sown on the good soil is he who hears the word and understands it, who bears fruit and produces a hundred, sixty, or thirty times more than what was sown.”

T4T But some people are like the good soil where some of the seeds fell. Just like the plants that grew in this soil produced a lot of grain, these people hear my message and understand it. Some of them do many things [IDM] that please God, some do even more things that please God, and some do very many things that please God.”

LEB But what was sown on the good soil—this is the one who hears the word and understands it,[fn] who indeed bears fruit and produces, this one a hundred times as much, and this one sixty, and this one thirty.”

13:23 *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation

BBE And the seed which was put in good earth, this is he who gives ear to the word, and gets the sense of it; who gives fruit, some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty times as much.

Moff As for him who is sown 'on good soil,' that is the man who hears the word and understands it; he bears fruit, producing now a hundredfold, now sixty, and now thirtyfold."

Wymth But he who has received the seed on good ground is he who hears and understands. Such hearers give a return, and yield one a hundred for one, another sixty, another thirty.")

ASV And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

DRA But he that received the seed upon good ground, is he that heareth the word, and understandeth, and beareth fruit, and yieldeth the one an hundredfold, and another sixty, and another thirty.

YLT 'And that sown on the good ground: this is he who is hearing the word, and is understanding, who indeed doth bear fruit, and doth make, some indeed a hundredfold, and some sixty, and some thirty.'

Drby But he that is sown upon the good ground — this is he who hears and understands the word, who bears fruit also, and produces, one a hundred, one sixty, and one thirty.

RV And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
(And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth/hears the word, and understandeth/understands it; who verily/truly beareth/bears fruit, and bringeth/brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. )

SLT But he having sown upon good earth is he hearing the word, and understanding; who indeed bears fruit, and who makes truly a hundred, and who sixty, and who thirty.

Wbstr But he that receiveth seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it ; who also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty.

KJB-1769 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
( But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth/hears the word, and understandeth/understands it; which also beareth/bears fruit, and bringeth/brings forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. )

KJB-1611 But he that receiued seed into the good ground, is hee that heareth the word, and vnderstandeth it, which also beareth fruit, and bringeth foorth, some an hundred fold, some sixtie, some thirty.
(But he that received seed into the good ground, is he that heareth/hears the word, and understandeth/understands it, which also beareth/bears fruit, and bringeth/brings forth, some an hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty.)

Bshps But he that receaued seede into the good grounde, is he that heareth the worde, and vnderstandeth it, which also beareth fruite: and bryngeth foorth, some an hundred folde, some sixtie folde, some thirtie folde.
(But he that received seed into the good ground, is he that heareth/hears the word, and understandeth/understands it, which also beareth/bears fruit: and bringeth/brings forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty-fold, some thirty-fold.)

Gnva But he that receiued the seede in the good ground, is he that heareth the worde, and vnderstandeth it, which also beareth fruite, and bringeth foorth, some an hundreth folde, some sixtie folde, and some thirtie folde.
(But he that received the seed in the good ground, is he that heareth/hears the word, and understandeth/understands it, which also beareth/bears fruit, and bringeth/brings forth, some a hundred-fold, some sixty-fold, and some thirty-fold. )

Cvdl But he yt is sowne in the good grounde, is this: whan one heareth the worde, and vnderstondeth it, and bringeth forth frute: and some geueth an hudreth folde, some sixtie folde, and some thirtie folde.
(But he it is sown in the good ground, is this: when one heareth/hears the word, and understandeth/understands it, and bringeth/brings forth fruit: and some giveth/gives an hundredth fold, some sixty-fold, and some thirty-fold.)

TNT He which is sowne in the good grounde is he that heareth the worde and vnderstodeth it which also bereth frute and bringeth forth some an hundred folde some sixtie folde and some thirty folde.
(He which is sown in the good ground is he that heareth/hears the word and understoodth it which also beareth/bears fruit and bringeth/brings forth some an hundredfold some sixty-fold and some thirty-fold. )

Wycl But he that is sowun in to good loond, is this that herith the word, and vnderstondeth, and bryngith forth fruyt. And summe makith an hundrid fold, treuli anothir sixti fold, and another thritti fold.
(But he that is sown in to good land, is this that heareth/hears the word, and understandeth/understands, and bringeth/brings forth fruit. And some maketh/makes an hundred fold, truly another sixty-fold, and another thirty-fold.)

Luth Der aber in das gute Land gesäet ist, der ist‘s, wenn jemand das Wort höret und verstehet es und dann auch Frucht bringet; und etlichen trägt hundertfältig, etlicher aber sechzigfältig, etlicher dreißigfältig.
(The but in the good country sown is, the/of_the it_is, when someone the word hear and understands it and then also fruit brings/gets; and several carries a_hundred-fold, several but sixty-fold, several thirty-fold.)

ClVg Qui vero in terram bonam seminatus est, hic est qui audit verbum, et intelligit, et fructum affert, et facit aliud quidem centesimum, aliud autem sexagesimum, aliud vero trigesimum.[fn]
(Who indeed/however in/into/on the_earth/land good sowsus it_is, this/here it_is who/which listens the_word/saying, and understands, and fruit brings, and he_does something_else indeed centesimum, something_else however sexagesimum, something_else indeed/however trigesimum. )

13.23 Aliud quidem centesimum. RAB. Tres differentiæ sunt in bona terra, sicut fuere in mala. Triginta enim refertur ad nuptias. Sexaginta ad, etc., usque ad tricesimum conjugatorum, quia hæc est ætas præliantium, et his est major conflictus ne libidine superentur.

13.23 Another indeed centesimum. RAB. Tres differentiæ are in/into/on good(s) earth/land, like were in/into/on evil. Triginta because it_is_reported to wedding. Sixty to, etc., until to tricesimum conyugatorum, because these_things it_is ætas battlesntium, and his it_is major/greater conflictus not lust overcome.

UGNT ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν καλὴν γῆν σπαρείς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων καὶ συνιείς; ὃς δὴ καρποφορεῖ καὶ ποιεῖ, ὃ μὲν ἑκατὸν, ὃ δὲ ἑξήκοντα, ὃ δὲ τριάκοντα.
(ho de epi taʸn kalaʸn gaʸn spareis, houtos estin ho ton logon akouōn kai sunieis; hos daʸ karpoforei kai poiei, ho men hekaton, ho de hexaʸkonta, ho de triakonta.)

SBL-GNT ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν ⸂καλὴν γῆν⸃ σπαρείς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων καὶ ⸀συνιείς, ὃς δὴ καρποφορεῖ καὶ ποιεῖ ὃ μὲν ἑκατὸν ὃ δὲ ἑξήκοντα ὃ δὲ τριάκοντα.
(ho de epi taʸn ⸂kalaʸn gaʸn⸃ spareis, houtos estin ho ton logon akouōn kai ⸀sunieis, hos daʸ karpoforei kai poiei ho men hekaton ho de hexaʸkonta ho de triakonta.)

RP-GNT Ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τὴν καλὴν σπαρείς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων καὶ συνιών· ὃς δὴ καρποφορεῖ, καὶ ποιεῖ ὁ μὲν ἑκατόν, ὁ δὲ ἑξήκοντα, ὁ δὲ τριάκοντα.
(Ho de epi taʸn gaʸn taʸn kalaʸn spareis, houtos estin ho ton logon akouōn kai suniōn; hos daʸ karpoforei, kai poiei ho men hekaton, ho de hexaʸkonta, ho de triakonta.)

TC-GNT Ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν [fn]γῆν τὴν καλὴν σπαρείς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων καὶ [fn]συνιών· ὃς δὴ καρποφορεῖ, καὶ ποιεῖ [fn]ὁ μὲν ἑκατόν, ὁ δὲ ἑξήκοντα, ὁ δὲ τριάκοντα.
(Ho de epi taʸn gaʸn taʸn kalaʸn spareis, houtos estin ho ton logon akouōn kai suniōn; hos daʸ karpoforei, kai poiei ho men hekaton, ho de hexaʸkonta, ho de triakonta. )

13:23 γην την καλην ¦ καλην γην CT

13:23 συνιων ¦ συνιεις CT

13:23 ὁ … ὁ … ὁ ¦ ὃ … ὃ … ὃ NA SBL WH

Key for above GNTs: yellow:punctuation differs, red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 13:18–23: Jesus explained the parable of the man who sowed seeds

In this section, Jesus explained the meaning of the parable of the sower. As you translate this section, it is important to understand and remember the main elements in this parable and what they represent.

There are three main metaphors in this parable:

The seed represents the message about the kingdom.
The sowing of the seed represents telling the message to people.
The four types of soil represents four types of people who hear the message.

The first type of soil is the soil along the path. This soil represents people whom Satan causes to forget the message of the kingdom. The second type of soil is the rocky soil. This soil represents people who initially accept the message, but when troubles or persecution happen to them, they quickly reject the message. The third type of soil is the thorny soil. This soil represents people who accept the message, but worries about daily living cause them to not do anything for God. Finally, the forth type of soil is the good soil. This soil represents people who hear and understand the message, and the message produces results in their lives.

In these verses, the Greek text sometimes keeps the metaphor and sometimes explains the meaning of the metaphor. For example 13:19c–d has: “the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.” The words “snatches away what was sown” keep the metaphor of birds eating the grain that the farmer sowed. But the words “the evil one comes” explains the meaning of the metaphor of “birds” (13:4c).

Here are some other possible headings for this section:

Jesus explained the parable of the four soils

The Parable of the Sower Explained (NRSV)

There are parallel passages for this section in Mark 4:13–20 and Luke 8:11–15.

13:23a

But the seed sown on good soil

The good soil where some seed fell
The meaning of what happened to the seeds that the farmer sowed/scattered on good soil

But the seed sown on good soil: This clause refers to what happened when some seed fell on good ground. Be careful not to imply that the seed is being compared to a person. The comparison is to the entire situation.

This clause is passive. Here are some ways to translate it:

Use a passive verb. For example:
The meaning of what happened to the seeds that were planted on good soil is this:
Use an active verb. For example:
As for the seeds that the farmer planted on good soil, that is like
Use another type of verb. For example:
As for the good soil where some seeds fell, that is like

This clause is similar to 13:20a and 13:22a. You should translate it in a similar way.

sown: This same word occurs in 13:19d, 13:20a and 13:22a. But here the seed was sown on the good soil on purpose. You may want to:

Be consistent and use the same term here as in 13:19d, 13:20a and 13:22a.
Indicate that the seed was sown here on purpose, and so use the term for “sow” that you used in 13:4a.

good soil: This phrase refers to the kind of soil in which plants grow well.

Here is another way to translate this:

fertile soil

This same phrase occurs in 13:8a.

13:23b

is the one who hears the word and understands it.

shows/represents a person who hears the message and understands it.
is this: some people hear the message and understand it,

is the one who hears the word and understands it: This clause is very similar to 13:20b and 13:22b. The only difference is the added phrase and understands it.

is: The word is indicates a comparison. It means “the situation in 13:23a represents….” In other words, sowing in good soil “is like” or “represents” someone who hears the word and understands it. For example:

represents (NLT)

stand for (GNT)

the one who hears the word and understands it: The word one refers to a certain type of person. In some languages, it may be more natural to use a plural word here. For example:

those who hear the message and understand it (GNT)

those who truly hear and understand God’s word (NLT)

13:23c

He indeed bears fruit

This type of person produces a crop.
and it produces results in their lives like plants that

He indeed: The Greek word that the BSB translates as indeed is a weak marker of emphasis. Here it emphasizes that among all the soils on which seed fell, the good soil is the only one that bears fruit.At this point in the explanation of the parable, the good soil (a good person) and the seed (the message) merge. They are together pictured as producing grain.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

He is the one who

he does bear fruit

Most English versions do not translate this word.

bears fruit: The verb bears describes what a plant or tree does when it develops grain or fruit. Notice that here Jesus kept the metaphor in his explanation.

This verb has the opposite meaning of “unfruitful” in 13:22e. Also see how you translated the similar phrase “produced a crop” in 13:8a.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

Translate the metaphor in a natural way in your language. For example:
produces crops (GW)
Translate the metaphor as a simile. For example:
the message has results in their lives like a plant producing a crop

13:23d

and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”

Some produce a hundred seeds/grains, others sixty, and others thirty.”
produce a hundred, sixty or thirty seeds.”

and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold: The Greek text is more literally “this one produces a hundred, and another sixty and another thirty.” This phrase continues the metaphor of the plants producing a harvest. This phrase is similar to 13:8b.

Here the singular “one” represents a group of people. Some people do many good deeds and they are like a plant that produces one hundred seeds of grain. Other people’s good deeds are like sixty seeds of grain. Still other people’s good deeds are like thirty seeds of grain.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

Translate the metaphor in a natural way in your language. For example:
produces fruit/grain, some produce a hundred grains, some sixty grains, and some thirty
Translate the metaphor as a simile. For example:
some people’s good deeds are like a plant bearing a hundred seeds, other people are like a plant that bears sixty seeds other people are like a plant that bears thirty seeds

a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold: For advice on translating these numbers, see the note at 13:8b.

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: grammar-connect-words-phrases

δὲ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ ἐπί τήν καλήν γῆν σπαρείς οὗτος ἐστίν ὁ τόν λόγον ἀκούων καί συνιείς ὅς δή καρποφορεῖ καί ποιεῖ ὅ μέν ἑκατόν ὅ δέ ἑξήκοντα ὅ δέ τριάκοντα)

Here, the word Now introduces the next thing that Jesus wants to say. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a word or phrase that introduces the next topic, or you could leave Now untranslated. Alternate translation: [Next,]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

ὁ & ἐπὶ τὴν καλὴν γῆν σπαρείς, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τὸν λόγον ἀκούων καὶ συνιείς; ὃς δὴ καρποφορεῖ καὶ ποιεῖ, ὃ μὲν ἑκατὸν, ὃ δὲ ἑξήκοντα, ὃ δὲ τριάκοντα

the_‹one› & (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ ἐπί τήν καλήν γῆν σπαρείς οὗτος ἐστίν ὁ τόν λόγον ἀκούων καί συνιείς ὅς δή καρποφορεῖ καί ποιεῖ ὅ μέν ἑκατόν ὅ δέ ἑξήκοντα ὅ δέ τριάκοντα)

Here Jesus speaks about what happens to this person as if it were what happened in the parable when the seed was sown on the good soil and produced a crop of various sizes. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the idea in simile form. Alternate translation: [what happened to the seed having been sown on the good soil is like what happens to the one hearing the word understanding it. That person will be like a seed that bears fruit and yields, some 100, and some 60, and some 30]

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicitinfo

ὁ & ἐπὶ τὴν καλὴν γῆν σπαρείς, οὗτός

Here, the word this refers directly back to the one having been sown on the good soil. Jesus expresses the idea in this way to introduce the one having been sown on the good soil and then explains what it means. If stating the topic and then referring back to it with the word this would be redundant in your language, you could omit the redundant information. Alternate translation: [the one having been sown on the good soil]

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

σπαρείς

˓having_been˒_sown

If your language does not use this passive form, you could express the idea in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. If you need to say who did the action, it is clear from the context that it was the farmer who was sowing seed. Alternate translation: [that the farmer sowed]

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

τὸν λόγον

Here, just as in [13:19](../13/19.md), Jesus is using the term word to mean something spoken in words. Express the idea as you did there. Alternate translation: [the proclamation] or [the news]

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

τὸν λόγον

Here Jesus implies that this is the same “word of the kingdom” that he has mentioned in the previous verses. You could include this information if that would be helpful to your readers. Alternate translation: [the word about the kingdom]

Note 7 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit

καρποφορεῖ καὶ ποιεῖ, ὃ μὲν ἑκατὸν, ὃ δὲ ἑξήκοντα, ὃ δὲ τριάκοντα

˓is˒_bearing_fruit (Some words not found in SR-GNT: ὁ Δέ ἐπί τήν καλήν γῆν σπαρείς οὗτος ἐστίν ὁ τόν λόγον ἀκούων καί συνιείς ὅς δή καρποφορεῖ καί ποιεῖ ὅ μέν ἑκατόν ὅ δέ ἑξήκοντα ὅ δέ τριάκοντα)

Here Jesus means that plants produced 100, 60, or 30 new seeds. Scholars estimate that these numbers are very good in Jesus’ time period, although not impossible or unheard of. Express the idea as you did in [13:8](../13/08.md). Alternate translation: [bears fruit, with some plants yielding 100 seeds, and some plants yielding 60 seeds, and other plants yielding 30 seeds] or [bears fruit and yields many times more than the farmer planted: some 100 times more, and some 60 times more, and some 30 times more]

Note 8 topic: grammar-collectivenouns

καρποφορεῖ

˓is˒_bearing_fruit

Here, the word fruit is singular in form, but it refers to many fruits as a group. If it would be helpful in your language, you could say this plainly. Alternate translation: [bears fruits]

Parallel MAT 13:23

Section 13:18–23: Jesus explained the parable of the man who sowed seeds

13:23a

13:23b

13:23c

13:23d