These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall shew you plainly of the Father. {proverbs: or, parables}

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

Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection. {babbler: or, base fellow}

Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;

Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;

Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.

And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Set on a pot, set {it} on, and also pour water into it:

Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou?

I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets. {ministry: Heb. hand}

Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. {covenants: or, testaments} {Sinai: Gr. Sina}

With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?

And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find {it} out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments: {sheets: or, shirts}

And when the children of thy people shall speak unto thee, saying, Wilt thou not shew us what thou {meanest} by these?

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.

And the people said unto me, Wilt thou not tell us what these {things are} to us, that thou doest {so}?

And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, {saying}, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.

I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

And it shall be, when they say unto thee, Wherefore sighest thou? that thou shalt answer, For the tidings; because it cometh: and every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, and every spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak {as} water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord GOD. {shall be weak...: Heb. shall go into water}

And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that {was} in Lebanon sent to the cedar that {was} in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that {was} in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.

And he began to speak unto them by parables. A {certain} man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about {it}, and digged {a place for} the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.