NgokukaMathewu 13:1-32

Ngalolo lusuku uJesu waphuma endlini, wahlala ngasolwandle. Kwabuthana izixuku eziningi, waze wangena esikebheni, wahlala phansi; isixuku sonke sasimi ogwini. Wakhuluma kubo okuningi ngemizekeliso, wathi: “Kwake kwaphuma umhlwanyeli wayohlwanyela. Ekuhlwanyeleni kwakhe enye imbewu yawela ngasendleleni, kwafika izinyoni zezulu zayidla, zayiqeda. Enye imbewu yawela edwaleni, lapho kwakungenamhlabathi omningi khona. Yamila masinyane, ngokuba yayingekho emhlabathini ojulileyo. Kepha kwathi lapho seliphumile ilanga, yabuna, ngokuba ingenazimpande ezigxilileyo. Enye yawela emeveni, ameva akhula, ayiminyanisa. Enye yawela emhlabathini ovundileyo; yathela izithelo, ngekhulu, ngama-60 nangama-30. Onezindlebe makezwe.” Abafundi bakhe beza kuye, bathi: “Ukhulumelani kubo ngemizekeliso na?” UJesu waphendula, wathi kubo: “Yingokuba nina niphiwe ukwazi izimfihlakalo zombuso wezulu, kodwa bona kabakuphiwanga lokho. Ngokuba yilowo nalowo onakho uyakuphiwa, kuthi xaxa, kodwa lowo ongenakho uyakwamukwa nalokho anakho. Yingakho-ke ngikhuluma kubo ngemizekeliso, ukuze bathi bebona, kodwa bangabonisisi; bathi bezwa, kepha bangezwisisi futhi bangaqondi. Kugcwaliseka kubo isiphrofetho sika-Isaya esithi: “ ‘Niyakuzwa nokuzwa, kepha ningaqondi; niyakubona nokubona, kepha ningabonisisi; ngokuba inhliziyo yalesi sizwe seyaba lukhuni; bezwa kanzima ngezindlebe, namehlo abo bawacimezile; funa babone ngamehlo, bezwe ngezindlebe, baqonde ngenhliziyo, baphenduke, ngibaphilise.’ “Kepha abusisiwe amehlo enu, ngokuba ayabona; nezindlebe zenu, lokhu ziyezwa. Ngokuba ngiqinisile ngithi kini: baningi abaphrofethi nabalungileyo ababefisa ukubona lokhu enikubonayo, kodwa abakubonanga; nokuzwa lokhu enikuzwayo, kepha abakuzwanga. “Lalelani nginichazele ngomzekeliso womhlwanyeli. Yilowo nalowo ozwa izwi lombuso, angaliqondi, kufika omubi ahlwithe okuhlwanyelwe enhliziyweni yakhe. Leyo ngehlwanyelwe ngasendleleni. Okuhlwanyelwe edwaleni, yilowo ozwa izwi, alamukele masinyane ngokuthokoza, kepha kanampande ngaphakathi; ulibamba nje okwesikhashana, kuthi lapho kufika ukuhlupheka nokuzingelwa ngenxa yezwi, akhubeke ngokushesha. Lokho okuhlwanyelwe emeveni, yilowo ozwa izwi, kuthi iminako yalesi sikhathi nokukhohlisa kwengcebo kuliminyanise izwi, abe ngongatheliyo. Lokho okuhlwanyelwe emhlabathini ovundileyo, yilowo olizwayo izwi maqede aliqonde, athele izithelo, athele ngekhulu, omunye ngama-60 nomunye ngama-30.” Wabuye wabatshela omunye umzekeliso, wathi: “Umbuso wezulu ufaniswa nomuntu owahlwanyela imbewu enhle ensimini yakhe; kuthe abantu besalele, kwafika isitha sakhe, sahlwanyela ukhula phakathi kwamabele, qede sashaya sachitha. Kwathi lapho amabele esekhahlela, kwavumbuka ukhula. “Izisebenzi zaya kumninindlu, zathi kuye: ‘Nkosi, awuhlwanyelanga yini imbewu enhle ensimini yakho na? Pho luvelaphi ukhula na?’ “Wathi kuzo: ‘Lokhu kwenziwe ngumuntu oyisitha.’ “Izisebenzi zathi kuye: ‘Uyathanda yini ukuba sihambe siyolusiphula na?’ “Kepha wathi: ‘Qha, funa nithi nxa nisiphula ukhula, nisiphule namabele kanye nalo. Kuyekeni kukhule kokubili ndawonye, kuze kuvunwe. Ngesikhathi sokuvuna ngiyakuyala abavuni ngithi: buthani kuqala ukhula, nilubophe izinyanda ukuze lushiswe, bese nibuthela amabele enqolobaneni yami.’ ” Wabuye wabatshela omunye umzekeliso, wathi: “Umbuso wezulu ufana nohlamvu lwesinaphi aluthatha umuntu waluhlwanyela ensimini yakhe; lona luthi lungoluncane kunazo zonke izimbewu, kodwa lukhule lube lukhulu kunakho konke okumilayo, lube yisihlahla esikhulukazi; zize izinyoni zezulu, zakhele emagatsheni aso.”