fables

⁷But avoid the silly fables of old women. And exercise yourself so as to advance in piety.

⁴and certainly, they will turn their hearing away from the truth, and they will be turned toward fables.

¹⁴not paying attention to Jewish fables, nor to the rules of men who have turned themselves away from the truth.

¹⁶For it was not by following fanciful doctrines that we made known to you the power and presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were made eyewitnesses of his greatness.

⁴against those who have been paying attention to fables and endless genealogies. These things present questions as if they were greater than the edification that is of God, which is in faith.

¹¹in order that all those who have not believed in the truth, but who have consented to iniquity, may be judged.

²I will open my mouth in parables. I will speak about concepts that are from the beginning.

³⁴All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the crowds. And he did not speak to them apart from parables,

⁸The trees went to anoint a king over themselves. And they said to the olive tree, ‘Reign over us.’ ⁹And it responded, ‘How could I abandon my fatness, which both gods and men make use of, and depart to be promoted among the trees?’ ¹⁰And the trees said to the fig tree, ‘Come and accept royal power over us.’ ¹¹And it responded to them, ‘How could I abandon my sweetness, and my very sweet fruits, and depart to be promoted among the other trees?’ ¹²And the trees said to the vine, ‘Come and reign over us.’ ¹³And it responded to them, ‘How could I abandon my wine, which gives joy to God and men, and be promoted among the other trees?’

⁷In the manner of a lame man who has beautiful legs to no purpose, so also is a parable unfit for the mouth of the foolish.

¹⁴So may we then no longer be little children, disturbed and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the wickedness of men, and by the craftiness which deceives unto error.

⁸See to it that no one deceives you through philosophy and empty falsehoods, as found in the traditions of men, in accord with the influences of the world, and not in accord with Christ.

³⁴All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the crowds. And he did not speak to them apart from parables, ³⁵in order to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet, saying: “I will open my mouth in parables. I will proclaim what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.”

²“Son of man, propose an enigma and describe a parable to the house of Israel,

⁹But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, as well as arguments against the law. For these are useless and empty.