Discovery BoxMatthew 13:4 
Context13:4 And as he sowed, some seeds 1 fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.
Matthew 16:14
Context16:14 They answered, “Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, 2 and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
Matthew 25:8
Context25:8 The 3 foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’
1 tn In Matthew’s version of this parable, plural pronouns are used to refer to the seed in v. 4 (ἅ…αὐτά [Ja…auta]), although the collective singular is used in v. 5 and following (indicated by the singular verbs like ἔπεσεν [epesen]). For the sake of consistency in English, plural pronouns referring to the seed are used in the translation throughout the Matthean account. In both Mark and Luke the collective singular is used consistently throughout (cf. Mark 4:1-9; Luke 8:4-8).
2 sn The appearance of Elijah would mean that the end time had come. According to 2 Kgs 2:11, Elijah was still alive. In Mal 4:5 it is said that Elijah would be the precursor of Messiah.
3 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
