Parable of Drawing in the Net facts for kids

A drawing by Jan Luyken showing the parable of the dragnet.

The Parable of the Net is a story told by Jesus found in the New Testament part of the Bible. It's written in the book of Matthew, chapter 13, verses 47 to 52. This parable is about the final judgment, which is a time when people believe God will decide what happens to everyone. It's the seventh and last story in that chapter, which starts with the Parable of the Sower.

What Jesus Said About the Net

Here is the story Jesus told:

Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Have you understood all these things? Jesus asked. Yes, they replied. He said to them, Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.

– Matthew 13:47–52

Understanding the Parable's Meaning

This image shows fishing, like in the parable where "The Kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind."

This story, like others such as The Tares and the Wheat and The Sheep and the Goats, talks about the final judgment. In this parable, the good fish are separated from the bad ones after being caught in a net.

Many of Jesus's friends, called disciples, were fishermen. So, Jesus used ideas they knew well, like fishing, to help them understand his lessons. The net in the story can represent the world, where people from all walks of life are gathered. The "end of the age" refers to a future time when a separation will happen.

Jesus also talked about "old and new treasures." This part of the parable suggests that true teachers of God's kingdom will share important lessons, both old wisdom and new understandings, for everyone to learn from.

See also

In Spanish: Parábola de la red barredera para niños