In the New Testament, how many parables did Jesus use?

The parables of Jesus are found in the Synoptic Gospels and some of the non-canonical gospels. They form approximately one-third of his recorded teachings. Christians place great emphasis on these parables; which they generally regard as the words of Jesus.

Jesus's parables are seemingly simple and memorable stories, often with imagery, and all convey messages.

Scholars have commented that although these parables seem simple, the messages they convey are deep and central to the teachings of Jesus. Christian authors view them not as mere similitudes which serve the purpose of illustration, but as internal analogies in which nature becomes a witness for the spiritual world.

William Barry states in the Catholic Encyclopedia (1913) "There are no parables in St. John's Gospel. In the Synoptics ... we reckon thirty-three in all; but some have raised the number even to sixty, by including proverbial expressions". The Gospel of Luke contains both the largest total number of parables (24) and eighteen unique parables; the Gospel of Matthew contains 23 parables of which eleven are unique; the Gospel of Mark contains eight parables of which two are unique.