31-32 Another story. “God’s kingdom is like an acorn that a farmer plants. It is quite small as seeds go, but in the course of years it grows into a huge oak tree, and eagles build nests in it.”

33 Another story. “God’s kingdom is like yeast that a woman works into the dough for dozens of loaves of barley bread—and waits while the dough rises.”

34-35 All Jesus did that day was tell stories—a long storytelling afternoon. His storytelling fulfilled the prophecy:

I will open my mouth and tell stories;
I will bring out into the open
    things hidden since the world’s first day.

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The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast(A)(B)

31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like(C) a mustard seed,(D) which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”(E)

33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like(F) yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds[a] of flour(G) until it worked all through the dough.”(H)

34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.(I) 35 So was fulfilled(J) what was spoken through the prophet:

“I will open my mouth in parables,
    I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”[b](K)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:33 Or about 27 kilograms
  2. Matthew 13:35 Psalm 78:2