The Mustard Seed and the Leaven

³¹ He put another parable before them, saying, ^(A)“The kingdom of heaven is like ^(B)a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. ³² It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”

³³ He told them another parable. ^(C)“The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in ^(D)three measures of flour, till it was ^(E)all leavened.”

Prophecy and Parables

^34 (F)All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. ³⁵ This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:^[a]

The Parable of the Hidden Treasure

⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven ^(A)is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy ^(B)he goes and sells all that he has and ^(C)buys that field.

The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, ⁴⁶ who, on finding ^(D)one pearl of great value, ^(E)went and sold all that he had and ^(F)bought it.

New and Old Treasures

^51 (A)“Have you understood all these things?” They said to him, “Yes.” ⁵² And he said to them, “Therefore every ^(B)scribe ^(C)who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who ^(D)brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

Jesus Rejected at Nazareth

⁵³ And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, ^54 (E)and coming to ^(F)his hometown ^(G)he taught them in their synagogue, so that ^(H)they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? ^55 (I)Is not this ^(J)the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not ^(K)his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? ⁵⁶ And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” ⁵⁷ And ^(L)they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, ^(M)“A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” ⁵⁸ And he did not do many mighty works there, ^(N)because of their unbelief.