^2 (A)Every branch in me that does not bear fruit ^(B)he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, ^(C)that it may bear more fruit.

⁶ If anyone does not abide in me ^(A)he is thrown away like a branch and withers; ^(B)and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.

⁸ Bear fruit ^(A)in keeping with repentance. ⁹ And do not presume to say to yourselves, ^(B)‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from ^(C)these stones to raise up children for Abraham. ¹⁰ Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. ^(D)Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

The Parable of the Weeds

²⁴ He put another parable before them, saying, ^(A)“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, ²⁵ but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds^[a] among the wheat and went away. ²⁶ So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. ²⁷ And the servants^[b] of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ ²⁸ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ ²⁹ But he said, ^(B)‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, ^(C)“Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”