²⁸ For the earth ^(A)yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.

⁹ And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, ¹¹ being filled with the fruits of righteousness ^(A)which are by Jesus Christ, ^(B)to the glory and praise of God.

³¹ It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; ³² but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”

¹² And may the Lord make you increase and ^(A)abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, ¹³ so that He may establish ^(B)your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.

^10 (A)that you may walk worthy of the Lord, ^(B)fully pleasing Him, ^(C)being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the ^(D)knowledge of God;

⁶ being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun ^(A)a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

²⁶ But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared.

¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that ^(A)no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.