³¹ It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth,

²⁰ So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed.^(A)

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

¹⁸ He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it? ¹⁹ It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”

¹¹ For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name and a pure offering, for my name is great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.^(A)

¹⁷ I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies,^{(A) 18} and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.”^(B)

²⁰ When they heard it, they praised God. Then they said to him, “You see, brother, how many thousands of believers there are among the Jews, and they are all zealous for the law.^(A)

¹⁴ Yet more than ever believers were added to the Lord, great numbers of both men and women,

⁴ But many of those who heard the word believed, and they numbered about five thousand.^(A)

⁴¹ So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

³¹ He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field;^{(A) 32} it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”^(B)

The Parable of the Yeast

³³ He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with^[a] three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.”^(C)