The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares

24 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. 26 But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27 So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but (A)gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed(B)

31 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: (C)“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, 32 which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a (D)tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

The Parable of the Leaven(E)

33 (F)Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three [a]measures of meal till (G)it was all leavened.”

Prophecy and the Parables

34 (H)All these things Jesus spoke to the multitude in parables; and without a parable He did not speak to them, 35 that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying:

(I)“I will open My mouth in parables;
(J)I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world.”

The Parable of the Tares Explained

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.”

37 He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 (K)The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are (L)the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, (M)the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, (N)and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 (O)and will cast them into the furnace of fire. (P)There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 (Q)Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. (R)He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:33 Gr. sata, same as a Heb. seah; approximately 2 pecks in all

24 αλλην παραβολην παρεθηκεν αυτοις λεγων ωμοιωθη η βασιλεια των ουρανων ανθρωπω σπειραντι καλον σπερμα εν τω αγρω αυτου

25 εν δε τω καθευδειν τους ανθρωπους ηλθεν αυτου ο εχθρος και εσπειρεν ζιζανια ανα μεσον του σιτου και απηλθεν

26 οτε δε εβλαστησεν ο χορτος και καρπον εποιησεν τοτε εφανη και τα ζιζανια

27 προσελθοντες δε οι δουλοι του οικοδεσποτου ειπον αυτω κυριε ουχι καλον σπερμα εσπειρας εν τω σω αγρω ποθεν ουν εχει τα ζιζανια

28 ο δε εφη αυτοις εχθρος ανθρωπος τουτο εποιησεν οι δε δουλοι ειπον αυτω θελεις ουν απελθοντες συλλεξωμεν αυτα

29 ο δε εφη ου μηποτε συλλεγοντες τα ζιζανια εκριζωσητε αμα αυτοις τον σιτον

30 αφετε συναυξανεσθαι αμφοτερα μεχρι του θερισμου και εν τω καιρω του θερισμου ερω τοις θερισταις συλλεξατε πρωτον τα ζιζανια και δησατε αυτα εις δεσμας προς το κατακαυσαι αυτα τον δε σιτον συναγαγετε εις την αποθηκην μου

31 αλλην παραβολην παρεθηκεν αυτοις λεγων ομοια εστιν η βασιλεια των ουρανων κοκκω σιναπεως ον λαβων ανθρωπος εσπειρεν εν τω αγρω αυτου

32 ο μικροτερον μεν εστιν παντων των σπερματων οταν δε αυξηθη μειζον των λαχανων εστιν και γινεται δενδρον ωστε ελθειν τα πετεινα του ουρανου και κατασκηνουν εν τοις κλαδοις αυτου

33 αλλην παραβολην ελαλησεν αυτοις ομοια εστιν η βασιλεια των ουρανων ζυμη ην λαβουσα γυνη ενεκρυψεν εις αλευρου σατα τρια εως ου εζυμωθη ολον

34 ταυτα παντα ελαλησεν ο ιησους εν παραβολαις τοις οχλοις και χωρις παραβολης ουκ ελαλει αυτοις

35 οπως πληρωθη το ρηθεν δια του προφητου λεγοντος ανοιξω εν παραβολαις το στομα μου ερευξομαι κεκρυμμενα απο καταβολης κοσμου

36 τοτε αφεις τους οχλους ηλθεν εις την οικιαν ο ιησους και προσηλθον αυτω οι μαθηται αυτου λεγοντες φρασον ημιν την παραβολην των ζιζανιων του αγρου

37 ο δε αποκριθεις ειπεν αυτοις ο σπειρων το καλον σπερμα εστιν ο υιος του ανθρωπου

38 ο δε αγρος εστιν ο κοσμος το δε καλον σπερμα ουτοι εισιν οι υιοι της βασιλειας τα δε ζιζανια εισιν οι υιοι του πονηρου

39 ο δε εχθρος ο σπειρας αυτα εστιν ο διαβολος ο δε θερισμος συντελεια του αιωνος εστιν οι δε θερισται αγγελοι εισιν

40 ωσπερ ουν συλλεγεται τα ζιζανια και πυρι κατακαιεται ουτως εσται εν τη συντελεια του αιωνος τουτου

41 αποστελει ο υιος του ανθρωπου τους αγγελους αυτου και συλλεξουσιν εκ της βασιλειας αυτου παντα τα σκανδαλα και τους ποιουντας την ανομιαν

42 και βαλουσιν αυτους εις την καμινον του πυρος εκει εσται ο κλαυθμος και ο βρυγμος των οδοντων

43 τοτε οι δικαιοι εκλαμψουσιν ως ο ηλιος εν τη βασιλεια του πατρος αυτων ο εχων ωτα ακουειν ακουετω

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Weeds among Wheat

24 Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, (A)The kingdom of heaven [a]is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed [b]weeds among the wheat, and left. 26 And when the [c]wheat sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also became evident. 27 And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? [d]How then does it have weeds?’ 28 And he said to them, ‘[e]An enemy has done this!’ The slaves *said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ 29 But he *said, ‘No; while you are gathering up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them; but (B)gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

The Mustard Seed

31 He presented another parable to them, saying, (C)The kingdom of heaven is like (D)a mustard seed, which a person took and sowed in his field; 32 and this is smaller than all the other seeds, but when it is fully grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that (E)the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.”

The Leaven

33 He spoke another parable to them: (F)The kingdom of heaven is like [f]leaven, which a woman took and hid in (G)three [g]sata of flour until it was all leavened.”

34 All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He did not speak anything to them (H)without a parable. 35 This was so that what was spoken through the prophet would be [h]fulfilled:

(I)I will open My mouth in parables;
I will proclaim things hidden since the foundation of the world.”

The Weeds Explained

36 Then He left the crowds and went into (J)the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “(K)Explain to us the parable of the [i]weeds of the field.” 37 And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is (L)the Son of Man, 38 and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are (M)the sons of the kingdom; and the weeds are (N)the sons of (O)the evil one; 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is (P)the [j]end of the age; and the reapers are angels. 40 So just as the weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at (Q)the [k]end of the age. 41 (R)The Son of Man (S)will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom [l]all (T)stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, 42 and they (U)will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place (V)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 (W)Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. (X)The one who has ears, [m]let him hear.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:24 Lit has been compared to
  2. Matthew 13:25 Prob. darnel, a weed resembling wheat
  3. Matthew 13:26 Lit grass
  4. Matthew 13:27 Lit From where
  5. Matthew 13:28 Lit A hostile person
  6. Matthew 13:33 I.e., fermented dough
  7. Matthew 13:33 A Gr term for a Heb measure, totaling about 48 lb. or 22 kg of flour
  8. Matthew 13:35 Lit fulfilled, saying
  9. Matthew 13:36 Prob. darnel, a weed resembling wheat
  10. Matthew 13:39 Or consummation
  11. Matthew 13:40 Or consummation
  12. Matthew 13:41 Or everything that is offensive
  13. Matthew 13:43 Or hear! Or listen!