The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds

²⁴ He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.^{(A) 25} But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left. ²⁶ When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. ²⁷ The landowner’s servants^(B) came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’

²⁸ “‘An enemy did this,’ he told them.

“‘So, do you want us to go and pull them up?’ the servants asked him.

²⁹ “‘No,’ he said. ‘When you pull up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but collect the wheat in my barn.’”

Jesus Interprets the Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds

³⁶ Then he left the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”^(A)

³⁷ He replied, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; ³⁸ the field is the world; and the good seed—these are the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one,^{(B) 39} and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.^{(C) 40} Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.^{(D) 41} The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all who cause sin^[a] and those guilty of lawlessness.^{[b](E) 42} They will throw them into the blazing furnace^(F) where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^{(G) 43} Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Let anyone who has ears^[c] listen.^(H)