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.’”

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and of the Leaven

³¹ He^(C) presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven^(D) is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. ³² It’s the smallest of all the seeds, but when grown, it’s taller than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.”^(E)

³³ He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven^[a] that a woman took and mixed into fifty pounds^[b] of flour until all of it was leavened.”^(F)

Using Parables Fulfills Prophecy

³⁴ Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables, and he did not tell them anything without a parable,^{(G) 35} so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:

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.”^(I)

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,^{(J) 39} and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.^{(K) 40} Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.^{(L) 41} The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all who cause sin^[e] and those guilty of lawlessness.^{[f](M) 42} They will throw them into the blazing furnace^(N) where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^{(O) 43} Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Let anyone who has ears^[g] listen.^(P)

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and of the Priceless Pearl

⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure, buried in a field, that a man found and reburied. Then in his joy he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.^(Q)

⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. ⁴⁶ When he found one priceless^[h] pearl, he went and sold everything he had and bought it.^(R)

The Parable of the Net

⁴⁷ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a large net thrown into the sea. It collected every kind of fish,^{(S) 48} and when it was full, they dragged it ashore, sat down, and gathered the good fish into containers, but threw out the worthless ones. ⁴⁹ So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out, separate the evil people from the righteous,^{(T) 50} and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^(U)

The Storehouse of Truth

⁵¹ “Have you understood all these things?”^[i]

They answered him, “Yes.”

⁵² “Therefore,” he said to them, “every teacher of the law^[j] who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom treasures new and old.”^(V)

The Parable of the Growing Seed

²⁶ “The kingdom of God^(A) is like this,” he said. “A man scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷ He sleeps^(B) and rises^(C) night^(D) and day; the seed sprouts and grows, although he doesn’t know how. ²⁸ The soil produces a crop^(E) by itself—first the blade, then the head, and then the full grain^(F) on the head. ²⁹ As soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle,^(G) because the harvest^(H) has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

³⁰ And^(I) he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God,^(J) or what parable^(K) can we use to describe it? ³¹ It’s like a mustard seed^(L) that, when sown upon the soil, is the smallest of all the seeds on the ground. ³² And when sown,^(M) it comes up and grows taller than all the garden plants,^(N) and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky^(O) can nest in its shade.”

Using Parables

³³ He was speaking the word^(P) to them with many parables^(Q) like these, as they were able to understand.^{(R) 34} He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, he explained everything to his own disciples.^(S)