Matthew 13:29-39

New King James Version

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:

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.