^22 (A)Many will say to Me on ^(B)that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many ^[a]miracles?’ ²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; ^(C)depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’

Tares among Wheat

²⁴ Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “^(A)The kingdom of heaven ^[a]may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed ^[b]tares among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ But when the ^[c]wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the tares became evident also. ²⁷ 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 tares?’ ²⁸ And he said to them, ‘An ^[e]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; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but ^(B)gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

The Tares Explained

³⁶ Then He left the crowds and went into ^(A)the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “^(B)Explain to us the parable of the ^[a]tares of the field.” ³⁷ And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is ^(C)the Son of Man, ³⁸ and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are ^(D)the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are ^(E)the sons of ^(F)the evil one; ³⁹ and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is ^(G)the ^[b]end of the age; and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰ So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at ^(H)the ^[c]end of the age. ^41 (I)The Son of Man ^(J)will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom ^[d]all ^(K)stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, ⁴² and ^(L)will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place ^(M)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ^43 (N)Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. ^(O)He who has ears, ^[e]let him hear.