Mark 4:26–32

The Parable of the Growing Seed

26 “The kingdom of God b is like this,” He said. “A man scatters seed on the ground; 27 he sleeps c and rises d—night e and day, and the seed sprouts and grows—he doesn’t know how. 28 The soil produces a crop f by itself—first the blade, then the head, and then the ripe grain g on the head. 29 But as soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle, h because the harvest i has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 And j He said: “How can we illustrate the kingdom of God, k or what parable l can we use to describe it? 31 It’s like a mustard seed m that, when sown in the soil, is smaller than all the seeds on the ground. 32 And when sown, n it comes up and grows taller than all the vegetables, o and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky p can nest in its shade.”