THE PARABLE OF THE GROWING SEED

26 “The kingdom of Gode is like this,” he said. “A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 He sleepsf and risesg nighth and day; the seed sprouts and grows, although he doesn’t know how. 28 The soil produces a cropi by itself—first the blade, then the head, and then the full grainj on the head. 29 As soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle,k because the harvestl has come.”

THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED

30 Andm he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God,n or what parableo can we use to describe it? 31 It’s like a mustard seedp that, when sown upon the soil, is the smallest of all the seeds on the ground. 32 And when sown,q it comes up and grows taller than all the garden plants,r and produces large branches, so that the birds of the skys can nest in its shade.”

USING PARABLES

33 He was speaking the wordt to them with many parablesu like these, as they were able to understand.v 34 He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, he explained everything to his own disciples.w

WIND AND WAVES OBEY JESUS

35 Onx that day, when evening had come, he told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” 36 So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him. 37 A great windstormy arose, and the wavesz were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 He was in the stern, sleepingaa on the cushion. So they woke him upab and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?”ac

39 He got up, rebukedad the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence!ae Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid?af Do you still have no faith?”