¹⁸“Listen! Here is the meaning of the story of the farmer. ¹⁹People hear the message about the kingdom but do not understand it. Then the evil one comes. He steals what was planted in their hearts. Those people are like the seed planted on a path. ²⁰Others received the seed that fell on rocky places. They are those who hear the message and at once receive it with joy. ²¹But they have no roots. So they last only a short time. They quickly fall away from the faith when trouble or suffering comes because of the message. ²²Others received the seed that fell among the thorns. They are those who hear the message. But then the worries of this life and the false promises of wealth crowd it out. They keep it from producing fruit. ²³But still others received the seed that fell on good soil. They are those who hear the message and understand it. They produce a crop 100, 60 or 30 times more than the farmer planted.”

The Story of the Weeds

²⁴Jesus told the crowd another story. “Here is what the kingdom of heaven is like,” he said. “A man planted good seed in his field. ²⁵But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came. The enemy planted weeds among the wheat and then went away. ²⁶The wheat began to grow and form grain. At the same time, weeds appeared.

²⁷“The owner’s servants came to him. They said, ‘Sir, didn’t you plant good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’

²⁸“ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull the weeds up?’

²⁹“ ‘No,’ the owner answered. ‘While you are pulling up the weeds, you might pull up the wheat with them. ³⁰Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the workers what to do. Here is what I will say to them. First collect the weeds. Tie them in bundles to be burned. Then gather the wheat. Bring it into my storeroom.’ ”

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