Matthew 13:24–46

The Parable of the Weeds

²⁴Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like^l a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.

²⁷“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

²⁸“ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

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

²⁹“ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ ”^m

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast

13:31,32pp—Mk 4:30–32 13:31–33pp—Lk 13:18–21

³¹He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is likeⁿ a mustard seed,^o which a man took and planted in his field. ³²Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”^p

³³He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like^q yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds^b of flour^r until it worked all through the dough.”^s

³⁴Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.^{t 35}So was fulfilled^u what was spoken through the prophet:

“I will open my mouth in parables,

I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.”^cv

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

³⁶Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable^w of the weeds in the field.”

³⁷He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.^{x 38}The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one,^{y 39}and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest^z is the end of the age,^a and the harvesters are angels.^b

⁴⁰“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. ⁴¹The Son of Man^c will send out his angels,^d and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. ⁴²They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^{e 43}Then the righteous will shine like the sun^f in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.^g

The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl

⁴⁴“The kingdom of heaven is like^h treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.ⁱ

⁴⁵“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like^j a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.