Matthew 13:18-43

Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Parable of the Sower Explained

¹⁸ “You, then, listen to the parable of the sower:^{(A) 19} When anyone hears the word^[a] about the kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one sown along the path.^{(B) 20} And the one sown on rocky ground—this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.^{(C) 21} Yet he has no root in himself, but is short-lived. When pressure or persecution^(D) comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles. ²² Now the one sown among the thorns—this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age^(E) and the seduction^[b] of wealth^(F) choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²³ But the one sown on the good ground—this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times what was sown.”

The Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds

²⁴ He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.^{(G) 25} But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds^[c] among the wheat, and left. ²⁶ When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared. ²⁷ The landowner’s slaves^(H) came to him and said, ‘Master, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’

²⁸ “‘An enemy did this!’ he told them.

“‘So, do you want us to go and gather them up?’ the slaves asked him.

²⁹ “‘No,’ he said. ‘When you gather up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I’ll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but store the wheat in my barn.’”

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and of the Yeast

³¹ He^(I) presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven^(J) is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. ³² It’s the smallest of all the seeds, but when grown, it’s taller than the vegetables and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.”^(K)

³³ He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into 50 pounds^[d] of flour until it spread through all of it.”^[e](L)

Using Parables Fulfills Prophecy

³⁴ Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables, and He would not speak anything to them without a parable,^{(M) 35} so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:

Jesus Interprets the Wheat and the Weeds

³⁶ Then He dismissed the crowds and went into the house. His disciples approached Him and said, “Explain the parable of the weeds in the field to us.”^(O)

³⁷ He replied: “The One who sows the good seed is the Son of Man; ³⁸ the field is the world; and the good seed—these are the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,^{(P) 39} and the enemy who sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.^{(Q) 40} Therefore, just as the weeds are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.^{(R) 41} The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather from His kingdom everything that causes sin^[g] and those guilty of lawlessness.^{[h](S) 42} They will throw them into the blazing furnace^(T) where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^{(U) 43} Then the righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s kingdom. Anyone who has ears^[i] should listen!^(V)