Matthew 13:22-42

New International Version

²² The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth^(A) choke the word, making it unfruitful. ²³ But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”^(B)

The Parable of the Weeds

²⁴ Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like^(C) a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. ²⁶ When 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. ³⁰ Let 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.’”^(D)

The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast^(E)(F)

³¹ He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like^(G) a mustard seed,^(H) which a man took and planted in his field. ³² Though 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.”^(I)

³³ He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like^(J) yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds^[a] of flour^(K) until it worked all through the dough.”^(L)

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

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

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

³⁷ He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.^{(Q) 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,^{(R) 39} and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest^(S) is the end of the age,^(T) and the harvesters are angels.^(U)

⁴⁰ “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man^(V) will send out his angels,^(W) and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. ⁴² They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.^(X)