Matthew 13:19-38

19When anyone hears the word 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.

20And the one sown on rocky ground — this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy.

21But he has no root and is short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away.

22Now the one sown among the thorns — this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

23But the one sown on the good ground — this is one who hears and understands the word, who does produce fruit and yields: some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty times what was sown.”

24He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field.

25But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left.

26When the plants sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also appeared.

27The landowner’s servants 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 pull them up? ’ the servants asked him.

29“‘No,’ he said. ‘When you pull up the weeds, you might also uproot the wheat with them.

30Let 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 collect the wheat in my barn.’”

31He presented another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.

32It’s the smallest of all the seeds, but when grown, it’s taller than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.”

33He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into fifty pounds of flour until all of it was leavened.”

34Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables, and he did not tell them anything without a parable,

35so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: I will open my mouth in parables; I will declare things kept secret from the foundation of the world.

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

37He replied, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man;

38the field is the world; and the good seed — these are the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the children of the evil one,