Matthew 13:24-50

24He put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,

25but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

26So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.

27And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?'

28He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' So the servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?'

29But he said, 'No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.

30Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, "Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn."'"

31He put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.

32It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches."

33He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened."

34All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable.

35This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world."

36Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field."

37He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.

38The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,

39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels.

40Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.

41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers,

42and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.

44"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

45"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls,

46who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

47"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind.

48When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad.

49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous

50and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.