God’s Word Translation
Matthew 13:25
25But while people were asleep, his enemy planted weeds in the wheat field and went away.
Matthew 13:25 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
- New International Version (NIV)But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.
- English Standard Version (ESV)but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.
- New King James Version (NKJV)but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.
Context of Matthew 13:25
23But the seed planted on good ground ⌞is the person who⌟ hears and understands the word. This type produces crops. They produce one hundred, sixty, or thirty times as much as was planted.” 24Jesus used another illustration. He said, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who planted good seed in his field. But while people were asleep, his enemy planted weeds in the wheat field and went away. 26When the wheat came up and formed kernels, weeds appeared. 27“The owner’s workers came to him and asked, ‘Sir, didn’t you plant good seed in your field? Where did the weeds come from?’
Read all of Matthew 13Matthew 13:25 word by word
ἐν δὲ τῷ καθεύδειν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἦλθεν αὐτοῦ ὁ ἐχθρὸς καὶ ἐπέσπειρεν ζιζάνια ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ σίτου καὶ ἀπῆλθεν.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Butδέde · thenG1161
- whileἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
- menὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- menἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- sleptκαθεύδωkatheudō · to sleepG2518
- hisαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- enemyἐχθρόςechthros · enemyG2190
- cameἔρχομαιerchomai · to come/goG2064
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- sowedσπείρωspeirō · to sowG4687
- taresζιζάνιονzizanion · weedG2215
- ·ἀνάana · eachG303
- amongμέσοςmesos · midstG3319
- the wheatσῖτοςsitos · grainG4621
- went his wayἀπέρχομαιaperchomai · to go awayG565
Cross-references for Matthew 13:25
- Matthew 25:5Since the groom was late, all the bridesmaids became drowsy and fell asleep.
- Isaiah 56:9All you animals in the field, all you animals in the forest, come and eat.
- Acts 20:30Some of your own men will come forward and say things that distort the truth. They will do this to lure disciples into following them.
- Galatians 2:4False Christians were brought in. They slipped in as spies to learn about the freedom Christ Jesus gives us. They hoped to find a way to control us.
- 2 Timothy 4:3A time will come when people will not listen to accurate teachings. Instead, they will follow their own desires and surround themselves with teachers who tell them what they want to hear.
- Hebrews 12:15Make sure that everyone has kindness from God so that bitterness doesn’t take root and grow up to cause trouble that corrupts many of you.
- 2 Peter 2:1False prophets were among God’s people ⌞in the past⌟, as false teachers will be among you. They will secretly bring in their own destructive teachings. They will deny the Lord, who has bought them, and they will bring themselves swift destruction.
- Revelation 2:20But I have something against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. She teaches and misleads my servants to sin sexually and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
- Matthew 13:39The enemy who planted them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the world. The workers are angels.
- 2 Corinthians 11:13People who brag like this are false apostles. They are dishonest workers, since they disguise themselves as Christ’s apostles.
- 1 Peter 5:8Keep your mind clear, and be alert. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion as he looks for someone to devour.
- Revelation 12:9The huge serpent was thrown down. That ancient snake, named Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world, was thrown down to earth. Its angels were thrown down with it.
- Revelation 13:14It deceives those living on earth with the signs that it is allowed to do in front of the ⌞first⌟ beast. It tells those living on earth to make a statue for the beast who was wounded by a sword and yet lived.
- Matthew 13:38The field is the world. The good seeds are those who belong to the kingdom. The weeds are those who belong to the evil one.
Commentaries on Matthew 13:25
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 25But while men slept - When the professors were lukewarm, and the pastors indolent, his enemy came and sowed tares, degenerate, or bastard wheat. The righteous and the wicked are often mingled in the visible Church. Every Christian society, how pure soever its principles may be, has its bastard wheat - those who bear a resemblance to the good, but whose hearts are not right with God. He who sows this bastard wheat among God's people is here styled God's…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 24-30Verses 24-30 The kingdom of heaven is likened - That is, the “gospel resembles.” The kingdom of heaven (see the notes at Matthew 3:2) means here the effect of the gospel by its being preached. The meaning of this parable is plain. The field represents the “world,” in which the gospel is preached. The “good seed,” the truths preached by Christ and his apostles. Matthew 13:25 While men slept, his enemy came - That is, “in the night,” when it could be…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24-30Verses 24-30 , 36-43 This parable represents the present and future state of the gospel church; Christ's care of it, the devil's enmity against it, the mixture there is in it of good and bad in this world, and the separation between them in the other world. So prone is fallen man to sin, that if the enemy sow the tares, he may go his way, they will spring up, and do hurt; whereas, when good seed is sown, it must be tended, watered, and fenced. The…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 25Weeds, also known as tares or bearded darnel, look a lot like wheat. Farmers waited until the plants grew to tell them apart. Intentionally contaminating crops like this was against the law.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-52Introduction (Mt 13:1-3). 1. The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the seaside.Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 13:25
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries