Matthew 13:24-50

24He presented them with another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a person who sowed good seed in his field.

25But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

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

27So the slaves of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?’

28He said, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the slaves replied, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them?’

29But he said, ‘No, since in gathering the weeds you may uproot the wheat with them.

30Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I will tell the reapers, “First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned, but then gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

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

32It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest garden plant and becomes a tree, so that the wild birds come and nest in its branches.”

33He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed with three measures of flour until all the dough had risen.”

34Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the crowds; he did not speak to them without a parable.

35This fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables, I will announce what has been hidden from 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 in the field.”

37He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.

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

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

40As the weeds are collected and burned with fire, so it will be at the end of the age.

41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom everything that causes sin as well as all lawbreakers.

42They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. The one who has ears had better listen!

44“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure, hidden in a field, that a person found and hid. Then because of joy he went and sold all that he had and bought that field.

45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls.

46When he found a pearl of great value, he went out and sold everything he had and bought it.

47“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea that caught all kinds of fish.

48When it was full, they pulled it ashore, sat down, and put the good fish into containers and threw the bad away.

49It will be this way at the end of the age. Angels will come and separate the evil from the righteous

50and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.