Matthew 13:31-58 ▼

31 Another parable He put before them. "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "is like a mustard-seed, which a man takes and sows in his ground.

32 It is the smallest of all seeds, and yet when full-grown it is larger than any herb and forms a tree, so that the birds come and build in its branches."

33 Another parable He spoke to them. "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "is like yeast which a woman takes and buries in a bushel of flour, for it to work there till the whole mass has risen."

34 All this Jesus spoke to the people in figurative language, and except in figurative language He spoke nothing to them,

35 in fulfilment of the saying of the Prophet, "I will open my mouth in figurative language, I will utter things kept hidden since the creation of all things."

36 When He had dismissed the people and had returned to the house, His disciples came to Him with the request, "Explain to us the parable of the darnel sown in the field."

37 "The sower of the good seed," He replied, "is the Son of Man;

38 the field is the world; the good seed--these are the sons of the Kingdom; the darnel, the sons of the Evil one.

39 The enemy who sows the darnel is *the Devil*; the harvest is the Close of the Age; the reapers are the angels.

40 As then the darnel is collected together and burnt up with fire, so will it be at the Close of the Age.

41 The Son of Man will commission His angels, and they will gather out of His Kingdom all causes of sin and all who violate His laws;

42 and these they will throw into the fiery furnace. There will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth.

43 Then will the righteous shine out like the sun in their Father's Kingdom. Listen, every one who has ears!

44 "The Kingdom of the Heavens is like treasure buried in the open country, which a man finds, but buries again, and, in his joy about it, goes and sells all he has and buys that piece of ground.

45 "Again the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a jewel merchant who is in quest of choice pearls.

46 He finds one most costly pearl; he goes away; and though it costs all he has, he buys it.

47 "Again the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a draw-net let down into the sea, which encloses fish of all sorts.

48 When full, they haul it up on the beach, and sit down and collect the good fish in baskets, while the worthless they throw away.

49 So will it be at the Close of the Age. The angels will go forth and separate the wicked from among the righteous,

50 and will throw them into the fiery furnace. There will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth."

51 "Have you understood all this?" He asked. "Yes," they said.

52 "Therefore," He said, "remember that every Scribe well trained for the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a householder who brings out of his storehouse new things and old."

53 Jesus concluded this series of parables and then departed.

54 And He came into His own country and proceeded to teach in their synagogue, so that they were filled with astonishment and exclaimed, "Where did he obtain such wisdom, and these wondrous powers?

55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers, James, Joseph, Simon and Judah?

56 And his sisters--are they not all living here among us? Where then did he get all this?"

57 So they turned angrily away from Him. But Jesus said to them, "There is no prophet left without honour except in his own country and among his own family."

58 And He performed but few mighty deeds there because of their want of faith.