The same day went
Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And great multitudes were
gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude
stood on the shore. And he spake many things
unto them in parables, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man who sowed good seed
in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and
sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was
sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto
him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An
enemy hath done this. The servants said
unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest
while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together
until the harvest: and in the time of the
harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the
tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather
the wheat into my barn.
The kingdom of heaven is like
to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed
in his field: which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the
greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that
the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. The kingdom of heaven
is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and
hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables;
and without a parable spake he not unto them.