30. Let them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the reapers, Gather the darnel first and bind it in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my granary.
31. Another story by way of comparison He set forth before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field.
32. Of all the seeds it is the smallest, but when it has grown it is the largest of the garden herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and find shelter in its branches.
33. He told them another parable: The kingdom of heaven is like leaven (sour dough) which a woman took and covered over in three measures of meal or flour till all of it was leavened. [Gen. 18:6.]
34. These things all taken together Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, without a parable He said nothing to them.
35. This was in fulfillment of what was spoken by the prophet: I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things that have been hidden since the foundation of the world. [Ps. 78:2.]
36. Then He left the throngs and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him saying, Explain to us the parable of the darnel in the field.
37. He answered, He Who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.
38. The field is the world, and the good seed means the children of the kingdom; the darnel is the children of the evil one,
39. And the enemy who sowed it is the devil. The harvest is the close and consummation of the age, and the reapers are angels.
40. Just as the darnel (weeds resembling wheat) is gathered and burned with fire, so it will be at the close of the age.