23. “But what about the seed that fell on the good ground? That is like the people who hear the teaching and understand it. They grow and produce a good crop, sometimes 100 times more, sometimes 60 times more, and sometimes 30 times more.”
24. Then Jesus used another story to teach them. Jesus said, “God’s kingdom is like a man who planted good seed in his field.
25. That night, while everyone was asleep, the man’s enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat and then left.
26. Later, the wheat grew, and heads of grain grew on the plants. But at the same time the weeds also grew.
27. Then the man’s servants came to him and said, ‘You planted good seed in your field. Where did the weeds come from?’
28. “The man answered, ‘An enemy planted weeds.’ “The servants asked, ‘Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?’
29. “He answered, ‘No, because when you pull up the weeds, you might also pull up the wheat.
30. Let the weeds and the wheat grow together until the harvest time. At the harvest time I will tell the workers this: First, gather the weeds and tie them together to be burned. Then gather the wheat and bring it to my barn.’”
31. Then Jesus told the people another story: “God’s kingdom is like a mustard seed that a man plants in his field.
32. It is the smallest of all seeds. But when it grows, it is the largest of all garden plants. It becomes a tree big enough for the birds to come and make nests in its branches.”
33. Then Jesus told them another story: “God’s kingdom is like yeast that a woman mixes into a big bowl of flour to make bread. The yeast makes all the dough rise.”