26. The wheat began to grow and form grain. At the same time, weeds appeared.
27. "The owner's servants came to him. They said, 'Sir, didn't you plant good seed in your field? Then where did the weeds come from?'
28. " 'An enemy did this,' he replied. "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and pull the weeds up?'
29. " 'No,' the owner answered. 'While you are pulling up the weeds, you might pull up the wheat with them.
30. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the workers what to do. Here is what I will say to them. First collect the weeds. Tie them in bundles to be burned. Then gather the wheat. Bring it into my storeroom.' "
31. Jesus told the crowd another story. He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed. Someone took the seed and planted it in a field.
32. It is the smallest of all your seeds. But when it grows, it is the largest of all garden plants. It becomes a tree. Birds come and rest in its branches."
33. Jesus told them still another story. "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast," he said. "A woman mixed it into a large amount of flour. The yeast worked its way all through the dough."
34. Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd by using stories. He did not say anything to them without telling a story.
35. So the words spoken by the prophet came true. He had said, "I will open my mouth and tell stories. I will speak about things that were hidden since the world was made." (Psalm 78:2)
36. Then Jesus left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him. They said, "Explain to us the story of the weeds in the field."
37. He answered, "The one who planted the good seed is the Son of Man.
38. The field is the world. The good seed stands for the people who belong to the kingdom. The weeds are the people who belong to the evil one.