Matthew 13:24-43

The Parable of the Weeds

 

²⁴He put another parable before them, saying, ^(A) "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, ²⁵but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds^[a] among the wheat and went away. ²⁶So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. ²⁷And the servants^[b] of the master of the house came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?' ²⁸He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' So the servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' ²⁹But he said,^(B) 'No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. ³⁰Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers,^(C) Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"

The Mustard Seed and the Leaven

³¹He put another parable before them, saying, ^(D) "The kingdom of heaven is like^(E) a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. ³²It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches."

³³He told them another parable. ^(F) "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in^(G) three measures of flour, till it was^(H) all leavened."

Prophecy and Parables

^34(I) All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable. ³⁵This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet:<sup>[c]

(J)</sup> "I will open my mouth in parables;
^(K) I will utter what has been hidden^(L) since the foundation of the world."

The Parable of the Weeds Explained

³⁶Then he left the crowds and went into^(M) the house. And his disciples came to him, saying,^(N) "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field." ³⁷He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. ³⁸The field is the world, and the good seed is^(O) the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are^(P) the sons of the evil one, ³⁹and the enemy who sowed them is the devil.^(Q) The harvest is^(R) the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰Just as the weeds^(S) are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at^(T) the close of the age. ^41(U) The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all^(V) causes of sin and^(W) all law-breakers, ^42(X) and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place^(Y) there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ⁴³Then^(Z) the righteous will shine like the sun^(AA) in the kingdom of their Father.^(AB) He who has ears, let him hear.

Dabar is a greek word meaning “word alive.”
This daily Gospel insight comes to you free courtesy of the Friends of the Divine Mercy Community.
To know more about the community, log on to www.friendsofthedivinemercy.org.