Matthew 13:18-30
Expanded Bible
Jesus Explains the Seed Story(A)
18 “So listen to the ·meaning of that story about the farmer [parable of the sower]. 19 What is the seed that fell ·by the road [along the path]? That seed is like ·the person [anyone] who hears the ·message [word; teaching] about the kingdom but does not understand it. The Evil One comes and ·takes away [snatches] what was ·planted [sown] in that person’s heart. 20 And what is the seed ·that fell [sown] on rocky ground? That seed is like the person who hears the ·teaching [word; message] and quickly ·accepts [receives] it with joy. 21 But ·he does not let the teaching go deep into his life, so [L since he has no root in himself] ·he keeps it only a short time [he does not endure; it is shortlived]. When trouble or persecution comes because of the ·teaching he accepted [word, message], he ·quickly [immediately] ·gives up [falls away; stumbles]. 22 And what is the seed ·that fell [sown] among the thorny weeds? That seed is like the person who hears the ·teaching [word; message] but lets worries about this ·life [world; age] and the ·temptation [deceitfulness; seduction] of wealth ·stop that teaching from growing [L choke the word/message]. So the teaching does not produce fruit in that person’s life. 23 But what is the seed ·that fell [sown] on the good ground? That seed is like the person who hears the teaching and understands it. That person grows and produces ·fruit [a crop], sometimes a hundred times more, sometimes sixty times more, and sometimes thirty times more.”
A Story About Wheat and Weeds
24 Then Jesus ·told [presented to] them another ·story [parable]: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who ·planted [sowed] good seed in his field. 25 That night, when everyone was asleep, his enemy came and ·planted [sowed] ·weeds [T tares; C a noxious weed that looks like wheat] among the wheat and then left. 26 Later, the wheat sprouted and the heads of grain grew, but the ·weeds [T tares] also ·grew [appeared]. 27 Then the man’s ·servants [slaves] came to him and said, ‘[Master; Sir] ·You planted [L Didn’t you sow…?] good seed in your field. Where did the ·weeds [T tares] come from?’ 28 The man answered, ‘An enemy ·planted weeds [L did this].’ The ·servants [slaves] asked, ‘Do you want us to ·pull up the weeds [L go and gather them]?’ 29 The man answered, ‘No, because when you ·pull up [gather] the ·weeds [T tares], you might also ·pull up [uproot] the wheat. 30 Let ·the weeds and the wheat [L both] grow together until the harvest time. At harvest time I will tell the ·workers [reapers], “First gather the ·weeds [T tares] and tie them ·together [in bundles] to be burned. Then gather the wheat and bring it to my barn.”’”
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