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The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed. But the enemy sowed weeds among the good seeds. Both wheat and weeds grew together in the field. The owner’s servant asked whether he should pull up the weeds. But the owner was afraid that he might inadvertently pull up the unripe wheat along with the weeds. The man let both the wheat and the weeds grow in the field until harvest. And at the harvest, he would gather the weeds to be burned and gather the wheat into his barn.
The one who sows the seed that becomes wheat is Jesus. The one who sows seeds that become weeds is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age. The weeds are unbelievers who cause sin and do evil, while the wheat are believers. At the end of age, unbelievers will be thrown into fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is hell. On the other hand, believers will be gathered into God’s kingdom. The righteous will shine like sun in the kingdom of heaven.
May 23, 2026
PARABLE OF THE WEEDS
Passage: Matthew 13:24-43
Key verse: 43
NIV
chapter 13
24. Jesus told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
25. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.
26. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
27. "The owner’s servants came to him and said, ’Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
28. "’An enemy did this,’ he replied. "The servants asked him, ’Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
29. "’No,’ he answered, ’because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them.
30. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’"
31. He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.
32. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches."
33. He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough."
34. Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.
35. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world."
36. Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."
37. He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.
38. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one,
39. and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
40. "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.
41. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.
42. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
43. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Prayer: Thank you, Jesus, for saving us from our sin and making us children of God. May we fight the good fight of faith and shine like the sun in the kingdom of heaven.
One Word: Shine like the sun in the kingdom of heaven