26. “The kingdom of God is like this,” He said. “A man scatters seed on the ground;
27. he sleeps and rises — night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows — he doesn’t know how.
28. The soil produces a crop by itself — first the blade, then the head, and then the ripe grain on the head.
29. But as soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
30. And He said: “How can we illustrate the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to describe it?
31. It’s like a mustard seed that, when sown in the soil, is smaller than all the seeds on the ground.
32. And when sown, it comes up and grows taller than all the vegetables, and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky can nest in its shade.”
33. He would speak the word to them with many parables like these, as they were able to understand.
34. And He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, He would explain everything to His own disciples.
35. On that day, when evening had come, He told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.”
36. So they left the crowd and took Him along since He was already in the boat. And other boats were with Him.
37. A fierce windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.