19. God’s kingdom is like the seed of the mustard plant. Someone plants this seed in their garden. The seed grows and becomes a tree, and the birds build nests on its branches.”
20. Jesus said again, “What can I compare God’s kingdom with?
21. It is like yeast that a woman mixes into a big bowl of flour to make bread. The yeast makes all the dough rise.”
22. Jesus was teaching in every town and village. He continued to travel toward Jerusalem.
23. Someone said to him, “Lord, how many people will be saved? Only a few?” Jesus said,
24. “The door to heaven is narrow. Try hard to enter it. Many people will want to enter there, but they will not be able to go in.
25. If a man locks the door of his house, you can stand outside and knock on the door, but he won’t open it. You can say, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you. Where did you come from?’
26. Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you. You taught in the streets of our town.’
27. Then he will say to you, ‘I don’t know you. Where did you come from? Get away from me! You are all people who do wrong!’
28. “You will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in God’s kingdom. But you will be left outside. There you will cry and grind your teeth with pain.
29. People will come from the east, west, north, and south. They will sit down at the table in God’s kingdom.
30. People who have the lowest place in life now will have the highest place in God’s kingdom. And people who have the highest place now will have the lowest place in God’s kingdom.”
31. Just then some Pharisees came to Jesus and said, “Go away from here and hide. Herod wants to kill you!”
32. Jesus said to them, “Go tell that fox, ‘Today and tomorrow I am forcing demons out of people and finishing my work of healing. Then, the next day, the work will be finished.’