32. That seed is the smallest of all seeds. But when it grows, it is one of the largest garden plants. It becomes a tree, big enough for the wild birds to come and make nests in its branches.”
33. Then Jesus told another story: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman mixes into a big bowl of flour. The yeast makes all the dough rise.”
34. Jesus used stories to tell all these things to the people. He always used stories to teach people.
35. This is as the prophet said:“I will speak using stories;I will tell things that have been secret since the world was made.” Psalm 78:2
36. Then Jesus left the crowd and went into the house. His followers came to him and said, “Explain to us the meaning of the story about the weeds in the field.”
37. Jesus answered, “The man who planted the good seed in the field is the Son of Man.
38. The field is the world. And the good seed are all of God’s children in the kingdom. The weeds are those people who belong to the Evil One.
39. And the enemy who planted the bad seed is the devil. The harvest time is the end of the age. And the workers who gather are God’s angels.
40. “The weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire. It will be this way at the end of the age.
41. The Son of Man will send out his angels. They will gather out of his kingdom all who cause sin and all who do evil.
42. The angels will throw them into the blazing furnace. There the people will cry and grind their teeth with pain.
43. Then the good people will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let those with ears use them and listen!
44. “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. One day a man found the treasure, and then he hid it in the field again. The man was very happy to find the treasure. He went and sold everything that he owned to buy that field.
45. “Also, the kingdom of heaven is like a man looking for fine pearls.
46. One day he found a very valuable pearl. The man went and sold everything he had to buy that pearl.
47. “Also, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was put into the lake. The net caught many different kinds of fish.
48. When it was full, the fishermen pulled the net to the shore. They sat down and put all the good fish in baskets. Then they threw away the bad fish.
49. It will be this way at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the evil people from the good people.