23. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24. He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you who hear.
25. For whoever has, to him will more be given, and he who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away from him.”
26. He said, “God’s Kingdom is as if a man should cast seed on the earth,
27. and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he doesn’t know how.
28. For the earth bears fruit: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
29. But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
30. He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it?
31. It’s like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth,
32. yet when it is sown, grows up, and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.”
33. With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.
34. Without a parable he didn’t speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.