Part 16

013:021 It has struck no root, however, within him. He continues for a time, but when suffering comes, or persecution, because of the Message, he at once stumbles and falls.

013:022 He who has received the seed among the thorns is the man who hears the Message, but the cares of the present age and the delusions of riches quite stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful.

013:023 But he who has received the seed on good ground is he who hears and understands. Such hearers give a return, and yield one a hundred for one, another sixty, another thirty.")

013:024 Another parable He put before them. "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "may be compared to a man who has sown good seed in his field,

013:025 but during the night his enemy comes, and over the first seed he sows darnel among the wheat, and goes away.

013:026 But when the blade shoots up and the grain is formed, then appears the darnel also.

013:027 "So the farmer's men come and ask him, "`Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed on your land? Where then does the darnel come from?'

013:028 "`Some enemy has done this,' he said. "`Shall we go, and collect it?' the men inquire.

013:029 "`No,' he replied, `for fear that while collecting the darnel you should at the same time root up the wheat with it.

013:030 Leave both to grow together until the harvest, and at harvest-time I will direct the reapers, Collect the darnel first, and make it up into bundles to burn it, but bring all the wheat into my barn.'"

013:031 Another parable He put before them. "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "is like a mustard-seed, which a man takes and sows in his ground.

013:032 It is the smallest of all seeds, and yet when full-grown it is larger than any herb and forms a tree, so that the birds come and build in its branches."

013:033 Another parable He spoke to them. "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "is like yeast which a woman takes and buries in a bushel of flour, for it to work there till the whole mass has risen."

013:034 All this Jesus spoke to the people in figurative language, and except in figurative language He spoke nothing to them,

013:035 in fulfilment of the saying of the Prophet, "I will open my mouth in figurative language, I will utter things kept hidden since the creation of all things."

013:036 When He had dismissed the people and had returned to the house, His disciples came to Him with the request, "Explain to us the parable of the darnel sown in the field."

013:037 "The sower of the good seed," He replied, "is the Son of Man;

013:038 the field is the world; the good seed--these are the sons of the Kingdom; the darnel, the sons of the Evil one.

013:039 The enemy who sows the darnel is *the Devil*; the harvest is the Close of the Age; the reapers are the angels.

013:040 As then the darnel is collected together and burnt up with fire, so will it be at the Close of the Age.

013:041 The Son of Man will commission His angels, and they will gather out of His Kingdom all causes of sin and all who violate His laws;

013:042 and these they will throw into the fiery furnace. There will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth.

013:043 Then will the righteous shine out like the sun in their Father's Kingdom. Listen, every one who has ears!

013:044 "The Kingdom of the Heavens is like treasure buried in the open country, which a man finds, but buries again, and, in his joy about it, goes and sells all he has and buys that piece of ground.

013:045 "Again the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a jewel merchant who is in quest of choice pearls.

013:046 He finds one most costly pearl; he goes away; and though it costs all he has, he buys it.

013:047 "Again the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a draw-net let down into the sea, which encloses fish of all sorts.

013:048 When full, they haul it up on the beach, and sit down and collect the good fish in baskets, while the worthless they throw away.