THE MUSTARD SEED.

And he said, “How shall we liken the kingdom of God? or in what parable shall we set it forth?  It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown upon the earth, though it be less than all the seeds that are upon the earth, yet when it is sown, groweth up, and becometh greater than all the herbs, and putteth out great branches; so that the birds of the heaven can lodge under the shadow thereof.”

THE LEAVEN.

Another parable spake he unto them:  “The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened.”

THE UNDERSTANDING OF PARABLES.

All these things spake Jesus in parables unto the multitudes; and without a parable spake he nothing unto them:  that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying,

    “I will open my mouth in parables;
    I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world.”

Then he left the multitudes, and went into the house:  and his disciples came unto him, saying, “Explain unto us the parable of the tares of the field.”

And he answered and said, “He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; and the enemy that sowed them is the devil:  and the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are angels.  As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of the world.  The Son of man shall send forth his angels and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling and them that do iniquity and shall cast them into the furnace of fire:  there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.  Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.  He that hath ears let him hear.”

THE HID TREASURE.

“The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field; which a man found, and hid; and in his joy he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.”

THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls:  and having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.”

THE DRAG NET.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:  which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away.  So shall it be in the end of the world:  the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the righteous, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire:  there shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth.