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Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The
kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;
25
but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares
among the wheat and went his way.
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But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop,
then the tares also appeared.
27
So the servants of the owner came and said to him,
‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have
tares?’
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He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The
servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them
up?’
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But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the
wheat with them.
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Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the
time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the
tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my
barn.”’”
36
Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His
disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares
of the field.”
37
He answered and said to them: “He who sows the
good seed is the Son of Man.
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The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons
of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one.
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The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest
is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels.
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Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in
the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.
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The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they
will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who
practice lawlessness,
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and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There
will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
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Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in
the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! |