^{24 Ref} Another simile he set before them, saying: `The reign of the heavens was likened to a man sowing good seed in his field,

^{25 Ref} and, while men are sleeping, his enemy came and sowed darnel in the midst of the wheat, and went away,

^{26 Ref} and when the herb sprang up, and yielded fruit, then appeared also the darnel.

^{27 Ref} `And the servants of the householder, having come near, said to him, Sir, good seed didst thou not sow in thy field? whence then hath it the darnel?

^{28 Ref} And he saith to them, A man, an enemy, did this; and the servants said to him, Wilt thou, then, `that' having gone away we may gather it up?

²⁹ `And he said, No, lest -- gathering up the darnel -- ye root up with it the wheat,

^{30 Ref} suffer both to grow together till the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the darnel, and bind it in bundles, to burn it, and the wheat gather up into my storehouse.'

^{31 Ref} Another simile he set before them, saying: `The reign of the heavens is like to a grain of mustard, which a man having taken, did sow in his field,

^{24 Ref} He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,

^{25 Ref} but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel{darnel is a weed grass (probably bearded darnel or lolium temulentum) that looks very much like wheat until it is mature, when the difference becomes very apparent.} also among the wheat, and went away.

^{26 Ref} But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then the darnel appeared also.

^{27 Ref} The servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where did this darnel come from?'

^{28 Ref} "He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and gather them up?'

²⁹ "But he said, 'No, lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel, you root up the wheat with them.

^{30 Ref} Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, "First, gather up the darnel, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn."'"

^{31 Ref} He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field;