^{26 Ref} And he said, `Thus is the reign of God: as if a man may cast the seed on the earth,

^{27 Ref} and may sleep, and may rise night and day, and the seed spring up and grow, he hath not known how;

^{28 Ref} for of itself doth the earth bear fruit, first a blade, afterwards an ear, afterwards full corn in the ear;

^{29 Ref} and whenever the fruit may yield itself, immediately he doth send forth the sickle, because the harvest hath come.'

^{30 Ref} And he said, `To what may we liken the reign of God, or in what simile may we compare it?

^{31 Ref} As a grain of mustard, which, whenever it may be sown on the earth, is less than any of the seeds that are on the earth;

^{32 Ref} and whenever it may be sown, it cometh up, and doth become greater than any of the herbs, and doth make great branches, so that under its shade the fowls of the heaven are able to rest.'