Matthew 13 · Verse 24

Matthew 13:24

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
Matthew 13:24, King James Version

Matthew 13:24 in other translations

BSBJesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
WEBHe set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,
ASVAnother parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man that sowed good seed in his field:
YLTAnother simile he set before them, saying: ‘The reign of the heavens was likened to a man sowing good seed in his field,
DARBYAnother parable set he before them, saying, The kingdom of the heavens has become like a man sowing good seed in his field;
BBEAnd he gave them another story, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a man who put good seed in his field:
WebsterAnother parable he proposed to them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened to a man who sowed good seed in his field:

What does Matthew 13:24 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verses 24-30. The kingdom of heaven is likened, etc. That is, the gospel resembles. The kingdom of heaven, Mt 3:2 means here the effect of the gospel by its being preached. The meaning of this parable is plain. The field represents the world in which the gospel is preached. The good seed, the truths preached by Christ and his apostles.

(q) "parable" Isa 28:10,13 (r) "good seed" 1Pet 1:23

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 24 The kingdom of heaven - God's method of managing the affairs of the world, and the concerns of his Church. Is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field - In general, the world may be termed the field of God; and in particular, those who profess to believe in God through Christ are his field or farm; among whom God sows nothing but the pure unadulterated word of his truth.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 13:24-30
, 36-43 This parable represents the present and future state of the gospel church; Christ's care of it, the devil's enmity against it, the mixture there is in it of good and bad in this world, and the separation between them in the other world. So prone is fallen man to sin, that if the enemy sow the tares, he may go his way, they will spring up, and do hurt; whereas, when good seed is sown, it must be tended, watered, and fenced. The servants complained to their master; Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? No doubt he did; whatever is amiss in the church, we are sure it is not from Christ. Though gross transgressors, and such as openly oppose the gospel, ought to be separated from the society of the faithful, yet no human skill can make an exact separation. Those who oppose must not be cut off, but instructed, and that with meekness. And though good and bad are together in this world, yet at the great day they shall be parted; then the righteous and the wicked shall be plainly known; here sometimes it is hard to distinguish between them. Let us, knowing the terrors of the Lord, not do iniquity. At death, believers shall shine forth to themselves; at the great day they shall shine forth before all the world. They shall shine by reflection, with light borrowed from the Fountain of light. Their sanctification will be made perfect, and their justification published. May we be found of that happy number.

Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain

Matthew 13:24 in the original Greek

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

ἌλληνAllēnAnotherG243
παραβολὴνparabolēnparableG3850
παρέθηκενparethēkenput He beforeG3908
αὐτοῖςautoisthemG846
λέγων·legōnsaying;G3004
ὡμοιώθηhōmoiōthēHas become likeG3666
ἡhētheG3588
βασιλείαbasileiakingdomG932
τῶνtōnof theG3588
οὐρανῶνouranōnheavensG3772
ἀνθρώπῳanthrōpōa manG444
σπείραντιspeirantihaving sownG4687
καλὸνkalongoodG2570
σπέρμαspermaseedG4690
ἐνeninG1722
τῷtōtheG3588
ἀγρῷagrōfieldG68
αὐτοῦ.autouof him.G846

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Matthew 13:24

  • Matthew 25:1

    Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

  • Matthew 13:47

    Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:

  • Matthew 20:1

    For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard.

  • Matthew 22:2

    The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

  • Matthew 13:37

    He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

  • Luke 13:20

    And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?

  • Luke 13:18

    Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?

  • Matthew 13:33

    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 the whole was leavened.

  • Mark 4:26-30

    And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come. …

  • 1 Peter 1:23

    Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

  • Matthew 13:31

    Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

  • Matthew 3:2

    And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
put.
21:33; Jud 14:12,13; Isa 28:10,13; Eze 17:2
The kingdom.
33,44,45,47; 3:2; 20:1; 22:2; 25:1; Mr 4:30; Lu 13:18,20
good.
19,37; 4:23; Col 1:5; 1Pe 1:23

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Matthew 13:23

    But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

  • Matthew 13:24

    Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

  • Matthew 13:25

    But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

Read all of Matthew 13

Matthew 13:24 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Otra parábola les propuso, diciendo: El reino de los cielos es semejante al hombre que siembra buena simiente en su campo:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Il leur proposa une autre parabole, disant: Le royaume des cieux a été fait semblable à un homme qui semait de bonne semence dans son champ.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Ein anderes Gleichnis legte er ihnen vor und sprach: Das Reich der Himmel ist einem Menschen gleich geworden, der guten Samen auf seinen Acker säte.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Aliam parabolam proposuit illis, dicens: Simile factum est regnum cælorum homini, qui seminavit bonum semen in agro suo: