Matthew 13 · Verse 33

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.

Matthew 13:33, King James Version

Matthew 13:33 in other translations

BSB	He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour, until all of it was leavened.”
WEB	He spoke another parable to them. “The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, until it was all leavened.”
ASV	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.
YLT	Another simile spake he to them: ‘The reign of the heavens is like to leaven, which a woman having taken, hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.'
DARBY	He spoke another parable to them: The kingdom of the heavens is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal until it had been all leavened.
BBE	Another story he gave to them: The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took, and put in three measures of meal, till it was all leavened.
Webster	Another parable he spoke to them; The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

What does Matthew 13:33 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Matthew 13:30-39

30-39. Let both grow together--that is, in the visible Church. until the harvest--till the one have ripened for full salvation, the other for destruction. (See on Mt 13:39). and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers--(See on Mt 13:39). Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them--"in the fire" (Mt 13:40). but gather the wheat into my barn--Christ, as the Judge, will separate…

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Barnes' Notes

Verse 33. The kingdom of heaven. This, here, means the same as in the last parable, perhaps, however, intending to denote more properly the secret and hidden nature of piety in the soul. The other parable declared the fact that the gospel would greatly spread, and that piety in the heart would greatly increase. This declares the way or mode in which it would be done. It is secret, silent, steady; pervading all the faculties of the soul, and all the kingdoms of the world, as leaven, or yeast, though hidden in the flour, and though deposited only in one place, works silently till all the mass is brought under its influence.

Three measures. These were small measures, (see the margin) but the particular amount is of no consequence to the story. Nor is anything to be drawn from the fact that three are mentioned. It is mentioned as a circumstance giving interest to the parable, but designed to convey no spiritual instruction. The measure mentioned here probably contained about a peck and a half.

(1) "three measures" "The Greek word signifies a measure, (about a peck and a half, wanting a little more than a pint.)

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary

Verse 33 The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven - On the nature and effects of leaven, see the note on Exo 12:8. As the property of leaven is to change, or assimulate to its own nature, the meal or dough with which it is mixed, so the property of the grace of Christ is to change the whole soul into its own likeness; and God intends that this principle should continue in the soul till all is leavened - till the whole bear the image of the heavenly, as it before bore the image of the earthly. Both these parables are prophetic, and were intended to show, principally, how, from very small beginnings, the Gospel of Christ should pervade all the nations of the world, and fill them with righteousness and true holiness.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 13:31-35

The scope of the parable of the seed sown, is to show that the beginnings of the gospel would be small, but its latter end would greatly increase; in this way the work of grace in the heart, the kingdom of God within us, would be carried on. In the soul where grace truly is, it will grow really; though perhaps at first not to be discerned, it will at last come to great strength and usefulness. The preaching of the…

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Matthew 13:33 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

ἐλάλησενelalēsenspoke HeG2980

αὐτοῖς·autoisto them:G846

ὁμοίαhomoiaLikeG3664

ἐστὶνestinisG1510

ἡhētheG3588

βασιλείαbasileiakingdomG932

τῶνtōnof theG3588

οὐρανῶνouranōnheavensG3772

ζύμῃ,zumēto leaven,G2219

ἣνhēnwhichG3739

λαβοῦσαlabousahaving takenG2983

γυνὴgunēa womanG1135

ἐνέκρυψενenekrupsenhidG1470

εἰςeisinG1519

ἀλεύρουaleurouof flourG224

σάταsatameasuresG4568

τρίαtriathreeG5140

ἕωςhe'ōsuntilG2193

οὗhouof itG3739

ἐζυμώθηezumōthēwas leavenedG2220

ὅλον.¶holonall.G3650

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

Cross references for Matthew 13:33

Galatians 5:9
A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
1 Corinthians 5:6-7
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
Luke 13:21
It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
Philippians 2:13-15
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
Genesis 18:6
And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.
Proverbs 4:18
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Philippians 1:9
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
Job 17:9
The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.
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:
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
Hosea 6:3
Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
Philippians 1:6
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Another.
Mr 13:20
like.
Lu 13:21; 1Co 5:6,7; Ga 5:9
measures. Gr."A measure containing about a peck and a half, wanting a little more than a pint."
till.
Job 17:9; Pr 4:18; Ho 6:3; Joh 15:2; 16:12,13; Php 1:6,9; 2:13-15
1Th 5:23,24; 2Pe 3:18

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

Context

Matthew 13:32
Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
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.
Matthew 13:34
All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

Read all of Matthew 13

Matthew 13:33 in other languages

Spanish Reina-Valera 1909	Otra parábola les dijo: El reino de los cielos es semejante á la levadura que tomó una mujer, y escondió en tres medidas de harina, hasta que todo quedó leudo.
French Bible J.N. Darby 1885	Il leur dit une autre parabole: Le royaume des cieux est semblable à du levain qu’une femme prit et qu’elle cacha parmi trois mesures de farine, jusqu’à ce que tout soit levé.
German Elberfelder 1871	Ein anderes Gleichnis redete er zu ihnen: Das Reich der Himmel ist gleich einem Sauerteig, welchen ein Weib nahm und unter drei Maß Mehl verbarg, bis es ganz durchsäuert war.
Latin Clementine Vulgate	Aliam parabolam locutus est eis: Simile est regnum cælorum fermento, quod acceptum mulier abscondit in farinæ satis tribus, donec fermentatum est totum.