Matthew 13 · Verse 38

Matthew 13:38

The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;
Matthew 13:38, King James Version

Matthew 13:38 in other translations

BSBThe field is the world, and the good seed represents the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,
WEBthe field is the world, the good seeds are the children of the Kingdom, and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one.
ASVand the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;
YLTand the field is the world, and the good seed, these are the sons of the reign, and the darnel are the sons of the evil one,
DARBYand the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom, but the darnel are the sons of the evil one;
BBEAnd the field is the world; and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom; and the evil seeds are the sons of the Evil One;
WebsterThe field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

What does Matthew 13:38 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…

Read the full comment on Matthew 13:30-39 →

Barnes' Notes
Verse 38. Mt 13:36

(a) "the world" Rom 10:18, Col 1:6 (b) "of the kingdom" 1Pet 1:23 (c) "of the wicked" Jn 8:44, Acts 13:10, 1Jn 3:8

Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain

Matthew 13:38 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.

ὁho<the>G3588
δὲdeandG1161
ἀγρόςagrosthe fieldG68
ἐστινestinisG1510
ὁhotheG3588
κόσμος·kosmosworld;G2889
τὸto<the>G3588
δὲdeandG1161
καλὸνkalon[the] goodG2570
σπέρμα,spermaseed,G4690
οὗτοίhoutoitheseG3778
εἰσινeisinareG1510
οἱhoitheG3588
υἱοὶhuioisonsG5207
τῆςtēsof theG3588
βασιλείας·basileiaskingdom;G932
τὰta<the>G3588
δὲdeandG1161
ζιζάνιάzizaniathe weedsG2215
εἰσινeisinareG1510
οἱhoitheG3588
υἱοὶhuioisonsG5207
τοῦtouof theG3588
πονηροῦ·ponērouevil [one];G4190

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

Cross references for Matthew 13:38

  • John 8:44

    Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

  • Acts 13:10

    And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, thou child of the devil, thou enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?

  • Philippians 3:18-19

    (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

  • 1 John 3:8-10

    He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

  • 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.

  • Genesis 3:15

    And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

  • Matthew 13:19

    When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

  • James 1:18

    Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

  • John 1:12-13

    But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

  • Romans 10:18

    But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

  • Zechariah 10:8-9

    I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have redeemed them: and they shall increase as they have increased. And I will sow them among the people: and they shall remember me in far countries; and they shall live with their children, and turn again.

  • Colossians 1:6

    Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
field.
24:14; 28:18-20; Mr 16:15-20; Lu 24:47; Ro 10:18; 16:26; Col 1:6
Re 14:6
the good.
Ps 22:30; Isa 53:10; Ho 2:23; Zec 10:8,9; Joh 1:12,13; 12:24
Ro 8:17; Jas 1:18; 2:5; 1Pe 1:23; 1Jo 3:2,9
the children of the wicked.
19; Ge 3:15; Joh 8:44; Ac 13:10; Php 3:18,19; 1Jo 3:8,10

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

Context

  • Matthew 13:37

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

  • Matthew 13:38

    The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

  • Matthew 13:39

    The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

Read all of Matthew 13

Matthew 13:38 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y el campo es el mundo; y la buena simiente son los hijos del reino, y la cizaña son los hijos del malo;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
et le champ, c’est le monde; et la bonne semence, ce sont les fils du royaume; et l’ivraie, ce sont les fils du méchant;
German
Elberfelder 1871
der Acker aber ist die Welt; der gute Same aber, dies sind die Söhne des Reiches, das Unkraut aber sind die Söhne des Bösen;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Ager autem est mundus. Bonum vero semen, hi sunt filii regni. Zizania autem, filii sunt nequam.