It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three sata of flour until it was all leavened.”
Parallel translations
- WEB It is like yeast, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”
- KJV It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
- BSB It is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour, until all of it was leavened.”
- NKJV It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”
- NLT It is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The kingdom is like yeast a woman hides in flour until all is leavened. God's reign works invisibly but thoroughly to transform.
Overview
A small amount of leaven permeates the whole batch, picturing how the kingdom spreads silently through the world and the human heart. Though hidden and unseen at first, its effect is comprehensive and unstoppable. The parable assures disciples that the gospel's quiet working will achieve God's full purpose.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Matt 13:33He 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.”
- 1 Cor 5:6Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole lump?
- Jas 1:21Therefore, putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness, receive with humility the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
- John 15:2Every branch in me that doesn’t bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
- Phil 1:9–11This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment;
- Prov 4:18But the path of the righteous is like the dawning light, that shines more and more until the perfect day.
- Phil 1:6being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.
- 1 Th 5:23–24May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- John 4:14but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst again; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”
- Job 17:9Yet shall the righteous hold on his way. He who has clean hands shall grow stronger and stronger.
- Hos 6:3Let us acknowledge Yahweh. Let us press on to know Yahweh. As surely as the sun rises, Yahweh will appear. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain that waters the earth.”
- Ps 92:13–14They are planted in Yahweh’s house. They will flourish in our God’s courts.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Luke shows Jesus the Savior for all — outsiders, the poor, the nations — the one who, on the Emmaus road, opened all the Scriptures to show they were about himself.
How Luke 13:21 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.