He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a person took and sowed in his field;
Parallel translations
- WEB He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field;
- KJV 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:
- BSB He put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field.
- NKJV Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field,
- NLT Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field.
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
Jesus likens the Kingdom of Heaven to a tiny mustard seed a man sows in his field. God's reign begins small and unimpressive but is destined to grow.
Overview
The parable of the mustard seed teaches that the Kingdom's beginnings are humble and easily overlooked. A man deliberately sows this smallest of seeds, expecting growth. The image fits Jesus' own ministry, which began modestly with a handful of disciples yet would spread throughout the world, showing that God accomplishes great ends from small beginnings.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Luke 13:18–19He said, “What is God’s Kingdom like? To what shall I compare it?
- Mark 4:30–32He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it?
- Matt 17:20He said to them, “Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
- Luke 17:6The Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you would tell this sycamore tree, ‘Be uprooted, and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
- Matt 13:24He set another parable before them, saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field,
- Luke 20:9He began to tell the people this parable. “A man planted a vineyard, and rented it out to some farmers, and went into another country for a long time.
- Luke 19:11As they heard these things, he went on and told a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and they supposed that God’s Kingdom would be revealed immediately.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 13:31 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.