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He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field,

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but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

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So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also.

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And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’

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He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’

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But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them.

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Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’ ”

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Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.”

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He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.

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The field is the world, and the good seed is the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,

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and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels.

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Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age.

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The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers,

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and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.