New American Standard Bible NAS
New International Version NIV
26 And He was saying, "The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil;
26
He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground.
27 and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows -how, he himself does not know.
27
Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.
28 "The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head.
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All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.
29 "But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."
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As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
30 And He said, "How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it?
30
Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?
31 "It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil,
31
It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth.
32 yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR can NEST UNDER ITS SHADE."
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Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
33 With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it;
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With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.
34 and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.
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He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
35 On that day, when evening came, He said to them, "Let us go over to the other side."
35
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.”
36 Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him.
36
Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.
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Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.