Mark 4:26–34

²⁶Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷Night and day he sleeps and wakes, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he knows not how. ²⁸All by itself the earth produces a crop— first the stalk, then the head, then grain that ripens within. ²⁹And as soon as the grain is ripe, he swings the sickle, because the harvest has come.^c”

³⁰Then He asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God? With what parable shall we present it? ³¹It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds sown upon the earth. ³²But after it is planted, it grows to be the largest of all garden plants and puts forth great branches, so that the birds of the air nest in its shade.”

³³With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them, to the extent that they could understand. ³⁴He did not tell them anything without using a parable. But privately He explained everything to His own disciples.