King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked [one];
Complete Jewish Bible:
the field is the world. As for the good seed, these are the people who belong to the Kingdom; and the weeds are the people who belong to the Evil One.
Berean Standard Bible:
The field is the world, and the good seed represents the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,
American Standard Version:
and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one;
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
{G1161} The field{G68} is{G2076} the world{G2889};{G1161} the good{G2570} seed{G4690} are{G3778}{G1526} the children{G5207} of the kingdom{G932}; but{G1161} the tares{G2215} are{G1526} the children{G5207} of the wicked{G4190} one;
Cross-References (KJV):
John 8:44
- Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Philippians 3:18
- (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, [that they are] the enemies of the cross of Christ:
Philippians 3:19
- Whose end [is] destruction, whose God [is their] belly, and [whose] glory [is] in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
1 John 3:8
- He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
1 John 3:10
- In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
Genesis 3:15
- And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Acts 13:10
- And said, O full of all subtilty and all mischief, [thou] child of the devil, [thou] enemy of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?
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Commentary for Matthew 13:38
Matthew 13:38 is part of the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares, which Jesus tells to His disciples. This parable is found in the Gospel of Matthew, which was written for a Jewish audience, emphasizing Jesus as the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament. The historical context is first-century Palestine, under Roman occupation, where Jesus' teachings were often conveyed through parables to both reveal and conceal truths about the Kingdom of God, depending on the readiness of His audience to understand.
In this verse, Jesus interprets the parable for His disciples, explaining that "the field is the world." This indicates that the scope of God's Kingdom extends beyond the physical land of Israel to the entire world, reflecting the universal mission of the church. "The good seed" represents those who belong to the Kingdom of God—true believers and followers of Jesus, who are to grow and bear fruit in their lives. In contrast, "the tares" or weeds symbolize those who are the children of the evil one, likely referencing false believers or those who outwardly conform but are not truly transformed by the Gospel. These individuals may appear similar to true believers but are ultimately destined for judgment.
The themes of this verse include the mixed nature of the church and the world, the certainty of judgment, and the call for discernment among Jesus' followers. It speaks to the reality that good and evil will coexist until the end of the age, when the angels will separate the righteous from the wicked. This verse also touches on the concepts of spiritual growth and authenticity in faith, as well as the patience and long-suffering of God, who allows both wheat and tares to grow together until the harvest, lest the wheat be uprooted with the tares. This metaphor serves as a warning against hasty judgment and as an encouragement for believers to live out their faith genuinely while trusting in God's ultimate justice and sovereignty over the world.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: G1161
There are 2556 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: δέ
Transliteration: dé
Pronunciation: deh
Description: a primary particle (adversative or continuative); but, and, etc.:--also, and, but, moreover, now (often unexpressed in English). - Strong's Number: G68
There are 156 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: ἀγρός
Transliteration: agrós
Pronunciation: ag-ros'
Description: from ἄγω; a field (as a drive for cattle); genitive case, the country; specially, a farm, i.e. hamlet:--country, farm, piece of ground, land. - Strong's Number: G2076
There are 812 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: ἐστί
Transliteration: estí
Pronunciation: es-tee'
Description: third person singular present indicative of εἰμί; he (she or it) is; also (with neuter plural) they are:--are, be(-long), call, X can(-not), come, consisteth, X dure for a while, + follow, X have, (that) is (to say), make, meaneth, X must needs, + profit, + remaineth, + wrestle. - Strong's Number: G2889
There are 152 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: κόσμος
Transliteration: kósmos
Pronunciation: kos'-mos
Description: probably from the base of κομίζω; orderly arrangement, i.e. decoration; by implication, the world (in a wide or narrow sense, including its inhabitants, literally or figuratively (morally)):--adorning, world. - Strong's Number: G2570
There are 91 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: καλός
Transliteration: kalós
Pronunciation: kal-os'
Description: of uncertain affinity; properly, beautiful, but chiefly (figuratively) good (literally or morally), i.e. valuable or virtuous (for appearance or use, and thus distinguished from ἀγαθός, which is properly intrinsic):--X better, fair, good(-ly), honest, meet, well, worthy. - Strong's Number: G4690
There are 41 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: σπέρμα
Transliteration: spérma
Pronunciation: sper'-mah
Description: from σπείρω; something sown, i.e. seed (including the male "sperm"); by implication, offspring; specially, a remnant (figuratively, as if kept over for planting):--issue, seed. - Strong's Number: G3778
There are 344 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: οὗτος
Transliteration: hoûtos
Pronunciation: how'-tahee
Description: from the article ὁ and αὐτός; the he (she or it), i.e. this or that (often with article repeated):--he (it was that), hereof, it, she, such as, the same, these, they, this (man, same, woman), which, who. - Strong's Number: G1526
There are 146 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: εἰσί
Transliteration: eisí
Pronunciation: i-see'
Description: 3rd person plural present indicative of εἰμί; they are:--agree, are, be, dure, X is, were. - Strong's Number: G5207
There are 348 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: υἱός
Transliteration: huiós
Pronunciation: hwee-os'
Description: apparently a primary word; a "son" (sometimes of animals), used very widely of immediate, remote or figuratively, kinship:--child, foal, son. - Strong's Number: G932
There are 154 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: βασιλεία
Transliteration: basileía
Pronunciation: bas-il-i'-ah
Description: from βασιλεύς; properly, royalty, i.e. (abstractly) rule, or (concretely) a realm (literally or figuratively):--kingdom, + reign. - Strong's Number: G2215
There are 8 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: ζιζάνιον
Transliteration: zizánion
Pronunciation: dziz-an'-ee-on
Description: of uncertain origin; darnel or false grain:--tares. - Strong's Number: G4190
There are 71 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: πονηρός
Transliteration: ponērós
Pronunciation: pon-ay-ros'
Description: from a derivative of πόνος; hurtful, i.e. evil (properly, in effect or influence, and thus differing from κακός, which refers rather to essential character, as well as from σαπρός, which indicates degeneracy from original virtue); figuratively, calamitous; also (passively) ill, i.e. diseased; but especially (morally) culpable, i.e. derelict, vicious, facinorous; neuter (singular) mischief, malice, or (plural) guilt; masculine (singular) the devil, or (plural) sinners:--bad, evil, grievous, harm, lewd, malicious, wicked(-ness). See also πονηρότερος.