"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

— Matthew 13:47-50 (NIV)

Jesus shared this parable as part of His series of kingdom parables in Matthew 13. It comes as a sobering reminder about the final judgment, following parables about the kingdom's growth and value.

Kingdom Gathering

Divine Discernment

Final Separation

Parable of the Dragnet

He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.

All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.

As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

— Mark 4:26-29 (NIV)

Jesus shared this parable alongside other agricultural parables about God's kingdom. It appears only in Mark's gospel and emphasizes the mysterious, autonomous nature of spiritual growth.

Divine Partnership

Patient Waiting

Harvest Certainty

Parable of the Growing Seed

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."

— Matthew 13:44 (NIV)

Jesus shared this brief but powerful parable as part of a series of kingdom parables. It would have resonated with His audience who understood the practice of hiding valuables in fields during times of war or uncertainty.

Kingdom Value

Total Commitment

Wise Investment

Parable of the Hidden Treasure

He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough."

— Matthew 13:33 (NIV)

Jesus shared this parable immediately after the Mustard Seed parable, providing another illustration of how God's kingdom works in hidden but transformative ways.

Hidden Impact

Transformative Power

Patient Process

Parable of the Leaven

He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches."

— Matthew 13:31-32 (NIV)

Jesus shared this parable as part of a series of kingdom parables, illustrating how God's kingdom grows from seemingly insignificant beginnings to encompass all nations.

Kingdom Growth

Faith's Power

Divine Purpose

Parable of the Mustard Seed

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it."

— Matthew 13:45-46 (NIV)

Jesus told this parable immediately after the Hidden Treasure parable, reinforcing the theme of the kingdom's supreme worth. The merchant represents someone actively seeking truth, unlike the accidental discovery in the previous parable.

kingdom

Parable of the Dragnet

Parable of the Growing Seed

Parable of the Hidden Treasure

Parable of the Leaven

Parable of the Mustard Seed

Parable of the Pearl of Great Price