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^[21] He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? ^[22] For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. ^[23] If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” ^[24] “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you-and even more. ^[25] Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” ^[26] He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. ^[27] Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. ^[28] All by itself the soil produces grain-first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. ^[29] As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” ^[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 is the smallest of all seeds on earth. ^[32] 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 similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. ^[34] He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.