Matthew 13:25
New International Version
But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.

New Living Translation
But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away.

English Standard Version
but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

Berean Standard Bible
But while everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and slipped away.

Berean Literal Bible
And while the men are sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds in the midst of the wheat, and went away.

King James Bible
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

New King James Version
but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.

New American Standard Bible
But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and left.

NASB 1995
“But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.

NASB 1977
“But while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away.

Legacy Standard Bible
But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.

Amplified Bible
But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds [resembling wheat] among the wheat, and went away.

Christian Standard Bible
But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But while people were sleeping, his enemy came, sowed weeds among the wheat, and left.

American Standard Version
but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away.

Contemporary English Version
But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and scattered weed seeds in the field and then left.

English Revised Version
but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
But while people were asleep, his enemy planted weeds in the wheat field and went away.

Good News Translation
One night, when everyone was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

International Standard Version
While people were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

Majority Standard Bible
But while everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and slipped away.

NET Bible
But while everyone was sleeping, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.

New Heart English Bible
but while everyone slept, his enemy came and sowed tares also among the wheat, and went away.

Webster's Bible Translation
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and departed.

Weymouth New Testament
but during the night his enemy comes, and over the first seed he sows darnel among the wheat, and goes away.

World English Bible
but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel weeds also among the wheat, and went away.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and while men are sleeping, his enemy came and sowed darnel in the midst of the wheat, and went away,

Berean Literal Bible
And while the men are sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds in the midst of the wheat, and went away.

Young's Literal Translation
and, while men are sleeping, his enemy came and sowed darnel in the midst of the wheat, and went away,

Smith's Literal Translation
And in men's sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares in the midst of the wheat, and went away.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But while men were asleep, his enemy came and oversowed cockle among the wheat and went his way.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But while the men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds amid the wheat, and then went away.

New American Bible
While everyone was asleep his enemy came and sowed weeds all through the wheat, and then went off.

New Revised Standard Version
but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And when the men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and he left.
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.

Godbey New Testament
And while the men slept, an enemy came, and sowed tares in the midst of the wheat, and departed.

Haweis New Testament
and while the men were asleep, his enemy came and sowed zizane among the wheat, and departed.

Mace New Testament
but while the people slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

Weymouth New Testament
but during the night his enemy comes, and over the first seed he sows darnel among the wheat, and goes away.

Worrell New Testament
and, while men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares in the midst of the wheat, and went away.

Worsley New Testament
but while men were asleep, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went away.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Parable of the Weeds
24Jesus put before them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25But while everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and slipped away. 26When the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared.…

Cross References
Matthew 24:43
But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.

1 Peter 5:8
Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. / And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. / It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their actions.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10
The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the working of Satan, with every kind of power, sign, and false wonder, / and with every wicked deception directed against those who are perishing, because they refused the love of the truth that would have saved them.

John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness.

1 John 3:8
The one who practices sin is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the very start. This is why the Son of God was revealed, to destroy the works of the devil.

Acts 20:29-30
I know that after my departure, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. / Even from your own number, men will rise up and distort the truth to draw away disciples after them.

2 Timothy 3:13
while evil men and imposters go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Revelation 12:9
And the great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.

Revelation 20:8
and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to assemble them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the seashore.

Genesis 3:1-6
Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field that the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” / The woman answered the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden, / but about the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You must not eat of it or touch it, or you will die.’” ...

Job 1:6-7
One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. / “Where have you come from?” said the LORD to Satan. “From roaming through the earth,” he replied, “and walking back and forth in it.”

Zechariah 3:1-2
Then the angel showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, with Satan standing at his right hand to accuse him. / And the LORD said to Satan: “The LORD rebukes you, Satan! Indeed, the LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebukes you! Is not this man a firebrand snatched from the fire?”

Isaiah 14:12-15
How you have fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the ground, O destroyer of nations. / You said in your heart: “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the mount of assembly, in the far reaches of the north. / I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” ...

Ezekiel 28:14-17
You were anointed as a guardian cherub, for I had ordained you. You were on the holy mountain of God; you walked among the fiery stones. / From the day you were created you were blameless in your ways—until wickedness was found in you. / By the vastness of your trade, you were filled with violence, and you sinned. So I drove you in disgrace from the mountain of God, and I banished you, O guardian cherub, from among the fiery stones. ...


Treasury of Scripture

But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

men.

Matthew 25:5
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

Isaiah 56:9,10
All ye beasts of the field, come to devour, yea, all ye beasts in the forest…

Acts 20:30,31
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them…

enemy.

Matthew 13:39
The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ…

1 Peter 5:8
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

tares.

Matthew 13:38
The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

Jump to Previous
Amongst Darnel Departed Enemy Evil First Goes Grain Hate Midst Night Seed Seeds Sleeping Slept Sowed Sows Tares Way Weeds Wheat
Jump to Next
Amongst Darnel Departed Enemy Evil First Goes Grain Hate Midst Night Seed Seeds Sleeping Slept Sowed Sows Tares Way Weeds Wheat
Matthew 13
1. The parable of the sower and the seed;
18. the explanation of it.
24. The parable of the weeds;
31. of the mustard seed;
33. of the leaven;
36. explanation of the parable of the weeds.
44. The parable of the hidden treasure;
45. of the pearl;
47. of the drag net cast into the sea.
53. Jesus is a prophet without honor in his own country.














But while everyone was asleep
This phrase sets the stage for the parable's unfolding drama. The Greek word for "asleep" (καθεύδω, katheudō) implies a state of unawareness or neglect. In a spiritual context, this can symbolize a lack of vigilance or spiritual slumber among believers. Historically, sleep is often used metaphorically in Scripture to denote a period of inattention or vulnerability (e.g., 1 Thessalonians 5:6). The call here is for Christians to remain spiritually alert and watchful, guarding against the subtle incursions of evil.

his enemy came
The "enemy" in this parable represents Satan or the forces of evil. The Greek word for "enemy" (ἐχθρός, echthros) conveys hostility and opposition. This adversary is not a passive force but an active agent seeking to undermine the work of God. In the broader biblical narrative, Satan is often depicted as a deceiver and accuser, intent on sowing discord and destruction (e.g., 1 Peter 5:8). The presence of an enemy highlights the reality of spiritual warfare and the need for discernment and resistance.

and sowed weeds among the wheat
The act of sowing "weeds" (ζιζάνια, zizania) among the "wheat" is a deliberate act of sabotage. Historically, zizania refers to darnel, a weed that closely resembles wheat in its early stages, making it difficult to distinguish between the two. This imagery underscores the deceptive nature of evil, which often masquerades as good. Theologically, this reflects the presence of false teachings and hypocritical believers within the church, as warned in other New Testament passages (e.g., 2 Corinthians 11:13-15). The challenge for the faithful is to discern truth from falsehood and maintain purity in doctrine and practice.

and slipped away
The enemy's departure, having completed his malicious task, suggests a stealthy and cunning approach. The Greek verb used here (ἀπέρχομαι, aperchomai) implies a quiet withdrawal, emphasizing the subtlety with which evil can infiltrate and retreat unnoticed. This calls believers to be vigilant and proactive in their spiritual lives, recognizing that the enemy often works in hidden and insidious ways. The historical context of agricultural sabotage adds a layer of realism to the parable, as such acts were not uncommon in ancient times, further illustrating the parable's relevance and urgency.

(25, 26) His enemy came and sowed tares.--The act described was then--and still is--a common form of Eastern malice or revenge. It easily escaped detection. It inflicted both loss and trouble. The "enemy" had the satisfaction of brooding for weeks or months over the prospect of the injury he had inflicted, and the vexation it would cause when discovered. The tares, known to botanists as the Lolium temulentum, or darnel, grew up at first with stalk and blade like the wheat; and it was not till fructification began that the difference was easily detected. It adds to the point of the parable to remember that the seeds of the tares were not merely useless as food, but were positively noxious.

Verse 25. - But while men slept. Not in the explanation. If more than merely a part of the necessary framework of the story, it points to the secrecy with which the devil works. His enemy came. This form of malice is still well known in the East (cf. Exell's 'Biblical Illustrator,' in loc.). And sowed. Sowed over or in (ἐπέσπειρεν). Tares; i.e. bearded darnel, Lolium temulentum, "a kind of rye grass, and the only species of the grass family the seeds of which are poisonous. The derivation of zauan [ζιζάνια] is from zan, 'vomiting,' the effect of eating darnel being to produce violent nausea, convulsions, and diarrhoea, which frequently ends in death" (Tristram, 'Nat. Hist. of Bible,' p. 487, edit. 1889). Among the wheat, and went his way; went away (Revised Version, ἀπῆλθεν).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

while
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

everyone
ἀνθρώπους (anthrōpous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 444: A man, one of the human race. From aner and ops; man-faced, i.e. A human being.

was asleep,
καθεύδειν (katheudein)
Verb - Present Infinitive Active
Strong's 2518: To sleep, be sleeping. From kata and heudo; to lie down to rest, i.e. to fall asleep.

his
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

enemy
ἐχθρὸς (echthros)
Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2190: Hated, hostile; subst: an enemy. From a primary echtho; hateful; usually as a noun, an adversary.

came
ἦλθεν (ēlthen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2064: To come, go.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

sowed
ἐπέσπειρεν (epespeiren)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 4687: To sow, spread, scatter. Probably strengthened from spao; to scatter, i.e. Sow.

weeds
ζιζάνια (zizania)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural
Strong's 2215: Darnel or false grain.

among
ἀνὰ (ana)
Preposition
Strong's 303: A primary preposition and adverb; properly, up; but used severally, or at.

the
τοῦ (tou)
Article - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

wheat,
σίτου (sitou)
Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular
Strong's 4621: Wheat, grain. Also plural irregular neuter sita of uncertain derivation; grain, especially wheat.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

slipped away.
ἀπῆλθεν (apēlthen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 565: From apo and erchomai; to go off, aside or behind, literally or figuratively.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 13:25 But while people slept his enemy came (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 13:24
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