Matthew 13:29
What does Matthew 13:29 mean?
A plain-English look at Matthew 13:29 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Matthew 13:29 means
The owner refuses to let the servants gather the tares because pulling them could uproot the wheat. This wise restraint teaches that hasty or violent efforts to eliminate evil can do greater harm to the good. It counsels patience and careful judgment. The verse suggests that God’s wisdom foresees unintended consequences of premature separation; sometimes preservation of the whole until the proper time is the more righteous course, trusting God’s final sorting at harvest.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000But he saith, Nay; lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the wheat with them.
KJV
King James Version · 1611But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901But he saith, Nay; lest haply while ye gather up the tares, ye root up the wheat with them.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949But he says, No, for fear that by chance while you take up the evil plants, you may be rooting up the grain with them.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`And he said, No, lest--gathering up the darnel--ye root up with it the wheat,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And he said: No, lest perhaps gathering up the cockle, you root up the wheat also together with it.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890But he said, No; lest [in] gathering the darnel ye should root up the wheat with it.
Context
The owner’s refusal answers the servants’ impulse to act. It highlights the difficulty of separating good from evil now without collateral damage. The narrative moves toward the resolution—both grow together until the harvest—teaching about the timing and nature of divine judgment.
v.28And he said unto them, An enemy hath done this. And the servants say unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
v.29This passage
v.30Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather up first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.
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