Matthew 13:38

The field is the world, and the good seed represents the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — Jesus addresses his disciples in Matthew 13, providing the allegorical explanation for the parable of the wheat and the weeds immediately after identifying himself as the sower.

The words — The Greek term ἀγρὸς (agros) literally means "field," and κόσμος (kosmos) denotes the "world" or inhabited earth.

The thread — Matthew 13:38 states that the field is the world and divides humanity into two categories: the sons of the kingdom and the sons of the evil one. This binary spiritual alignment runs through John 8:44 and Acts 13:10, which contrast those aligned with God against those aligned with the devil.

Why it lands — The text demands a clear, immediate assessment of one's spiritual origin and allegiance, leaving no neutral ground for the reader.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

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

Cross-references

John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
Acts 13:10 and said, “O child of the devil and enemy of all righteousness, you are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery! Will you never stop perverting the straight ways of the Lord?
Philippians 3:18 For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ.
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.
Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
1 Peter 1:23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
Matthew 13:19 When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
James 1:18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of His creation.
Psalms 22:30 Posterity will serve Him; they will declare the Lord to a new generation.
Isaiah 53:10 Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand.