36 When He had dismissed the people and had returned to the house, His disciples came to Him with the request, »Explain to us the parable of the darnel sown in the field.«

37 »The sower of the good seed,« He replied, »is the Son of Man;

38 the field is the world; the good seed–these are the sons of the Kingdom; the darnel, the sons of the Evil one.

39 The enemy who sows the darnel is the Devil; the harvest is the Close of the Age; the reapers are the angels.

40 As then the darnel is collected together and burnt up with fire, so will it be at the Close of the Age.

41 The Son of Man will commission His angels, and they will gather out of His Kingdom all causes of sin and all who violate His laws;

42 and these they will throw into the fiery furnace. There will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth.

43 Then will the righteous shine out like the sun in their Father's Kingdom. Listen, every one who has ears!