4 26 He said, 'The kingdom of God is like this. A man scatters seed on the land; 4 27 he goes to bed at night and gets up in the morning, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he does not know. 4 28 The ground produces a crop by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then full-grown corn in the ear; 4 29 but as soon as the crop is ripe, he sets to work with the sickle, because harvest-time has come.'