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.'