Matthew 13:40 kjv
As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
Matthew 13:40 nkjv
Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.
Matthew 13:40 niv
"As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.
Matthew 13:40 esv
Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age.
Matthew 13:40 nlt
"Just as the weeds are sorted out and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the world.
Matthew 13 40 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 3:12 | His winnowing fork is in his hand... he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. | Foreshadows fiery judgment and separation. |
| Matt 7:19 | Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. | Condemnation based on fruitlessness. |
| Matt 13:38 | The good seed are the sons of the kingdom; the weeds are the sons of the evil one. | Identifies "tares" as unrighteous/wicked. |
| Matt 13:41-42 | The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather... all evildoers and throw them into the fiery furnace. | Immediate follow-up; angels as agents of judgment. |
| Matt 13:49-50 | So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come... and throw them into the fiery furnace. | Repeats the imagery for another parable (net). |
| Matt 25:41 | Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire...' | Description of final, eternal judgment for wicked. |
| John 15:6 | If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. | Non-abiding leads to destruction. |
| Isa 1:31 | ...the strong one will become tinder, and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the fire. | Wicked consumed by divine judgment. |
| Isa 5:24 | Therefore, as fire devours stubble and as dry grass sinks in flames, so their roots will decay... | Impending destruction upon the ungodly. |
| Mal 4:1 | "Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble... | The Day of the Lord as a consuming fire. |
| Dan 12:2 | Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. | Dual destiny at the end of the age. |
| Jude 1:7 | ...Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality... suffering the punishment of eternal fire. | Historical example of divine fiery judgment. |
| Rev 20:10 | The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone... and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. | Ultimate fate of evil and its followers. |
| Rev 20:15 | Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. | The final exclusion and judgment. |
| Heb 12:29 | for our "God is a consuming fire." | Nature of God's holiness and judgment. |
| 2 Thes 1:7-9 | ...when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire... He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel... eternal destruction. | Judgment accompanied by fire upon disobedient. |
| Jer 23:29 | "Is not my word like fire," declares the LORD, "and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?" | God's word (judgment) likened to fire. |
| Psa 21:9 | At the time of your appearing, you will make them like a fiery furnace. The LORD in his wrath will swallow them up... | Kings' enemies consumed by God's wrath. |
| Joel 2:3 | Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes; before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desolate wasteland. | The coming of God's day marked by fire. |
| 2 Pet 3:10-12 | But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear... the elements will be destroyed by fire... | Description of the ultimate fiery end of the present cosmos. |
| Matt 24:3 | What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? | Disciples' query sets the context for "end of the age" discussions. |
| Phil 3:18-19 | For many walk... whose end is destruction... whose glory is in their shame... who mind earthly things. | Describes those heading for destruction. |
| Ps 37:20 | But the wicked will perish; the LORD's enemies will vanish like the splendor of the fields— they will vanish like smoke. | Metaphorical end for the wicked. |
Matthew 13 verses
Matthew 13 40 Meaning
Matthew 13:40 succinctly explains the outcome for those symbolized by the "tares" (weeds) in Jesus' Parable of the Weeds (Matthew 13:24-30). It declares that just as weeds are collected and incinerated after the harvest, so too will those who belong to the evil one (the "sons of the evil one" mentioned in Matt 13:38) face ultimate fiery judgment at the culmination of the present age. This verse emphasizes the certainty of divine separation and condemnation for the unrighteous at a set future time.
Matthew 13 40 Context
Matthew 13:40 is part of Jesus' private explanation of the Parable of the Weeds (Matt 13:24-30), following its public narration. The entire chapter focuses on parables of the Kingdom of Heaven, illustrating its nature, growth, and eventual culmination. The Parable of the Weeds, in particular, describes a field (the world) sown with good seed (sons of the kingdom) by the Son of Man, but also secretly sown with weeds (sons of the evil one) by an enemy (the devil). The key message of this parable, clarified in verses 36-43, is that the good and the evil will coexist until the "end of the age." Verse 40 specifically addresses the fate of the "tares" or weeds, emphasizing that divine judgment is reserved for the eschatological harvest. Historically and culturally, agricultural practices involving separating weeds from crops were common, and Jewish apocalyptic literature frequently employed "fire" as a symbol of divine judgment and purification at the close of an era. The direct or indirect "polemic" is against any idea that humans should undertake this final separation prematurely, advocating for God's perfect timing and method.
Matthew 13 40 Word analysis
- As therefore (οὕτως οὖν – houtōs oun): "Thus therefore" or "Consequently therefore." This phrase connects the symbolic action in the parable (burning of tares) to its spiritual reality. It signifies a direct and undeniable correspondence between the earthly illustration and the heavenly judgment.
- the tares (τὰ ζιζάνια – ta zizania): This refers to "darnel" (Lolium temulentum), a common weed in ancient Israel. It looks remarkably similar to wheat in its early growth stages, making differentiation difficult until harvest. Biblically, Jesus identifies these as the "sons of the evil one" (Matt 13:38), signifying people who deceptively resemble true believers or outwardly participate in the "world" (God's field) but lack true spiritual fruit, being inherently aligned with evil.
- are gathered (συλλέγεται – syllegéetai): From syllégō, meaning "to gather together, collect, pick up." This is a present passive indicative, indicating an ongoing or certain action. In the parable, the reapers (angels, Matt 13:41) perform this action, highlighting divine, orderly, and comprehensive separation by God's agents.
- and burned (καὶ καίεται – kai kaíetai): From kaiō, "to burn, consume by fire." This is also a present passive indicative, indicating an absolute and certain outcome. The burning symbolizes complete destruction and punitive judgment. This aligns with many Old Testament prophecies of judgment using fire.
- in the fire (ἐν τῷ πυρί – en tō pyri): Pyr refers to literal fire. Theologically, fire in the Bible often symbolizes divine judgment, wrath, testing, or purification. Here, given the context of destruction for the wicked, it overwhelmingly points to wrathful, consuming judgment, rather than purification.
- so shall it be (οὕτως ἔσται – houtōs estai): "So it shall be," "thus will it happen." This confirms the future certainty and exact parallel between the parable's imagery and the future event. It underscores the unchangeable decree of God's judgment.
- in the end (ἐν τῇ συντελείᾳ – en tē synteleiā): From synteleia, meaning "completion, culmination, consummation, conclusion, full end." This term denotes the winding up or conclusion of a period, specifically an "age." It is not simply "the end," but the specific terminal point when God's plan for this current age comes to its climax.
- of this world (τοῦ αἰῶνος – tou aiōnos): From aiōn, meaning "age, epoch, period of time." Often translated "world," but here it specifically refers to the current corrupted age (not the physical earth as in kosmos). It points to the termination of the present evil age and the ushering in of the new age of God's kingdom in its fullness. It denotes an eschatological time when God's kingdom will fully manifest.
Words-group analysis:
- "As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.": This entire statement is a direct simile, establishing a parallel between the physical agricultural process and a spiritual eschatological event. It vividly portrays the inevitability and severity of divine judgment for those aligned with evil at the culmination of the present age. The structure reinforces the cause-and-effect of God's final righteous acts.
Matthew 13 40 Bonus section
The parable of the Weeds, of which Matt 13:40 is a part, highlights the patience and sovereignty of God. The instruction to "let both grow together until the harvest" (Matt 13:30) is a command against a premature, human-driven purge. This underscores the theological concept of God's longsuffering, allowing all to come to repentance or reveal their true nature before the appointed time of judgment. This passage also implies that human discernment is limited; we cannot always accurately distinguish true believers from imposters. Therefore, the task of separation belongs solely to the omniscient Lord and His heavenly agents at the very end of the age. The "fire" is not merely symbolic of general punishment but points to a real and severe eternal consequence for the wicked.
Matthew 13 40 Commentary
Matthew 13:40 is a stark and crucial interpretive key to Jesus' Parable of the Weeds, laying bare the eschatological destiny of the unrighteous. It underscores several profound truths about God's kingdom and judgment. Firstly, it reiterates the divine certainty of a coming separation: just as weeds are distinctly removed from wheat, so too will those who outwardly appear part of humanity, but inwardly serve evil, be definitively separated from the righteous. Secondly, the imagery of "fire" signals the severity and finality of God's judgment. It is not corrective or purgatorial for the wicked, but utterly consuming, symbolizing irreversible destruction and torment. This emphasizes God's righteous wrath against sin. Thirdly, the phrase "in the end of this world/age" reveals divine timing. God permits the coexistence of good and evil for a period, displaying incredible patience (cf. 2 Pet 3:9), but a decisive consummation awaits. This is not an arbitrary moment but a climactic point in history when God's purposes for this age are brought to their full, revealing culmination, marked by Christ's return and the manifestation of His full reign. This verse cautions against human attempts to prematurely execute this final separation, reserving it solely for God and His angels, and serves as a sobering reminder for all to assess their true allegiance.