Mark 4:26-34

Then He said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who throws seed on the ground; and he goes to bed at night and gets up every day, and [in the meantime] the seed sprouts and grows; how [it does this], he does not know. The earth produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head [of grain], then the mature grain in the head. But when the crop ripens, he immediately puts in the sickle [to reap], because [the time for] the harvest has come.” And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use to illustrate and explain it? [Matt 13:31, 32; Luke 13:18, 19] It is like a mustard seed, which, when it is sown on the ground, even though it is smaller than all the [other] seeds that are [sown] on the soil, yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden herbs; and it puts out large branches, so that THE BIRDS OF THE SKY are able to MAKE NESTS and LIVE UNDER ITS SHADE.” [Ps 104:12; Ezek 17:23; 31:6] With many such parables, Jesus spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear and understand it; and He did not say anything to them without [using] a parable; He did, however, explain everything privately to His own disciples.