· Translation: KJV

Matthew 13:31He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field;

The setting

Galilee, ~30 AD. Jesus beginning another parable, likely gesturing toward actual mustard plants growing nearby...

The emotion here: excited anticipation while teaching about potential

The original word

sinapi (σινάπι) — black mustard seed, smallest seed that produces largest garden plant

Why it matters

Mustard plants could grow 8-12 feet tall in one season from tiny seeds

Read with care

What most readers miss in Matthew 13:31

This was the start of a new parable — Jesus was building anticipation about small beginnings

Common misconceptionPeople focus only on the seed's smallness, missing that Jesus is emphasizing the KINGDOM'S explosive growth from humble starts.

Bible Genome reading

Matthew 13:31 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerMatthew
Eragospel
Primary emotionstarting
Literary typenarrative
MarkPromise of God

Emotional genome

Comfort power70%
Quotability80%
Memorability85%
Crisis relevance45%
Standalone70%
Themes:kingdomsmall beginnings

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open Matthew 13

Matthew 13:31 comes from the book of Matthew, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Matthew. The dominant emotion in this verse is starting, with a comfort power of 70% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include kingdom, small beginnings. Notable phrases: Kingdom of Heaven; mustard seed; sowed in field. This verse contains a promise of God.

Your reflection

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