4:31

The Berean Standard Bible has reordered the clauses in the Greek text. For that reason, the Notes and Display for this verse use the Contemporary English Version as the base text.

4:31a

(Contemporary English Version) It is like what happens when a mustard seed: This clause It is like what happens when a mustard seed is a type of comparison called a simile. It compares the kingdom of God to what happens when a mustard seed is planted in the ground. The Jewish people considered the mustard seed to be a symbol of smallness. However, the mustard plant grew to be a tree as large as three meters (ten feet) high.

The point of similarity in this comparison is the contrast in size. The mustard seed is small but the mature plant is large. Like the mustard plant, the kingdom of God is very small at its beginning, but it becomes very large.

Here is another way to translate It is like what happens when a mustard seed:

It is like a tiny grain of mustard-seed which… (Phillips’ New Testament in Modern English)

mustard seed: If people in your language group do not know about mustard seeds or plants, here are some ways to translate mustard seed:

• Use a loan word along with a general term if necessary. For example:

a seed of the plant/tree called mustard

• Use a descriptive phrase. For example:

a very tiny seed

If you use this option, you may want to combine the information with 4:31a–b to avoid saying the same thing twice. For example:

The kingdom of heaven is like the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.

• Use the name of a local seed that is known to be very small, but grows into a tree. If you use this option, you may want to indicate the literal name in a footnote. For example, you could say in the footnote:

The Greek text is literally “a mustard seed.”

Regardless of the way you translate mustard seed, it is suggested that you add a footnote that explains the significance of mustard seed in the Jewish culture. For example:

For the Jews, the mustard seed was a symbol of something that was very small. But the mustard seed that was planted in the country of the Jews grew into a tree that was three meters high.

4:31b

(Contemporary English Version) is planted in the ground: The Greek verb that the Contemporary English Version translates as is planted is passive. In some languages you may need to use an active verb and supply a general subject. For example:

you plant in the ground (New Century Version)
-or-
A man…plants it in the ground. (Good News Bible)

(Contemporary English Version) It is the smallest seed in all the world: The Greek phrase that the Contemporary English Version translates as It is the smallest seed in the world is literally: “being smaller than all of the seeds of the earth.” This expression is a hyperbole. It exaggerates the smallness of the seed. This helps teach the point that the kingdom of God started with only a few people.

Here are some other ways to translate this phrase:

the smallest of all the seeds on earth (Revised Standard Version)
-or-
one of the smallest seeds on earth (God’s Word)
-or-
the smallest of all seeds (New Living Translation)

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