When the evil spirit was driven out [by Jesus] the [former] deaf-mute began to speak, and the crowds marveled, saying, "No one in Israel has ever seen this done before."

Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits, more evil than itself, and they reenter [the body] and [begin to] live there, so that the latter state of that person becomes worse than the former [state]. It will be the same way with the people of this evil generation."

And He spoke many things to them in parables [i.e., brief stories to illustrate His teaching], saying, "Once a farmer went out [to his field] to plant grain.

"Listen then to this parable of the farmer [who sowed seed].

The farmer's hired hands came and asked him, 'Did you not plant [only] good seed in your field? Where did the weeds come from [then]?'

But the farmer said, 'No, for while you are gathering up the weeds, you might root up [some of] the wheat with them.

"For the kingdom of heaven is similar to a farmer who went out early one morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.

And when they received it, they complained to the farmer,