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Matthew 13:30
ESV Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”
NIV Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.''
NASB Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, 'First gather up the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn.'?’?'
CSB Let both grow together until the harvest. At harvest time I'll tell the reapers: Gather the weeds first and tie them in bundles to burn them, but collect the wheat in my barn.' "
NLT Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’'
KJV Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

What does Matthew 13:30 mean?

This concludes the parable of "the wheat and the weeds," also known as "the wheat and the tares." A farmer's field has been attacked. After the farmer planted good wheat seeds, an enemy snuck in after dark and planted weed seeds alongside the wheat. The weed in question is almost certainly darnel, also known as tares or "false wheat." This looks almost exactly like wheat early on, so the infestation is only discovered after the good wheat plants begin to develop their grain.

The farmer has explained to his servants why they cannot pull up the weeds. By this time, the roots of both wheat and weed are likely entangled. Taking out one or two plants would be one thing, but in this case the entire field is riddled with weeds. To yank out the weeds will bring up the wheat plants too soon.

Now the farmer reveals his strategy for dealing with these weeds. He will leave them alone for now. He will let them grow to maturity alongside the wheat, and then he will tell his harvesters to gather the weeds first and then the wheat. They will harvest the weeds, bundle them, and burn them. At that point, the wheat is going to be harvested anyway, so it can be collected and put into storage in the farmer's barn.

Jesus began this parable as He did most of those recorded in this section: by saying "the kingdom of heaven may be compared to…" (Matthew 13:24). This is because many people wondered why Jesus, as the supposed Messiah, was not immediately bringing judgment on Israel's enemies and the unfaithful. They assumed the Promised One would set right to overthrowing the Romans and setting up His kingdom on earth. To dispel those misunderstandings, Jesus explains the kingdom using parables.

In this parable, Jesus symbolically described two groups of people: those who will be gathered into the barn and those who will be burned up. The barn represents the kingdom of heaven that He has been preaching about. The fire represents God's judgment, which is sometimes compared to a harvest. Jesus, then, is answering the question of how He has brought the kingdom without bringing the judgment. He is allowing both the "kingdom people" and those destined for God's wrath to remain together until the "day of the Lord" when the judgment will come and He will establish His political kingdom on earth (Matthew 13:36–43).
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