33Another parable he spoke to them: 'The kingdom of the heavens is like leaven, which a woman, having taken, hid into three sata of flour, until it was all leavened.'
MAT 13:33
The Parable of the Leaven
In the world it was spoken into
In the 1st-century Mediterranean world, leaven was a common household substance used in bread-making, but it carried ambivalent connotations. While it was essential for fermentation, it could also symbolize corruption or impurity, as seen in Jewish purity laws that required the removal of leaven during Passover (Exodus 12:15). The parable’s mention of a woman hiding leaven in three measures of flour would have evoked the daily labor of women in domestic settings, where bread-making was a central task. Three measures (about 39 liters) was a significant quantity, suggesting abundance and hospitality, themes often associated with the kingdom of God. The act of hiding the leaven implies its transformative power—small and unseen, yet capable of permeating and changing the whole batch. For Jesus’ audience, this parable would have subverted expectations, using a mundane, even suspect, element to illustrate the pervasive and transformative nature of God’s reign.
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How other translations render this
MAT 13:33
- KJV
- Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
- BSB
- He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour, until all of it was leavened.”
- Koinōnos
- Another parable he spoke to them: 'The kingdom of the heavens is like leaven, which a woman, having taken, hid into three sata of flour, until it was all leavened.
Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.
Translator's notes
MAT 13:33
- spoke He:The word translated 'spoke' often implies a more informal, conversational manner of speaking, rather than a formal declaration or teaching.
- hid:The word translated 'hid' here carries the sense of mixing or kneading something into a larger mass, rather than simply concealing it.
- measures:The word translated 'measures' refers to a specific ancient unit of dry measure, roughly equivalent to a large bucket or basket, indicating a substantial quantity.