Mark 4:1–12

And again he began to teach by the sea side. And there is gathered unto him a very great multitude, so that he entered into a boat, and sat in the sea; and all the multitude were by the sea on the land. ²And he taught them many things in parables, and said unto them in his teaching, ³Hearken: Behold, the sower went forth to sow: ⁴and it came to pass, as he sowed, some seed fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured it. ⁵And other fell on the rocky ground, where it had not much earth; and straightway it sprang up, because it had no deepness of earth: ⁶and when the sun was risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. ⁷And other fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. ⁸And others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing; and brought forth, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold. ⁹And he said, Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

¹⁰And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parables. ¹¹And he said unto them, Unto you is given the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all things are done in parables: ¹²that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest haply they should turn again, and it should be forgiven them.