4 As he sowed, some seed fell along the path,af and the birds came and devouredag it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly,ah since the soil wasn’t deep. 6 When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.ai 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce fruit. 8 Still other seed fell on good ground and it grew up, producing fruit that increasedaj thirty, sixty, and a hundred times.”ak 9 Then he said, “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”al

WHY JESUS USED PARABLES

10 When he was alone, those around him with the Twelveam asked him about the parables.an 11 He answered them, “The secretao of the kingdom of Godap has been given to you, but to those outside,aq everything comes in parables 12 so that

they may indeed look,

and yet not perceive;

they may indeed listen,

and yet not understand;ar

otherwise, they might turn back

and be forgiven.”D,E,as

THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER EXPLAINED

13 Thenat he said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable?au How then will you understand all of the parables? 14 The sower sowsav the word.aw 15 Some are like the word sown on the path.ax When they hear, immediately Satanay comes and takes away the wordaz sown in them.F 16 And others are like seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy.ba 17 But they have no root; they are short-lived. When distressbb or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately fall away.bc 18 Others are like seed sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, 19 but the worriesbd of this age,be the deceitfulnessG,bf of wealth,bg and the desiresbh for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.bi 20 And those like seed sown on good ground hear the word,bj welcome it, and produce fruitbk thirty, sixty, and a hundred times what was sown.”