¹Jesus began to teach again by the Sea of Galilee. A very large crowd gathered around him, so he got into a boat and sat in it. The boat was in the water while the entire crowd lined the shore. ²He used stories as illustrations to teach them many things.

While he was teaching them, he said, ³“Listen! A farmer went to plant seed. ⁴Some seeds were planted along the road, and birds came and devoured them. ⁵Other seeds were planted on rocky ground, where there wasn’t much soil. The plants sprouted quickly because the soil wasn’t deep. ⁶When the sun came up, they were scorched. They didn’t have any roots, so they withered. ⁷Other seeds were planted among thornbushes. The thornbushes grew up and choked them, and they didn’t produce anything. ⁸But other seeds were planted on good ground, sprouted, and produced thirty, sixty, or one hundred times as much as was planted.” ⁹He added, “Let the person who has ears listen!”

¹⁰When he was alone with his followers and the twelve apostles, they asked him about the stories.

¹¹Jesus replied to them, “The mystery about God’s kingdom has been given ⸤directly⸥ to you. To those on the outside, it is given in stories:

¹²‘They see clearly but don’t perceive.

They hear clearly but don’t understand.

They never return to me

and are never forgiven.’ ”

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