Luke 8:9–15

⁹Jesus’ followers asked him what this story meant.

¹⁰Jesus said, “You have been chosen to know the secrets about the kingdom of God. But I use stories to speak to other people so that:

‘They will look, but they may not see.

They will listen, but they may not understand.’

¹¹“This is what the story means: The seed is God’s message. ¹²The seed that fell beside the road is like the people who hear God’s teaching, but the devil comes and takes it away from them so they cannot believe it and be saved. ¹³The seed that fell on rock is like those who hear God’s teaching and accept it gladly, but they don’t allow the teaching to go deep into their lives. They believe for a while, but when trouble comes, they give up. ¹⁴The seed that fell among the thorny weeds is like those who hear God’s teaching, but they let the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life keep them from growing and producing good fruit. ¹⁵And the seed that fell on the good ground is like those who hear God’s teaching with good, honest hearts and obey it and patiently produce good fruit.