The Parable of the Sower

13:1 On that day after Jesus went out of the house, he sat by the lake. 13:2 And such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat to sit while1 the whole crowd stood on the shore. 13:3 He2 told them many things in parables,3 saying: “Listen!4 A sower went out to sow.5 13:4 And as he sowed, some seeds6 fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 13:5 Other7 seeds fell on rocky ground8 where they did not have much soil. They sprang up quickly because the soil was not deep.9 13:6 But when the sun came up, they were scorched, and because they did not have sufficient root, they withered. 13:7 Other seeds fell among the thorns,10 and they grew up and choked them.11 13:8 But other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. 13:9 The one who has ears had better listen!”12

13:10 Then13 the disciples came to him and said, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 13:11 He replied,14 “You have been given15 the opportunity to know16 the secrets17 of the kingdom of heaven, but they have not. 13:12 For whoever has will be given more, and will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.18 13:13 For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand. 13:14 And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

‘You will listen carefully19 yet will never understand,

you will look closely20 yet will never comprehend.

13:15 For the heart of this people has become dull;

they are hard of hearing,

and they have shut their eyes,

so that they would not see with their eyes

and hear with their ears

and understand with their hearts

and turn, and I would heal them.’21

13:16 “But your eyes are blessed22 because they see, and your ears because they hear. 13:17 For I tell you the truth,23 many prophets and righteous people longed to see24 what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

13:18 “So listen to the parable of the sower: 13:19 When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one25 comes and snatches what was sown in his heart;26 this is the seed sown along the path. 13:20 The27 seed sown on rocky ground28 is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. 13:21 But he has no root in himself and does not endure;29 when30 trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away. 13:22 The31 seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth32 choke the word,33 so it produces nothing. 13:23 But as for the seed sown on good soil, this is the person who hears the word and understands. He bears fruit, yielding a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.”34