The Purpose of the Parables

⁹ And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, ¹⁰ he said, ^(A)“To you it has been given to know ^(B)the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so ^(C)that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ ^11 (D)Now the parable is this: The seed is ^(E)the word of God. ¹² The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not ^(F)believe and be saved. ¹³ And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it ^(G)with joy. But these have no root; they ^(H)believe for a while, and in time of testing ^(I)fall away. ¹⁴ And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but ^(J)as they go on their way they are choked by the ^(K)cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. ¹⁵ As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and ^(L)bear fruit ^(M)with patience.