³ Then he told them many things in parables.^[a]

The Parable of the Sower.^[b] He said: “A sower went out to sow. ⁴ As he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. ⁵ Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil. They sprouted quickly, since the soil had very little depth, ⁶ but when the sun rose they were scorched, and since they lacked roots, they withered away. ⁷ Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. ⁸ But some seeds fell on rich soil and produced a crop—some a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times what was sown. Read full chapter

¹⁸ The Explanation of the Parable of the Sower.^[a]“Therefore listen to the parable of the sower. ¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart; that is the seed sown on the path. ²⁰ As for the seed sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. ²¹ But such a person has no deep root, and he endures for only a short time. When some trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, he immediately falls away.

²² “The seed sown among thorns is the one who hears the word, but worldly cares and the lure of riches choke the word and it bears no fruit. ²³ However, the seed sown in rich soil is the one who hears the word and understands it; he indeed bears fruit and yields a hundred or sixty or thirty times what was sown.”