The Parable of the Sower

⁴ And while^[a] a large crowd was gathering and they were going to him from town after town, he spoke by means of a parable: ⁵ “The sower went out to sow his seed, and while he was sowing, some seed^[b] fell on the side of the path and was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it. ⁶ And other seed fell on the rock, and when it^[c] came up, it withered, because it did not have moisture. ⁷ And other seed fell in the midst of the thorn plants, and the thorn plants grew up with it^[d] and^[e] choked it. ⁸ And other seed fell on the good soil, and when it^[f] came up, it produced a hundred times as much grain.” As he^[g] said these things, he called out, “The one who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Reason for the Parables

⁹ And his disciples asked him what this parable meant. ¹⁰ And he said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest they are in parables, so that

The Parable of the Sower Interpreted

¹¹ Now the parable means this: the seed is the word of God, ¹² and those beside the path are the ones who have heard. Then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and^[i] be saved. ¹³ And those on the rock are those who receive the word with joy when they hear it,^[j] and these do not have enough root, who believe for a time and in a time of testing fall away. ¹⁴ And the seed that fell into the thorn plants—these are the ones who hear and as they^[k] go along are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and they do not bear fruit to maturity. ¹⁵ But the seed on the good soil—these are the ones who, after^[l] hearing the word, hold fast to it^[m] with a noble and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.

The Parable of the Lamp

¹⁶ “And no one, after^[n] lighting a lamp, covers it with a jar or puts it^[o] under a bed, but puts it^[p] on a lampstand, so that those who come in can see the light. ¹⁷ For nothing is secret that will not become evident, and nothing hidden that will never be known and come to light. ¹⁸ Therefore consider how you listen, for whoever has, to him more will be given, and whoever does not have, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away from him.”