¹⁴ Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, ^(A)riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

Do Not Love the World

^15 (A)Do not love the world or the things in the world. ^(B)If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, ^(C)the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷ And ^(D)the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Instructions to the Rich

¹⁷ Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain ^(A)riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things ^(B)to enjoy.

⁹ But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

¹⁹ and the ^(A)cares of this world, ^(B)the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

²² Now ^(A)he who received seed ^(B)among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

The Importance of Watching^(A)

³⁴ “But ^(B)take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with ^[a]carousing, drunkenness, and ^(C)cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly.

⁷ And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.

You Cannot Serve God and Riches

^24 (A)“No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. ^(B)You cannot serve God and ^[a]mammon.

Do Not Worry^(C)

²⁵ “Therefore I say to you, ^(D)do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?