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^[a] be saved. ¹³ And those on the rock are those who receive the word with joy when they hear it,^[b] 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^[c] 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^[d] hearing the word, hold fast to it^[e] with a noble and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.