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When a great multitude came together, and people from every city were coming to him, he spoke by a parable. “The farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the road, and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it. Other seed fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture. Other fell amid the thorns, and the thorns grew with it, and choked it. Other fell into the good ground, and grew, and produced one hundred times as much fruit.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Then his disciples asked him, “What does this parable mean?”

10 He said, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of God’s Kingdom, but to the rest in parables; that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’Isaiah 6:9 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the road are those who hear, then the devil comes, and takes away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; but these have no root, who believe for a while, then fall away in time of temptation. 14 That which fell among the thorns, these are those who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. 15 Those in the good ground, these are those who with an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and produce fruit with perseverance.

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And when a very great throng was gathering together and people from town after town kept coming to Jesus, He said in a parable:

A sower went out to sow seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the traveled path and was trodden underfoot, and the birds of the air ate it up.

And some [seed] fell on the rock, and as soon as it sprouted, it withered away because it had no moisture.

And other [seed] fell in the midst of the thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it [off].

And some seed fell into good soil, and grew up and yielded a crop a hundred times [as great]. As He said these things, He called out, He who has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him [a]consider and understand by hearing!

And when His disciples asked Him the meaning of this parable,

10 He said to them, To you it has been given to [come progressively to] know (to recognize and understand more strongly and clearly) the mysteries and secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that, [though] looking, they may not see; and hearing, they may not comprehend.(A)

11 Now the meaning of the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God.

12 Those along the traveled road are the people who have heard; then the devil comes and carries away the message out of their hearts, that they may not believe ([b]acknowledge Me as their Savior and devote themselves to Me) and be saved [here and hereafter].

13 And those upon the rock [are the people] who, when they hear [the Word], receive and welcome it with joy; but these have no root. They believe for a while, and in time of trial and temptation fall away (withdraw and stand aloof).

14 And as for what fell among the thorns, these are [the people] who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked and suffocated with the anxieties and cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not ripen (come to maturity and perfection).

15 But as for that [seed] in the good soil, these are [the people] who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in a just ([c]noble, virtuous) and worthy heart, and steadily bring forth fruit with patience.

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Footnotes

  1. Luke 8:8 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  2. Luke 8:12 Joseph Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon.
  3. Luke 8:15 Marvin Vincent, Word Studies.