³ And he spake to them many things in parables, saying, Behold, the sower went forth to sow; ⁴ and as he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured them: ⁵ and others fell upon the rocky places, where they had not much earth: and straightway they sprang up, because they had no deepness of earth: ⁶ and when the sun was risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. ⁷ And others fell upon the thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked them: ⁸ and others fell upon the good ground, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. ⁹ He that hath ears, ^[a]let him hear.

¹⁰ And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? ¹¹ And he answered and said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.