True Relationships

³¹ His^(A) mother^(B) and his brothers^(C) came, and standing outside, they sent word to him and called him. ³² A crowd was sitting around him and told him, “Look, your mother, your brothers,^(D) and your sisters^[a] are outside asking for you.”

³³ He replied to them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” ³⁴ Looking at those sitting in a circle around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!^{(E) 35} Whoever does the will of God^(F) is my brother and sister and mother.”

The Parable of the Sower

4 Again^(A) he began to teach^(B) by the sea, and a very large crowd gathered around him. So he got into a boat on the sea and sat down, while the whole crowd was by the sea on the shore. ² He taught them many things in parables,^(C) and in his teaching^(D) he said to them, ³ “Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.^{(E) 4} As he sowed, some seed fell along the path,^(F) and the birds came and devoured^(G) it. ⁵ Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly,^(H) since the soil wasn’t deep. ⁶ When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.^{(I) 7} Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce fruit. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good ground and it grew up, producing fruit that increased^(J) thirty, sixty, and a hundred times.”^{(K) 9} Then he said, “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”^(L)

Why Jesus Used Parables

¹⁰ When he was alone, those around him with the Twelve^(M) asked him about the parables.^{(N) 11} He answered them, “The secret^(O) of the kingdom of God^(P) has been given to you, but to those outside,^(Q) everything comes in parables ¹² so that

The Parable of the Sower Explained

¹³ Then^(T) he said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable?^(U) How then will you understand all of the parables? ¹⁴ The sower sows^(V) the word.^{(W) 15} Some are like the word sown on the path.^(X) When they hear, immediately Satan^(Y) comes and takes away the word^(Z) sown in them.^{[c] 16} And others are like seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy.^{(AA) 17} But they have no root; they are short-lived. When distress^(AB) or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately fall away.^{(AC) 18} Others are like seed sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, ¹⁹ but the worries^(AD) of this age,^(AE) the deceitfulness^[d](AF) of wealth,^(AG) and the desires^(AH) for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.^{(AI) 20} And those like seed sown on good ground hear the word,^(AJ) welcome it, and produce fruit^(AK) thirty, sixty, and a hundred times what was sown.”

Using Your Light

²¹ He^(AL) also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed?^(AM) Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand?^{(AN) 22} For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed,^(AO) and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light. ²³ If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen.”^{(AP) 24} And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure^(AQ) you use,^(AR) it will be measured to you—and more will be added^(AS) to you. ²⁵ For whoever has, more will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”^(AT)

The Parable of the Growing Seed

²⁶ “The kingdom of God^(AU) is like this,” he said. “A man scatters seed on the ground. ²⁷ He sleeps^(AV) and rises^(AW) night^(AX) and day; the seed sprouts and grows, although he doesn’t know how. ²⁸ The soil produces a crop^(AY) by itself—first the blade, then the head, and then the full grain^(AZ) on the head. ²⁹ As soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle,^(BA) because the harvest^(BB) has come.”