The Parable of the Sower Explained

¹³ Then^(A) He said to them: “Don’t you understand this parable?^(B) How then will you understand any of the parables? ¹⁴ The sower sows^(C) the word.^{(D) 15} These^[a] are the ones along the path^(E) where the word is sown: when they hear, immediately Satan^(F) comes and takes away the word^(G) sown in them.^{[b] 16} And these are^[c] the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy.^{(H) 17} But they have no root in themselves; they are short-lived. When pressure^(I) or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately stumble.^{(J) 18} Others are sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, ¹⁹ but the worries^(K) of this age,^(L) the seduction^[d](M) of wealth,^(N) and the desires^(O) for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.^{(P) 20} But the ones sown on good ground are those who hear the word,^(Q) welcome it, and produce a crop:^(R) 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.”