³ And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow.

² He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them:^{(A) 3} “Listen! A sower went out to sow. ⁴ And as he sowed, some seed fell on a path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. ⁶ And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root it withered away. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. ⁸ Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”^{(B) 9} And he said, “If you have ears to hear, then hear!”^(C)

¹³ And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables?

⁵ “A sower went out to sow his seed, and as he sowed some fell on a path and was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. ⁶ Some fell on rock, and as it grew up it withered for lack of moisture. ⁷ Some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it. ⁸ Some fell into good soil, and when it grew it produced a hundredfold.” As he said this, he called out, “If you have ears to hear, then hear!”^(A)

The Use of Parables

³³ With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it;^(A)

⁵³ When Jesus had finished these parables, he left that place.^(A)

The Use of Parables

³⁴ Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing.^{(A) 35} This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet:^[a]

The Purpose of the Parables

¹⁰ Then the disciples came and asked him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” ¹¹ He answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets^[a] of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.^{(A) 12} For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.^{(B) 13} The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’^(C)

³ And utter an allegory to the rebellious house and say to them: Thus says the Lord God:

⁶ Therefore thus says the Lord God:

⁹ Therefore thus says the Lord God:

¹⁴ I the Lord have spoken; the time is coming; I will act. I will not refrain; I will not spare; I will not relent. According to your ways and your doings I will judge you, says the Lord God.^(F)