Restore Our Fortunes, O Lord

A Song of ^(A)Ascents.

The Purpose of the Parables

⁹ And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, ¹⁰ he said, ^(A)“To you it has been given to know ^(B)the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so ^(C)that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ ^11 (D)Now the parable is this: The seed is ^(E)the word of God. ¹² The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not ^(F)believe and be saved. ¹³ And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it ^(G)with joy. But these have no root; they ^(H)believe for a while, and in time of testing ^(I)fall away. ¹⁴ And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but ^(J)as they go on their way they are choked by the ^(K)cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature. ¹⁵ As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and ^(L)bear fruit ^(M)with patience.

A Lamp Under a Jar

^16 (N)(O)“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light. ^17 (P)For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. ^18 (Q)Take care then how you hear, ^(R)for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”