New Testament in a Year

Some Women Accompany Jesus

8 And it happened that afterward^[a] also he was going about from one town and village to another preaching and proclaiming the good news concerning the kingdom of God, and the twelve were with him, ² and some women who had been healed of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (who was called Magdalene), from whom seven demons had gone out, ³ and Joanna the wife of Chuza (Herod’s household manager), and Susanna, and many others who were helping to support them from their possessions.

The Parable of the Sower

⁴ And while^[b] a large crowd was gathering and they were going to him from town after town, he spoke by means of a parable: ⁵ “The sower went out to sow his seed, and while he was sowing, some seed^[c] fell on the side of the path and was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it. ⁶ And other seed fell on the rock, and when it^[d] came up, it withered, because it did not have moisture. ⁷ And other seed fell in the midst of the thorn plants, and the thorn plants grew up with it^[e] and^[f] choked it. ⁸ And other seed fell on the good soil, and when it^[g] came up, it produced a hundred times as much grain.” As he^[h] said these things, he called out, “The one who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Reason for the Parables

⁹ And his disciples asked him what this parable meant. ¹⁰ And he said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest they are in parables, so that

The Parable of the Sower Interpreted

¹¹ Now the parable means this: the seed is the word of God, ¹² and those beside the path are the ones who have heard. Then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and^[j] be saved. ¹³ And those on the rock are those who receive the word with joy when they hear it,^[k] and these do not have enough root, who believe for a time and in a time of testing fall away. ¹⁴ And the seed that fell into the thorn plants—these are the ones who hear and as they^[l] go along are choked by the worries and riches and pleasures of life, and they do not bear fruit to maturity. ¹⁵ But the seed on the good soil—these are the ones who, after^[m] hearing the word, hold fast to it^[n] with a noble and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.

The Parable of the Lamp

¹⁶ “And no one, after^[o] lighting a lamp, covers it with a jar or puts it^[p] under a bed, but puts it^[q] on a lampstand, so that those who come in can see the light. ¹⁷ For nothing is secret that will not become evident, and nothing hidden that will never be known and come to light. ¹⁸ Therefore consider how you listen, for whoever has, to him more will be given, and whoever does not have, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away from him.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

¹⁹ Now his mother and brothers came to him, and they were not able to meet with him because of the crowd. ²⁰ And it was reported to him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to see you.” ²¹ But he answered and^[r] said to them, “These are my mother and my brothers—the ones who hear the word of God and do it.^[s]

Calming of a Storm

²² Now it happened that on one of the days both he and his disciples got into a boat, and he said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.” And they set sail, ²³ and as^[t] they were sailing, he fell asleep. And a storm of wind came down on the lake, and they were being swamped and were in danger. ²⁴ And they came and^[u] woke him up, saying, “Master, master! We are perishing!” So he got up and^[v] rebuked the wind and the billowing waves of water and they ceased, and it became calm. ²⁵ And he said to them, “Where is your faith?” But they were afraid and^[w] were astonished, saying to one another, “Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water and they obey him?”