Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)

⁴ When crowds of people were gathered together, having come to him out of all places, he spoke by a similitude: ⁵ A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and it was trodden under foot, and the fowls of the air devoured it up. ⁶ And some fell on stone, and as soon as it had sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. ⁷ And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. ⁸ And some fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bore fruit a hundredfold.

And as he said these things, he called: He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

⁹ His disciples asked him, saying, What manner of similitude is this? ¹⁰ And he said, To you it is given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God. But to others they remain in similitudes, so that when they see, they will not see, and when they hear, they will not understand.

¹¹ The similitude is this: The seed is the word of God. ¹² Those who are beside the way are the people that hear, but afterward the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. ¹³ Those on the stones are people who, when they hear, receive the word with joy. But these have no roots, and for a while believe, but in time of trial go away. ¹⁴ As for that which fell among thorns, this is those who hear and go forth, but are choked with cares, and with riches and voluptuous living, and bring forth no fruit. ¹⁵ As for that in the good ground, this is those who with a good and pure heart hear the word, and keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.