¹ That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. ²Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore. ³And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. ⁵Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. ⁶But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings. ⁸Still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold. ⁹He who has ears, let him hear.”

¹⁸ Consider, then, the parable of the sower: ¹⁹When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. ²⁰The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. ²¹But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. ²²The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²³But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”