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Parable
of the Sower
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Matthew 13:3-23
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Mark 4:3-20
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Luke 8:5-15
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| Then he told them many things in parables, saying: "A farmer
went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell
along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky
places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because
the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched,
and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among
thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good
soil, where it produced a crop--a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was
sown. |
"Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering
the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some
fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly,
because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants
were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell
among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not
bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew
and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times." |
"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the
seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the
air ate it up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants
withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among thorns,
which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell
on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than
was sown." |
| 9 He who has ears, let him hear." |
9 Then Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." |
8b When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear,
let him hear." |
10 The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to
the people in parables?"
He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets
of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever
does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.
This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though
seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "'You will be ever hearing
but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their
ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their
eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and
I would heal them.' But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your
ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and
righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear
what you hear but did not hear it. |
10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked
him about the parables.
He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God
has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in
parables so that, "'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and
be forgiven!'
"Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand
this parable? How then will you understand any parable? |
9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said,
"The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you,
but to others I speak in parables, so that, "'though seeing, they may not
see; though hearing, they may not understand.' |
| 18 "Listen then to what the parable
of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom
and 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. The one who received
the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at
once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only
a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he
quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among
the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life
and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But
the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears
the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty
or thirty times what was sown." |
14 The farmer sows the word.
Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown.
As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown
in them. Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and
at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last
only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word,
they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns,
hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of
wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making
it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word,
accept it, and produce a crop--thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what
was sown." |
11 "This is the meaning of the parable: The
seed is the word of God. Those along the path are the
ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their
hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they
hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time
of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among thorns
stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked
by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.
But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart,
who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. |
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