The Parable of the Sower

¹And it came to pass, the same day, Jesus went out of the house and sat by the seaside. ²And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship and sat, and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

¹And he began again to teach by the seaside. And there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship and sat in the sea. And the whole multitude was by the sea, on the land. ²And he taught them many things by parables.

⁴And when many people were gathered together, and had come to him out of every city, he spoke by a parable,

³And he spoke many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow. ⁴And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the fowls came and devoured them up. ⁵Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth, and immediately they sprung up. ⁶And when the sun was up, they were scorched because they had no deepness of earth; and because they had no root, they withered away. ⁷And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprung up and choked them. ⁸But others fell into good ground and brought forth fruit: some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold. ⁹Who has ears to hear, let him hear.

³And he said unto them in his teachings, Listen. Behold, there went out a sower to sow. ⁴And it came to pass as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. ⁵And some fell on stony ground where it had not much earth, and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. ⁶But when the sun was up, it was scorched, and because it had no root, it withered away. ⁷And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. ⁸And other seed fell on good ground and did yield fruit, that sprang up and increased and brought forth — some thirtyfold, and some sixty, and some a hundred. ⁹And he said unto them, He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

⁵saying, A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. ⁶And some fell upon a rock, and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. ⁷And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. ⁸And others fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bore fruit a hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

¹⁰Then the disciples came and said unto him, Why do you speak unto them in parables? ¹¹He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven, but to them it is not given; ¹²for whoever receives, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance. But whoever continues not to receive, from him shall be taken away even that he has. ¹³Therefore, I speak to them in parables because they seeing, see not, and hearing, they hear not, neither do they understand. ¹⁴And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning them, which says, By hearing you shall hear and shall not understand, and seeing you shall see and shall not perceive; ¹⁵for this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

¹⁰And when he was alone with the twelve and they that believed in him, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. ¹¹And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but unto them that are outside, all things are done in parables; ¹²that seeing, they may see and not perceive, and hearing, they may hear and not understand, lest at any time they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven them.

⁹And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? ¹⁰And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to others, in parables — that seeing, they might not see, and hearing, they might not understand.

¹⁶But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. ¹⁷And blessed are you because these things have come unto you that you might understand them. And truly I say unto you, many righteous prophets have desired to see these days which you see, and have not seen them, and to hear that which you hear, and have not heard.

¹⁸Hear therefore the parable of the sower. ¹⁹When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and understands not, then comes the wicked one and catches away that which was sown in his heart; this is he who received seed by the wayside. ²⁰But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that hears the word and readily with joy receives it, ²¹yet he has not root in himself and endures but for a while; for when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he is offended. ²²He also who received seed among the thorns is he that hears the word, and the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. ²³But he who received seed into the good ground is he that hears the word and understands and endures, which also bears fruit and brings forth: some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.

¹³And he said unto them, Do you not know this parable? And how then will you know all parables? ¹⁴The sower sows the word. ¹⁵And these are they by the wayside where the word is sowed: but when they have heard, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sowed in their hearts. ¹⁶And these are they likewise, who receive the word on stony ground: who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness, ¹⁷and have no root in themselves and so endure but for a time; and afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. ¹⁸And these are they who receive the word among thorns: such as hear the word, ¹⁹and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things, entering in, choke the word and it becomes unfruitful. ²⁰And these are they who receive the word on good ground: such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit — some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.

¹¹Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. ¹²That which fell by the wayside are they who hear, and the Devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. ¹³That which fell on the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy, and they have no root, but for a while believe, and in a time of temptation fall away. ¹⁴And that which fell among thorns are they who, when they have heard, go forth and are choked with cares, and riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to perfection. ¹⁵But that which fell on the good ground are they who receive the word in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep what they hear and bring forth fruit with patience.

²¹And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel or under a bed, and not to be set on a candlestick? ²²I say unto you, nay. For there is nothing hidden which shall not be manifested, neither was anything kept secret but that it should in due time come abroad. ²³If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

¹⁶For no man, when he has lit a candle, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a candlestick, that they who enter in may see the light. ¹⁷For nothing is secret which shall not be made manifest, neither hidden which shall not be made known and go abroad.

²⁴And he said unto them, Take heed what you hear, for with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you, and unto you that continue to receive, shall more be given; ²⁵for he that receives, to him shall be given. But he that continues not to receive, from him shall be taken even that which he has.

¹⁸Take heed therefore how you hear, for whoever receives, to him shall be given. And whoever receives not, from him shall be taken even that which he seems to have.