1AGAIN he began to teach by the sea side; and many people gathered unto him, so that he went up and sat in a boat in the sea; and all the people stood on the land by the sea. 2And he taught them much by parables, and in his teaching he said, 3Listen; Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4And when he had sown, some fell on the roadside, and the fowls came and ate it. 5Other fell upon the rock, where there was not sufficient soil; and it sprung up earlier because the ground was not deep enough; 6But when the sun shone, it was scorched, and because it had no root, it dried up. 7And other fell among thistles, and the thistles sprung up and choked it, and it bore no fruit. 8But other fell in good soil, and it sprung up and grew and bore fruit, some thirty, and some sixty, and some one hundred. 9And he said, He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

10When they were alone by themselves, those who were with him together with the twelve asked him about that parable. 11And Jesus said to them, To you is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to the outsiders everything has to be explained by parables. 12For seeing they see, and yet do not perceive; and hearing they hear, and yet do not understand; if they return, their sins would be forgiven.

13And he said to them, Do you not know this parable? how then will you know all the parables? 14The sower who sowed, sowed the word. 15Those on the roadside are those in whom the word is sown; and when they have heard it, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word which is sown in their hearts. 16And those which were sown upon the rock, are those who when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy; 17And they have no root in themselves, but last for a while; and when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they soon stumble. 18And those which were sown among thistles are those who have heard the word, 19And the thoughts of this world, and the deception of wealth, and the lusts of other things, enter in and choke the word, and bear no fruit. 20And those which were sown in good soil, are those who hear the word, and receive it and bear fruit, one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred.

21And he said to them, Is a lamp brought and put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not put on a lampholder? 22For there is nothing hidden which will not be uncovered; and nothing in secret which will not be revealed. 23If any man has ears to hear, let him hear. 24And he said to them, Take heed what you hear; with what measure you measure it will be measured to you; and increase especially to them who hear. 25For he who has, to him will be given; and he who has not, even that which he has will be taken away from him.

26And he said, Such is the kingdom of God, like a man who casts seed in the ground. 27And he sleeps and rises up night and day, and the seed springs up and grows, while he is not aware of it. 28For the earth causes it to yield fruit; and yet first it becomes a blade of grass, then an ear, and at last a full grain in the ear. 29But when the fruit is ripe, then immediately comes the sickle, because the harvest is ready.

30And he said, To what shall we compare the kingdom of God? and with what parable shall we picture it? 31It is just like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth. 32But when it is sown, it springs up and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds can settle under their shadow.

33Jesus talked to them with parables as these, such parables as they were able to hear. 34And without parables he did not speak to them; but to his disciples, among themselves, he explained everything.

35On that day, at evening, he said to them, Let us cross over to the landing place. 36And they left the people, and took him away while he was in the boat. And there were other boats with them. 37And there arose a heavy storm and wind, and the waves kept falling into the boat, so that the boat was nearly filled up. 38But Jesus was sleeping on a blanket in the stern of the boat; and they came and roused him and said to him, Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? 39So he got up, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind quieted down, and there was a great calm. 40And he said to them, Why are you so fearful? and why do you have no faith? 41And they were exceedingly afraid, and said to each other, Oh, who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?