Matthew 13:1-23 ▼

1 THEN the same day Jesus going out from the house, sat down near the sea.

2 And vast multitudes were gathered together unto him, insomuch that he entered into a vessel to be seated; and all the multitude stood on the beach.

3 And he spake unto them many things in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went out to sow:

4 and as he was sowing, some seeds fell indeed by the road-side; and the birds came and ate them up:

5 and other seed fell on a rocky soil, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:

6 and when the sun arose, it was scorched up; and because it had no root, it withered away.

7 And other seeds fell among the thorns; and the thorns sprang up and choked them:

8 but others fell on good ground, and produced fruit, some an hundred, some sixty, and some thirty.

9 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

10 And when his disciples came, they said to him, Why speakest thou to them in parables?

11 And he answered and said unto them, Because to you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12 For whosoever hath, more shall be given to him, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, even that he hath shall be taken from him.

13 Therefore I speak to them in parables: that seeing, they may not see; and hearing, they may not hear nor understand.

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, With the hearing ye shall hear, and not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and in no wise perceive:

15 for the heart of this people is waxed gross, and with their ears they have heard heavily, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with the eves, and hear with the ears, and understand with the heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

16 But blessed are your eyes; for ye see: and your ears; for ye hear.

17 For verily I tell you, That many prophets and righteous men have greatly desired to see the things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear the things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

18 Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

19 When any person heareth the word of the kingdom, and doth not understand it, the wicked one cometh, and snatcheth away what was sown on his heart: such is he who is the sown by the road-side.

20 But the sown on the rocky soil, is he who having heard the word, and instantly with joy receiving it,

21 hath not really root in himself, but is merely temporary: and when tribulation or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately he is stumbled.

22 But the sown among the thorns, is he who heareth the word, and the anxiety about this world and the deceitfulness of riches, choketh the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

23 But the sown upon the good ground, is he who heareth the word, and understandeth it; who truly beareth fruit, and produceth, one an hundred fold, and another sixty, and another thirty.