Behold, a sower went forth
to sow; and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the
way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth:
and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no
deepness of earth: and when the sun was
up, they were scorched; and because they had no
root, they withered away. And some fell among
thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: but
other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some
an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
Because it is given unto you to know
the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them
it is not given. For whosoever hath,
to him shall be given, and he shall have
more abundance: but whosoever hath
not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
Therefore I speak to them in parables:
because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not,
neither do they understand. And in them is
fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which
saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not
understand; and seeing ye shall see, and
shall not perceive: for 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. Blessed are your eyes, for they see:
and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That
many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things
which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear
those things which ye hear, and have
not heard them. Hear ye therefore the
parable of the sower. When any one heareth
the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not,
then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that
which was sown in his heart. This is he which received
seed by the way side. But he that received the seed
into stony places, the same is he that heareth the
word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath
he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for
when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word,
by and by he is offended. He also that received
seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word;
and the care of this world, and the deceifulness of
riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
But he that receives seed into the good ground
is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it;
which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth,
some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
