Gospel of Matthew 13:1-23
The Parable of the Sower
On that day Jesus left the house and sat by the seashore. Great multitudes had gathered to hear him, so he sat in a boat, while the crowd stood on the beach. And he spoke to them in parables.
"A farmer went out to sow. As he sowed, some seeds fell by the wayside, and the birds came and ate them. Others landed on rocky patches. They sprang up quickly, because they had no deep soil. When the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no roots, they withered away.
Ohers landed among weeds; and the weeds grew up and choked them. And others landed on the good earth, and yielded fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
He that has ears, let him hear. . . . Hear the parable of the sower.
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the wayside.
And he that was sown upon the rocky ground, this is he who hears the word, and immediately receives it with joy. But because he does not have roots in himself, he only endures for a while; and when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, he stumbles.
And he that was sown among the weeds, this is he who hears the word. But the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of wealth, chokes the word, and he becomes fruitless.
But he that was sown upon the good earth, this is he who hears the word and understands it. He truly bears fruit, and produces more than was sown, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."
