3. And he spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow seed.
4. And while he was sowing, some fell beside the road, and the birds of the air came and ate it.
5. Then others fell in a rocky place, where they did not have much soil. And they sprung up promptly, because they had no depth of soil.
6. But when the sun rose up, they were scorched, and because they had no roots, they withered.
7. Still others fell among thorns, and the thorns increased and suffocated them.
8. Yet some others fell upon good soil, and they produced fruit: some one hundred fold, some sixty fold, some thirty fold.
9. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear."
10. And his disciples drew near to him and said, "Why do you speak to them in parables?"
11. Responding, he said to them: "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but it has not been given to them.
12. For whoever has, it shall be given to him, and he shall have in abundance. But whoever has not, even what he has shall be taken away from him.
13. For this reason, I speak to them in parables: because seeing, they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
14. And so, in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, who said, 'Hearing, you shall hear, but not understand; and seeing, you shall see, but not perceive.
15. For the heart of this people has grown fat, and with their ears they hear heavily, and they have closed their eyes, lest at any time they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and then I would heal them.'