1. Soon afterward, Jesus traveled through the cities and villages, preaching and proclaiming the good news of God’s kingdom. The Twelve were with him,
2. along with some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses. Among them were Mary Magdalene (from whom seven demons had been thrown out),
3. Joanna (the wife of Herod’s servant Chuza), Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.
4. When a great crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from one city after another, he spoke to them in a parable:
5. "A farmer went out to scatter his seed. As he was scattering it, some fell on the path where it was crushed, and the birds in the sky came and ate it.
6. Other seed fell on rock. As it grew, it dried up because it had no moisture.
7. Other seed fell among thorny plants. The thorns grew with the plants and choked them.
8. Still other seed landed on good soil. When it grew, it produced one hundred times more grain than was scattered." As he said this, he called out, "Everyone who has ears should pay attention."
9. His disciples asked him what this parable meant.
10. He said, “You have been given the mysteries of God’s kingdom, but these mysteries come to everyone else in parables so that when they see, they can’t see, and when they hear, they can’t understand.
11. “The parable means this: The seed is God’s word.
12. The seed on the path are those who hear, but then the devil comes and steals the word from their hearts so that they won’t believe and be saved.