1. That same day Jesus left the house and went to the lakeside, where he sat down to teach.
2. The crowd that gathered round him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it, while the crowd stood on the shore.
3. He used parables to tell them many things. “Once there was a man who went out to sow corn.
4. As he scattered the seed in the field, some of it fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
5. Some of it fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil. The seeds soon sprouted, because the soil wasn't deep.
6. But when the sun came up, it burnt the young plants; and because the roots had not grown deep enough, the plants soon dried up.
7. Some of the seed fell among thorn bushes, which grew up and choked the plants.
8. But some seeds fell in good soil, and the plants produced corn; some produced 100 grains, others sixty, and others thirty.”
9. And Jesus concluded, “Listen, then, if you have ears!”
10. Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”
11. Jesus answered, “The knowledge about the secrets of the Kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
12. For the person who has something will be given more, so that he will have more than enough; but the person who has nothing will have taken away from him even the little he has.
13. The reason I use parables in talking to them is that they look, but do not see, and they listen, but do not hear or understand.