2. He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said to them:
3. “Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.
4. As he sowed, this occurred: Some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
5. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it sprang up right away, since it didn’t have deep soil.
6. When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it didn’t have a root, it withered.
7. Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce a crop.
8. Still others fell on good ground and produced a crop that increased 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.”
9. Then He said, “Anyone who has ears to hear should listen! ”
10. When He was alone with the Twelve, those who were around Him asked Him about the parables.
11. He answered them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those outside, everything comes in parables
12. so thatthey may look and look,yet not perceive;they may listen and listen,yet not understand; otherwise, they might turn back —and be forgiven.”
13. Then He said to them: “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any of the parables?
14. The sower sows the word.