16. But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
17. For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them.
18. “Therefore listen to the parable of the sower.
19. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one who received seed beside the path.
20. But he who received the seed on rocky ground is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy,
21. yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, eventually he falls away.
22. He also who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, but the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
23. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit. Some produce a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.”
24. He told them another parable, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
25. But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away.
26. But when the shoots had sprung up and produced fruit, the weeds also appeared.