3. Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.
4. When a large crowd gathered, with people from one town after another journeying to him, he spoke in a parable.
5. “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path and was trampled, and the birds of the sky ate it up.
6. Some seed fell on rocky ground, and when it grew, it withered for lack of moisture.
7. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew with it and choked it.
8. And some seed fell on good soil, and when it grew, it produced fruit a hundredfold.” After saying this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”
9. Then his disciples asked him what the meaning of this parable might be.
10. He answered, “Knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of God has been granted to you; but to the rest, they are made known through parables so that ‘they may look but not see, and hear but not understand.’
11. “This is the meaning of the parable. The seed is the word of God.
12. Those on the path are the ones who have heard, but the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts that they may not believe and be saved.
13. Those on rocky ground are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy, but they have no root; they believe only for a time and fall away in time of trial.
14. As for the seed that fell among thorns, they are the ones who have heard, but as they go along, they are choked by the anxieties and riches and pleasures of life, and they fail to produce mature fruit.
15. But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.
16. “No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.
17. For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
18. Take care, then, how you hear. To anyone who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he seems to have will be taken away.”
19. Then his mother and his brothers came to him but were unable to join him because of the crowd.
20. He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside and they wish to see you.”
21. He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”