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.