16. These in the same way are those who are sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy.
17. They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble.
18. Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word,
19. and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
20. Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times.”
21. He said to them, “Is the lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it put on a stand?
22. For there is nothing hidden, except that it should be made known; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light.
23. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24. He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you who hear.
25. For whoever has, to him will more be given, and he who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away from him.”
26. He said, “God’s Kingdom is as if a man should cast seed on the earth,
27. and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he doesn’t know how.
28. For the earth bears fruit: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
29. But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
30. He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it?
31. It’s like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth,