The Parable of the Sower

The same day Jesus left the house, and sat by the sea side. Great crowds were gathered together before him, so that he got into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he spoke many things to them in parables, saying, "Behold, a farmer went out to sow, and when he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Some fell upon stony places, where they did not have much soil: and they quickly sprang up, but because they had no depth of soil, when the sun came up they were scorched; and they withered away because they had no root. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up, and choked them. But other seeds fell into good soil, and brought forth fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Jesus explains the Parable

Hear the meaning of the parable of the sower. When any one hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one (Satan) comes, and takes away that which was sown in his heart. This is the seed which fell on the path. But the seed that fell on stony places, that is he that hears the word, and receives it with joy; but he has no root in himself, and endures for a while: but when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, he is lost. The seed that fell among the thorns is he that hears the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But the seed that fell into the good ground is he that hears the word, and understands its; and he bears much fruit, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.