^14 (A)The sower sows the word. ¹⁵ And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. ¹⁶ These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; ¹⁷ and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. ¹⁸ Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, ¹⁹ and the ^(B)cares of this world, ^(C)the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

¹⁰ And He said, “To you it has been given to know the ^[a]mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that

The Parable of the Sower Explained^(B)

^11 (C)“Now the parable is this: The seed is the ^(D)word of God. ¹² Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. ¹³ But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of ^[b]temptation fall away. ¹⁴ Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, ^(E)riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity. ¹⁵ But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with ^(F)patience.^[c]

The Parable of the Sower Explained^(A)

^18 (B)“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: ¹⁹ When anyone hears the word ^(C)of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. ²⁰ But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately ^(D)receives it with joy; ²¹ yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when ^(E)tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately ^(F)he stumbles. ²² Now ^(G)he who received seed ^(H)among the thorns is he who hears the word, and 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 ^(I)fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

³⁸ But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.