THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER
ON a certain day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went
into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And
he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower
went forth to sow; and when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side,
and the fowls came and devoured them up: some fell upon stony places,
where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because
they had no deepness of earth: and when the sun was up, they were
scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some
fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: but other
fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold,
some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
[Sidenote: St. Matthew 13]
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them
in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto
you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is
not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have
more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away
even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they
seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By
hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall
see, and shall not perceive: for this people's heart is waxed gross,
and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed;
lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their
ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted,
and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and
your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets
and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and
have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have
not heard them.
Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower. When any one heareth the
word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked
one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he
which received seed by the way side. But he that received the seed
into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with
joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a
while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the
word, by and by he is offended. He also that received seed among the
thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the
deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.
But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the
word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth
forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.