The Parable of the Sower
Jesus leaves the house, sits by the sea, and gathers a crowd so large that he speaks from a boat.
T1hat same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea.
The crowd presses the shore while Jesus sits in the boat and addresses them.
2Such large crowds gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat down, while all the people stood on the shore.
Jesus begins teaching in parables about a farmer sowing seed.
3And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed.
Seed on the path is quickly taken away by birds.
4And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
Seed on rocky ground rises quickly because the soil is shallow.
5Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow.
The sun scorches the seedlings because they have no root.
6But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
Seed among thorns is choked as the thorns grow up around it.
7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings.
Seed on good soil produces an abundant crop.
8Still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop — a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.
Jesus calls for hearing ears.
9He who has ears, let him hear.”