The Parable of the Sower Explained

Jesus calls the disciples to consider the parable of the sower.

C¹⁸onsider, then, the parable of the sower:

The word on the path is taken away before it is understood.

¹⁹When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

The rocky soil receives the word with joy.

²⁰The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.

Without root, the rocky hearer falls away under trouble or persecution.

²¹But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.

The thorny hearer is choked by worries and wealth.

²²The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

Good soil hears, understands, and bears a rich crop.

²³But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop — a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”