Matthew 13:18-23 - The Parable Of The Sower Interpreted

¹⁸ "Listen, then, to the parable about the farmer. ¹⁹ When anyone hears the word about the kingdom yet doesn't understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. ²⁰ As for what was sown on the stony ground, this is the person who hears the word and accepts it joyfully at once, ²¹ but since he doesn't have any root in himself, he lasts for only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes along because of the word, he immediately falls away. ²² As for what was sown among the thorn bushes, this is the person who hears the word, but the worries of life and the deceitful pleasures of wealth choke the word so that it can't produce a crop. ²³ But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the person who hears the word, understands it, and produces a crop that yields 100, 60, or 30 times what was sown."

¹³ Then he told them, "You don't understand this parable, so how can you understand any of the parables? ¹⁴ The farmer sows the word. ¹⁵ Some people are like the seeds along the path, where the word is sown. When they hear it, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. ¹⁶ Others are like the seeds sown on the stony ground. When they hear the word, at once they joyfully accept it, ¹⁷ but since they don't have any roots, they last for only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes along because of the word, they immediately fall away. ¹⁸ Still others are like the seeds sown among the thorn bushes. These are the people who hear the word, ¹⁹ but the worries of life, the deceitful pleasures of wealth, and the desires for other things come in and choke the word so that it can't produce a crop. ²⁰ Others are like the seeds sown on good soil. They hear the word, accept it, and produce crops 30, 60, or 100 times what was sown."

¹¹ "Now this is what the parable means. The seed is God's word. ¹² The ones on the path are the people who listen, but then the Devil comes and takes the word away from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. ¹³ The ones on the stony ground are the people who joyfully welcome the word when they hear it. But since they don't have any roots, they believe for a while, but in a time of testing they fall away. ¹⁴ The ones that fell among the thorn bushes are the people who listen, but as they go on their way they are choked by the worries, wealth, and pleasures of life, and their fruit doesn't mature. ¹⁵ But the ones on the good soil are the people who hear the word but also hold on to it with good and honest hearts, producing a crop through endurance."