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

¹⁸ Listen to the illustration of the sower. ¹⁹ When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand, the evil one takes away that which was sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside. ²⁰ Anyone sown among the rocky places hears the word and immediately with joy receives it. ²¹ There is no root in him. He endures for a while. When he has tribulation or persecution because of the word, he falls away. ²² He that was sown among thorns hears the word. The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. ²³ He that was sown upon the good ground hears the word, and understands it. He bears fruit, producing sometimes a hundredfold, sometimes sixty, and sometimes thirty.

¹³ Then he asked: Do you not understand this illustration? How will you understand any of the illustrations? ¹⁴ The sower sows the word. ¹⁵ These are they by the wayside where the word is sown. When they have heard; Satan comes and takes away the word that has been sown in them. ¹⁶ The same is so of the word sown upon the rocky places. When they have heard the word and receive it with joy, ¹⁷ they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while. They stumble when tribulation or persecution arise. ¹⁸ There is the word sown among the thorns. These have heard the word, ¹⁹ but the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts for other things enter in and choke the word. So it becomes unfruitful. ²⁰ Those who represent that sown upon the good soil hear the word and accept it. They bear fruit, thirty fold, and sixty fold, and a hundred fold.

¹¹ Now the illustration is this: The seed is the word of God. ¹² Those by the side of the road are they who have heard. Then the devil comes and takes the word from their hearts that they may not believe and be saved. ¹³ Those on the rock are those who receive the word with joy. These have no root. They believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away. ¹⁴ The seeds that fell among the thorns are people who hear the word and go their own way. They are choked with the cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and do not produce fruit. ¹⁵ The good ground represents the honest and good-hearted people. They hear the word, hold fast to it and produce forth fruit with patience.