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

¹⁸ Listen, then, yourselves to the parable of the Sower. ¹⁹ When any one hears the Message of the Kingdom without understanding it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what has been sown in his mind. This is the man meant by the seed which was sown along the path. ²⁰ By the seed which was sown on rocky places is meant the man who hears the Message, and at once accepts it joyfully; ²¹ But, as he has no root, he stands for only a short time; and, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Message, he falls away at once. ²² By the seed which was sown among the brambles is meant the man who hears the Message, but the cares of life and the glamour of wealth completely choke the Message, so that it gives no return. ²³ But by the seed which was sown on the good ground is meant the man who hears the Message and understands it, and really yields a return, sometimes one hundred, sometimes sixty, sometimes thirty fold."

¹³ You do not know the meaning of this parable!" he went on; "Then how will you understand all the other parables? ¹⁴ The sower sows the Message. ¹⁵ The People meant by the seed that falls along the path are these--where the Message is sown, but, as soon as they have heard it, Satan immediately comes and carries away the Message that has been sown in them. ¹⁶ So, too, those meant by the seed sown on the rocky places are the people who, when they have heard the Message, at once accept it joyfully; ¹⁷ But, as they have no root, they stand only for a short time; and so, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Message, they fall away at once. ¹⁸ Those meant by the seed sown among the brambles are different; they are the people who hear the Message, ¹⁹ But the cares of life, and the glamour of wealth, and cravings for many other things come in and completely choke the Message, so that it gives no return. ²⁰ But the people meant by the seed sown on the good ground are those who hear the Message, and welcome it, and yield a return, thirty, sixty, and even a hundred fold."

¹¹ This is the parable--The seed is God's Message. ¹² By the seed which fell along the path are meant those who hear the Message; but then comes the Devil and carries away the Message from their minds, to prevent their believing it and being saved. ¹³ By the seed which fell upon the rock are meant those who, as soon as they hear the Message, welcome it joyfully; but they have no root, and believe it only for a time, and, when the time of temptation comes, they draw back. ¹⁴ By that which fell among the brambles are meant those who hear the Message, but who, as they go on their way, are completely choked by this world's cares and wealth and pleasures, and bring nothing to perfection. ¹⁵ But by that in the good ground are meant those who, having heard the Message, keep it in the good, rich soil of their hearts, and patiently yield a return.