Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible



He then spoke many things to them in figurative language. "The sower goes out," He said, "to sow. As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on rocky ground, where it has but scanty soil. It quickly shows itself above ground, because it has no depth of earth; read more.
but when the sun is risen, it is scorched by the heat, and through having no root it withers up. Some falls among the thorns; but the thorns spring up and stifle it. But a portion falls upon good ground, and gives a return, some a hundred for one, some sixty, some thirty. Listen, every one who has ears!"

Once more He began to teach by the side of the Lake, and a vast multitude of people came together to listen to Him. He therefore went on board the boat and sat there, a little way from the land; and all the people were on the shore close to the water. Then He proceeded to teach them many lessons in figurative language; and in His teaching He said, "Listen: the sower goes out to sow. read more.
As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on the rocky ground where it finds but little earth, and it shoots up quickly because it has no depth of soil; but when the sun is risen, it is scorched, and through having no root it withers away. Some, again, falls among the thorns; and the thorns spring up and stifle it, so that it yields no crop. But some of the seed falls into good ground, and gives a return: it comes up and increases, and yields thirty, sixty, or a hundred-fold." "Listen," He added, "every one who has ears to listen with!" When He was alone, the Twelve and the others who were about Him requested Him to explain His figurative language. "To you," He replied, "has been entrusted the secret truth concerning the Kingdom of God; but to those others outside your number all this is spoken in figurative language; that "'They may look and look but not see, and listen and listen but not understand, lest perchance they should return and be pardoned.'" "Do you all miss the meaning of this parable?" He added; "how then will you understand the rest of my parables?" "What the sower sows is the Message. Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them. In the same way those who receive the seed on the rocky places are those who, when they have heard the Message, at once accept it joyfully, but they have no root within them. They last for a time; then, when suffering or persecution comes because of the Message, they are immediately overthrown. Others there are who receive the seed among the thorns: these are they who have heard the Message, but worldly cares and the deceitfulness of wealth and the excessive pursuit of other objects come in and stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful. Those, on the other hand, who have received the seed on the good ground, are all who hear the Message and welcome it, and yield a return of thirty, sixty, or a hundred fold."

And when a great crowd was assembling, and was receiving additions from one town after another, He spoke a parable to them. "The sower," He said, "goes out to sow his seed; and as he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and is trodden upon, or the birds of the air come and peck it up. Another part drops upon the rock, and after growing up it withers away for want of moisture. read more.
Another part falls among the thorns, and the thorns grow up with it and stifle it. But some of the seed falls into good ground, and grows up and yields a return of a hundred for one." While thus speaking, He cried aloud and said, "Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!" The disciples proceeded to ask Him what this parable meant. "To you," He replied, "it is granted to know the secrets of the Kingdom of God; but all others are taught by parables, in order that they may see and yet not see, and may hear and yet not understand. The meaning of the parable is as follows. The seed is God's Message. Those by the way-side are those who have heard, and then the Devil comes and carries away the Message from their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the people who on hearing the Message receive it joyfully; but they have no root: for a time they believe, but when trial comes they fall away. That which fell among the thorns means those who have heard, but as they go on their way, the Message is stifled by the anxieties, wealth and gaieties of time, and they yield nothing in perfection. But as for that in the good ground, it means those who, having listened to the Message with open minds and in a right spirit, hold it fast, and patiently yield a return.


Their very eyes are full of adultery--being eyes which never cease from sin. These men set traps to catch unstedfast souls, their own hearts being well trained in greed. They are fore-doomed to God's curse! Verse ConceptsAdultery, Examples OfEyes, Figurative UseDepravity Of ManInstabilityManipulationSelf IndulgenceSexual ChastityCovetousness, Nature ofContinual SinFicklenessEvil EyesFruitless LearningEnticingThose Who Committed AdulteryCovetousnessGreedInfidelityadultry

"The sower," He said, "goes out to sow his seed; and as he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and is trodden upon, or the birds of the air come and peck it up. Another part drops upon the rock, and after growing up it withers away for want of moisture. Another part falls among the thorns, and the thorns grow up with it and stifle it. read more.
But some of the seed falls into good ground, and grows up and yields a return of a hundred for one." While thus speaking, He cried aloud and said, "Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!" The disciples proceeded to ask Him what this parable meant. "To you," He replied, "it is granted to know the secrets of the Kingdom of God; but all others are taught by parables, in order that they may see and yet not see, and may hear and yet not understand. The meaning of the parable is as follows. The seed is God's Message. Those by the way-side are those who have heard, and then the Devil comes and carries away the Message from their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the people who on hearing the Message receive it joyfully; but they have no root: for a time they believe, but when trial comes they fall away. That which fell among the thorns means those who have heard, but as they go on their way, the Message is stifled by the anxieties, wealth and gaieties of time, and they yield nothing in perfection. But as for that in the good ground, it means those who, having listened to the Message with open minds and in a right spirit, hold it fast, and patiently yield a return.







when a Scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." "Foxes have holes," replied Jesus, "and birds have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." Another of the disciples said to Him, "Sir, allow me first to go and bury my father." read more.
"Follow me," said Jesus, "and leave the dead to bury their own dead."

Show 5 more verses
When a man hears the Message concerning the Kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil one comes and catches away what has been sown in his heart. This is he who has received the seed by the road-side. He who has received the seed on the rocky ground is the man who hears the Message and immediately receives it with joy. It has struck no root, however, within him. He continues for a time, but when suffering comes, or persecution, because of the Message, he at once stumbles and falls. read more.
He who has received the seed among the thorns is the man who hears the Message, but the cares of the present age and the delusions of riches quite stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful.

Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them. In the same way those who receive the seed on the rocky places are those who, when they have heard the Message, at once accept it joyfully, but they have no root within them. They last for a time; then, when suffering or persecution comes because of the Message, they are immediately overthrown. read more.
Others there are who receive the seed among the thorns: these are they who have heard the Message, but worldly cares and the deceitfulness of wealth and the excessive pursuit of other objects come in and stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful.

"Follow me," He said to another. "Master," the man replied, "allow me first to go and bury my father." "Leave the dead," Jesus rejoined, "to bury their own dead; but you must go and announce far and wide the coming of the Kingdom of God." "Master," said yet another, "I will follow you; but allow me first to go and say good-bye to my friends at home." read more.
Jesus answered him, "No one who has put his hand to the plough, and then looks behind him, is fit for the Kingdom of God.


But let him ask in faith and have no doubts; for he who has doubts is like the surge of the sea, driven by the wind and tossed into spray. A person of that sort must not expect to receive anything from the Lord-- such a one is a man of two minds, undecided in every step he takes.

He then spoke many things to them in figurative language. "The sower goes out," He said, "to sow. As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on rocky ground, where it has but scanty soil. It quickly shows itself above ground, because it has no depth of earth; read more.
but when the sun is risen, it is scorched by the heat, and through having no root it withers up. Some falls among the thorns; but the thorns spring up and stifle it. But a portion falls upon good ground, and gives a return, some a hundred for one, some sixty, some thirty.


"Listen: the sower goes out to sow. As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on the rocky ground where it finds but little earth, and it shoots up quickly because it has no depth of soil; read more.
but when the sun is risen, it is scorched, and through having no root it withers away. Some, again, falls among the thorns; and the thorns spring up and stifle it, so that it yields no crop. But some of the seed falls into good ground, and gives a return: it comes up and increases, and yields thirty, sixty, or a hundred-fold." "Listen," He added, "every one who has ears to listen with!" When He was alone, the Twelve and the others who were about Him requested Him to explain His figurative language. "To you," He replied, "has been entrusted the secret truth concerning the Kingdom of God; but to those others outside your number all this is spoken in figurative language; that "'They may look and look but not see, and listen and listen but not understand, lest perchance they should return and be pardoned.'" "Do you all miss the meaning of this parable?" He added; "how then will you understand the rest of my parables?" "What the sower sows is the Message. Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them. In the same way those who receive the seed on the rocky places are those who, when they have heard the Message, at once accept it joyfully, but they have no root within them. They last for a time; then, when suffering or persecution comes because of the Message, they are immediately overthrown. Others there are who receive the seed among the thorns: these are they who have heard the Message, but worldly cares and the deceitfulness of wealth and the excessive pursuit of other objects come in and stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful. Those, on the other hand, who have received the seed on the good ground, are all who hear the Message and welcome it, and yield a return of thirty, sixty, or a hundred fold."

"The sower," He said, "goes out to sow his seed; and as he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and is trodden upon, or the birds of the air come and peck it up. Another part drops upon the rock, and after growing up it withers away for want of moisture. Another part falls among the thorns, and the thorns grow up with it and stifle it. read more.
But some of the seed falls into good ground, and grows up and yields a return of a hundred for one." While thus speaking, He cried aloud and said, "Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!"






"To you then I will explain the parable of the Sower. When a man hears the Message concerning the Kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil one comes and catches away what has been sown in his heart. This is he who has received the seed by the road-side.

"Do you all miss the meaning of this parable?" He added; "how then will you understand the rest of my parables?" "What the sower sows is the Message. Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them.

The meaning of the parable is as follows. The seed is God's Message. Those by the way-side are those who have heard, and then the Devil comes and carries away the Message from their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.

And a great marvel was seen in Heaven-- a woman who was robed with the sun and had the moon under her feet, and had also a wreath of stars round her head, was with child, and she was crying out in the pains and agony of childbirth. And another marvel was seen in Heaven--a great fiery-red Dragon, with seven heads and ten horns; and on his heads were seven kingly crowns. read more.
His tail was drawing after it a third part of the stars of Heaven, and it dashed them to the ground. And in front of the woman who was about to become a mother, the Dragon was standing in order to devour the child as soon as it was born. She gave birth to a son--a male child, destined before long to rule all nations with an iron scepter. But her child was caught up to God and His throne, and the woman fled into the Desert, there to be cared for, for 1,260 days, in a place which God had prepared for her. And war broke out in Heaven, Michael and his angels engaging in battle with the Dragon. The Dragon fought and so did his angels; but they were defeated, and there was no longer any room found for them in Heaven. The great Dragon, the ancient serpent, he who is called 'the Devil' and 'the Adversary' and leads the whole earth astray, was hurled down: he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. Then I heard a loud voice speaking in Heaven. It said, "The salvation and the power and the Kingdom of our God have now come, and the sovereignty of His Christ; for the accuser of our brethren has been hurled down--he who, day after day and night after night, was wont to accuse them in the presence of God. But they have gained the victory over him because of the blood of the Lamb and of the testimony which they have borne, and because they held their lives cheap and did not shrink even from death. For this reason be glad, O Heaven, and you who live in Heaven! Alas for the earth and the sea! For the Devil has come down to you; full of fierce anger, because he knows that his appointed time is short." And when the Dragon saw that he was hurled down to the earth, he went in pursuit of the woman who had given birth to the male child. Then, the two wings of a great eagle were given to the woman to enable her to fly away into the Desert to the place assigned her, there to be cared for, for a period of time, two periods of time, and half a period of time, beyond the reach of the serpent. And the serpent poured water from his mouth--a very river it seemed--after the woman, in the hope that she would be carried away by its flood. But the earth came to the woman's help: it opened its mouth and drank up the river which the Dragon had poured from his mouth. This made the Dragon furiously angry with the woman, and he went elsewhere to make war upon her other children--those who keep God's commandments and hold fast to the testimony of Jesus.

Then I saw an angel coming down from Heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and upon his arm he carried a great chain. He laid hold of the Dragon--the ancient serpent--who is the Devil and the Adversary, and bound him for a thousand years, and hurled him into the bottomless pit. He closed the entrance and put a seal upon him in order that he might be unable to lead the nations astray any more until the thousand years were at an end. Afterwards he is to be set at liberty for a short time.

When a man hears the Message concerning the Kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil one comes and catches away what has been sown in his heart. This is he who has received the seed by the road-side. He who has received the seed on the rocky ground is the man who hears the Message and immediately receives it with joy. It has struck no root, however, within him. He continues for a time, but when suffering comes, or persecution, because of the Message, he at once stumbles and falls. read more.
He who has received the seed among the thorns is the man who hears the Message, but the cares of the present age and the delusions of riches quite stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful.

Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them. In the same way those who receive the seed on the rocky places are those who, when they have heard the Message, at once accept it joyfully, but they have no root within them. They last for a time; then, when suffering or persecution comes because of the Message, they are immediately overthrown. read more.
Others there are who receive the seed among the thorns: these are they who have heard the Message, but worldly cares and the deceitfulness of wealth and the excessive pursuit of other objects come in and stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful.


For there are many that spurn authority--idle, talkative and deceitful persons, who, for the most part, are adherents of the Circumcision. You must stop the mouths of such men, for they overthrow the faith of whole families, teaching what they ought not, just for the sake of making money. One of their own number--a Prophet who is a countryman of theirs--has said, "Cretans are always liars, dangerous animals, idle gluttons." read more.
This testimony is true. Therefore sternly denounce them, that they may be robust in their faith, and not give attention to Jewish legends and the maxims of men who turn their backs on the truth. To the pure everything is pure; but to the polluted and unbelieving nothing is pure, but on the contrary their very minds and consciences are polluted. They profess to know God; but in their actions they disown Him, and are detestable and disobedient men, and for any good work are utterly useless.


"Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites," He replied; "as it is written, "'This People honour Me with their lips, while their hearts are far away from Me: But idle is their devotion while they lay down precepts which are mere human rules.' "You neglect God's Commandment: you hold fast to men's traditions." read more.
"Praiseworthy indeed!" He added, "to set at nought God's Commandment in order to observe your own traditions!

Those by the way-side are those who have heard, and then the Devil comes and carries away the Message from their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the people who on hearing the Message receive it joyfully; but they have no root: for a time they believe, but when trial comes they fall away. That which fell among the thorns means those who have heard, but as they go on their way, the Message is stifled by the anxieties, wealth and gaieties of time, and they yield nothing in perfection.

"If any one loves me," replied Jesus, "he will obey my teaching; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who has no love for me does not obey my teaching; and yet the teaching to which you are listening is not mine, but is the teaching of the Father who sent me.

And God who continually supplies seed for the sower and bread for eating, will supply you with seed and multiply it, and will cause your almsgiving to yield a plentiful harvest. Verse ConceptsAgriculture, Growth From GodBread, As FoodDevelopmentGrowthHarvestProvisionsFruits Of RighteousnessSpiritual GrowthSowing GoodReapingA Righteous PeopleGod Feeds All The EarthBreadReaping What You SowPlanting SeedsFarmingSeedsSowing Seedsprovidingsowing


"What the sower sows is the Message. Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them.

He then spoke many things to them in figurative language. "The sower goes out," He said, "to sow. As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on rocky ground, where it has but scanty soil. It quickly shows itself above ground, because it has no depth of earth; read more.
but when the sun is risen, it is scorched by the heat, and through having no root it withers up. Some falls among the thorns; but the thorns spring up and stifle it. But a portion falls upon good ground, and gives a return, some a hundred for one, some sixty, some thirty. Listen, every one who has ears!"

"The sower," He said, "goes out to sow his seed; and as he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and is trodden upon, or the birds of the air come and peck it up. Another part drops upon the rock, and after growing up it withers away for want of moisture. Another part falls among the thorns, and the thorns grow up with it and stifle it. read more.
But some of the seed falls into good ground, and grows up and yields a return of a hundred for one." While thus speaking, He cried aloud and said, "Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!"

"To you then I will explain the parable of the Sower. When a man hears the Message concerning the Kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil one comes and catches away what has been sown in his heart. This is he who has received the seed by the road-side. He who has received the seed on the rocky ground is the man who hears the Message and immediately receives it with joy. read more.
It has struck no root, however, within him. He continues for a time, but when suffering comes, or persecution, because of the Message, he at once stumbles and falls. He who has received the seed among the thorns is the man who hears the Message, but the cares of the present age and the delusions of riches quite stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful. But he who has received the seed on good ground is he who hears and understands. Such hearers give a return, and yield one a hundred for one, another sixty, another thirty.")

Once more He began to teach by the side of the Lake, and a vast multitude of people came together to listen to Him. He therefore went on board the boat and sat there, a little way from the land; and all the people were on the shore close to the water. Then He proceeded to teach them many lessons in figurative language; and in His teaching He said, "Listen: the sower goes out to sow. read more.
As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on the rocky ground where it finds but little earth, and it shoots up quickly because it has no depth of soil; but when the sun is risen, it is scorched, and through having no root it withers away. Some, again, falls among the thorns; and the thorns spring up and stifle it, so that it yields no crop. But some of the seed falls into good ground, and gives a return: it comes up and increases, and yields thirty, sixty, or a hundred-fold." "Listen," He added, "every one who has ears to listen with!"

"What the sower sows is the Message. Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them. In the same way those who receive the seed on the rocky places are those who, when they have heard the Message, at once accept it joyfully, read more.
but they have no root within them. They last for a time; then, when suffering or persecution comes because of the Message, they are immediately overthrown. Others there are who receive the seed among the thorns: these are they who have heard the Message, but worldly cares and the deceitfulness of wealth and the excessive pursuit of other objects come in and stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful. Those, on the other hand, who have received the seed on the good ground, are all who hear the Message and welcome it, and yield a return of thirty, sixty, or a hundred fold."

The meaning of the parable is as follows. The seed is God's Message. Those by the way-side are those who have heard, and then the Devil comes and carries away the Message from their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the people who on hearing the Message receive it joyfully; but they have no root: for a time they believe, but when trial comes they fall away. read more.
That which fell among the thorns means those who have heard, but as they go on their way, the Message is stifled by the anxieties, wealth and gaieties of time, and they yield nothing in perfection. But as for that in the good ground, it means those who, having listened to the Message with open minds and in a right spirit, hold it fast, and patiently yield a return.

That same day Jesus had left the house and was sitting on the shore of the Lake, when a vast multitude of people crowded round Him. He therefore went on board a boat and sat there, while all the people stood on the shore. He then spoke many things to them in figurative language. "The sower goes out," He said, "to sow. read more.
As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on rocky ground, where it has but scanty soil. It quickly shows itself above ground, because it has no depth of earth; but when the sun is risen, it is scorched by the heat, and through having no root it withers up. Some falls among the thorns; but the thorns spring up and stifle it. But a portion falls upon good ground, and gives a return, some a hundred for one, some sixty, some thirty. Listen, every one who has ears!" (And His disciples came and asked Him, "Why do you speak to them in figurative language?" "Because," He replied, "while to you it is granted to know the secrets of the Kingdom of the Heavens, to them it is not. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever has not, from him even what he has shall be taken away. I speak to them in figurative language for this reason, that while looking they do not see, and while hearing they neither hear nor understand. And in regard to them the prophecy of Isaiah is receiving signal fulfilment: "'You will hear and hear and by no means understand, and you will look and look and by no means see. For this people's mind is stupefied, their hearing has become dull, and their eyes they have closed; to prevent their ever seeing with their eyes, or hearing with their ears, or understanding with their minds, and turning back, so that I might heal them.' "But as for you, blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For I solemnly tell you that many Prophets and holy men have longed to see the sights you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the words you hear, and have not heard them. "To you then I will explain the parable of the Sower. When a man hears the Message concerning the Kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil one comes and catches away what has been sown in his heart. This is he who has received the seed by the road-side. He who has received the seed on the rocky ground is the man who hears the Message and immediately receives it with joy. It has struck no root, however, within him. He continues for a time, but when suffering comes, or persecution, because of the Message, he at once stumbles and falls. He who has received the seed among the thorns is the man who hears the Message, but the cares of the present age and the delusions of riches quite stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful. But he who has received the seed on good ground is he who hears and understands. Such hearers give a return, and yield one a hundred for one, another sixty, another thirty.")

Once more He began to teach by the side of the Lake, and a vast multitude of people came together to listen to Him. He therefore went on board the boat and sat there, a little way from the land; and all the people were on the shore close to the water. Then He proceeded to teach them many lessons in figurative language; and in His teaching He said, "Listen: the sower goes out to sow. read more.
As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on the rocky ground where it finds but little earth, and it shoots up quickly because it has no depth of soil; but when the sun is risen, it is scorched, and through having no root it withers away. Some, again, falls among the thorns; and the thorns spring up and stifle it, so that it yields no crop. But some of the seed falls into good ground, and gives a return: it comes up and increases, and yields thirty, sixty, or a hundred-fold." "Listen," He added, "every one who has ears to listen with!" When He was alone, the Twelve and the others who were about Him requested Him to explain His figurative language. "To you," He replied, "has been entrusted the secret truth concerning the Kingdom of God; but to those others outside your number all this is spoken in figurative language; that "'They may look and look but not see, and listen and listen but not understand, lest perchance they should return and be pardoned.'" "Do you all miss the meaning of this parable?" He added; "how then will you understand the rest of my parables?" "What the sower sows is the Message. Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them. In the same way those who receive the seed on the rocky places are those who, when they have heard the Message, at once accept it joyfully, but they have no root within them. They last for a time; then, when suffering or persecution comes because of the Message, they are immediately overthrown. Others there are who receive the seed among the thorns: these are they who have heard the Message, but worldly cares and the deceitfulness of wealth and the excessive pursuit of other objects come in and stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful. Those, on the other hand, who have received the seed on the good ground, are all who hear the Message and welcome it, and yield a return of thirty, sixty, or a hundred fold." He went on to say, "Is the lamp brought in in order to be put under the bushel or under the bed? Is it not rather in order that it may be placed on the lampstand? Why, there is nothing hidden except with a view to its being ultimately disclosed, nor has anything been made a secret but that it may at last come to light. Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!" He also said to them, "Take care what you hear. With what measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and that with interest. For those who have will have more given them; and from those who have not, even what they have will be taken away."

And when a great crowd was assembling, and was receiving additions from one town after another, He spoke a parable to them. "The sower," He said, "goes out to sow his seed; and as he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and is trodden upon, or the birds of the air come and peck it up. Another part drops upon the rock, and after growing up it withers away for want of moisture. read more.
Another part falls among the thorns, and the thorns grow up with it and stifle it. But some of the seed falls into good ground, and grows up and yields a return of a hundred for one." While thus speaking, He cried aloud and said, "Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!" The disciples proceeded to ask Him what this parable meant. "To you," He replied, "it is granted to know the secrets of the Kingdom of God; but all others are taught by parables, in order that they may see and yet not see, and may hear and yet not understand. The meaning of the parable is as follows. The seed is God's Message. Those by the way-side are those who have heard, and then the Devil comes and carries away the Message from their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the people who on hearing the Message receive it joyfully; but they have no root: for a time they believe, but when trial comes they fall away. That which fell among the thorns means those who have heard, but as they go on their way, the Message is stifled by the anxieties, wealth and gaieties of time, and they yield nothing in perfection. But as for that in the good ground, it means those who, having listened to the Message with open minds and in a right spirit, hold it fast, and patiently yield a return. "When any one lights a lamp, he does not cover it with a vessel or hide it under a couch; he puts it on a lampstand, that people who enter the room may see the light. There is nothing hidden, which shall not be openly seen; nor anything secret, which shall not be known and come into the light of day. Be careful, therefore, how you hear; for whoever has anything, to him more shall be given, and whoever has nothing, even that which he thinks he has shall be taken away from him."

That same day Jesus had left the house and was sitting on the shore of the Lake, when a vast multitude of people crowded round Him. He therefore went on board a boat and sat there, while all the people stood on the shore. He then spoke many things to them in figurative language. "The sower goes out," He said, "to sow. read more.
As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on rocky ground, where it has but scanty soil. It quickly shows itself above ground, because it has no depth of earth; but when the sun is risen, it is scorched by the heat, and through having no root it withers up. Some falls among the thorns; but the thorns spring up and stifle it. But a portion falls upon good ground, and gives a return, some a hundred for one, some sixty, some thirty. Listen, every one who has ears!" (And His disciples came and asked Him, "Why do you speak to them in figurative language?" "Because," He replied, "while to you it is granted to know the secrets of the Kingdom of the Heavens, to them it is not. For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever has not, from him even what he has shall be taken away. I speak to them in figurative language for this reason, that while looking they do not see, and while hearing they neither hear nor understand. And in regard to them the prophecy of Isaiah is receiving signal fulfilment: "'You will hear and hear and by no means understand, and you will look and look and by no means see. For this people's mind is stupefied, their hearing has become dull, and their eyes they have closed; to prevent their ever seeing with their eyes, or hearing with their ears, or understanding with their minds, and turning back, so that I might heal them.' "But as for you, blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For I solemnly tell you that many Prophets and holy men have longed to see the sights you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the words you hear, and have not heard them. "To you then I will explain the parable of the Sower. When a man hears the Message concerning the Kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil one comes and catches away what has been sown in his heart. This is he who has received the seed by the road-side. He who has received the seed on the rocky ground is the man who hears the Message and immediately receives it with joy. It has struck no root, however, within him. He continues for a time, but when suffering comes, or persecution, because of the Message, he at once stumbles and falls. He who has received the seed among the thorns is the man who hears the Message, but the cares of the present age and the delusions of riches quite stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful. But he who has received the seed on good ground is he who hears and understands. Such hearers give a return, and yield one a hundred for one, another sixty, another thirty.") Another parable He put before them. "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "may be compared to a man who has sown good seed in his field, but during the night his enemy comes, and over the first seed he sows darnel among the wheat, and goes away. But when the blade shoots up and the grain is formed, then appears the darnel also. "So the farmer's men come and ask him, "'Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed on your land? Where then does the darnel come from?' "'Some enemy has done this,' he said. "'Shall we go, and collect it?' the men inquire. "'No,' he replied, 'for fear that while collecting the darnel you should at the same time root up the wheat with it. Leave both to grow together until the harvest, and at harvest-time I will direct the reapers, Collect the darnel first, and make it up into bundles to burn it, but bring all the wheat into my barn.'" Another parable He put before them. "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "is like a mustard-seed, which a man takes and sows in his ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, and yet when full-grown it is larger than any herb and forms a tree, so that the birds come and build in its branches." Another parable He spoke to them. "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "is like yeast which a woman takes and buries in a bushel of flour, for it to work there till the whole mass has risen." All this Jesus spoke to the people in figurative language, and except in figurative language He spoke nothing to them, in fulfilment of the saying of the Prophet, "I will open my mouth in figurative language, I will utter things kept hidden since the creation of all things." When He had dismissed the people and had returned to the house, His disciples came to Him with the request, "Explain to us the parable of the darnel sown in the field." "The sower of the good seed," He replied, "is the Son of Man; the field is the world; the good seed--these are the sons of the Kingdom; the darnel, the sons of the Evil one. The enemy who sows the darnel is *the Devil*; the harvest is the Close of the Age; the reapers are the angels. As then the darnel is collected together and burnt up with fire, so will it be at the Close of the Age. The Son of Man will commission His angels, and they will gather out of His Kingdom all causes of sin and all who violate His laws; and these they will throw into the fiery furnace. There will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth. Then will the righteous shine out like the sun in their Father's Kingdom. Listen, every one who has ears! "The Kingdom of the Heavens is like treasure buried in the open country, which a man finds, but buries again, and, in his joy about it, goes and sells all he has and buys that piece of ground. "Again the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a jewel merchant who is in quest of choice pearls. He finds one most costly pearl; he goes away; and though it costs all he has, he buys it. "Again the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a draw-net let down into the sea, which encloses fish of all sorts. When full, they haul it up on the beach, and sit down and collect the good fish in baskets, while the worthless they throw away. So will it be at the Close of the Age. The angels will go forth and separate the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the fiery furnace. There will be the weeping aloud and the gnashing of teeth." "Have you understood all this?" He asked. "Yes," they said. "Therefore," He said, "remember that every Scribe well trained for the Kingdom of the Heavens is like a householder who brings out of his storehouse new things and old."

Then He proceeded to teach them many lessons in figurative language; and in His teaching He said, "Listen: the sower goes out to sow. As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. read more.
Some falls on the rocky ground where it finds but little earth, and it shoots up quickly because it has no depth of soil; but when the sun is risen, it is scorched, and through having no root it withers away. Some, again, falls among the thorns; and the thorns spring up and stifle it, so that it yields no crop. But some of the seed falls into good ground, and gives a return: it comes up and increases, and yields thirty, sixty, or a hundred-fold." "Listen," He added, "every one who has ears to listen with!" When He was alone, the Twelve and the others who were about Him requested Him to explain His figurative language. "To you," He replied, "has been entrusted the secret truth concerning the Kingdom of God; but to those others outside your number all this is spoken in figurative language; that "'They may look and look but not see, and listen and listen but not understand, lest perchance they should return and be pardoned.'" "Do you all miss the meaning of this parable?" He added; "how then will you understand the rest of my parables?" "What the sower sows is the Message. Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them. In the same way those who receive the seed on the rocky places are those who, when they have heard the Message, at once accept it joyfully, but they have no root within them. They last for a time; then, when suffering or persecution comes because of the Message, they are immediately overthrown. Others there are who receive the seed among the thorns: these are they who have heard the Message, but worldly cares and the deceitfulness of wealth and the excessive pursuit of other objects come in and stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful. Those, on the other hand, who have received the seed on the good ground, are all who hear the Message and welcome it, and yield a return of thirty, sixty, or a hundred fold." He went on to say, "Is the lamp brought in in order to be put under the bushel or under the bed? Is it not rather in order that it may be placed on the lampstand? Why, there is nothing hidden except with a view to its being ultimately disclosed, nor has anything been made a secret but that it may at last come to light. Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!" He also said to them, "Take care what you hear. With what measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and that with interest. For those who have will have more given them; and from those who have not, even what they have will be taken away." Another saying of His was this: "The Kingdom of God is as if a man scattered seed over the ground: he spends days and nights, now awake, now asleep, while the seed sprouts and grows tall, he knows not how. Of itself the land produces the crop-- first the blade, then the ear; afterwards the perfect grain is seen in the ear. But no sooner is the crop ripe, than he sends the reapers, because the time of harvest has come." Another saying of His was this: "How are we to picture the Kingdom of God? or by what figure of speech shall we represent it? It is like a mustard-seed, which, when sown in the earth, is the smallest of all the seeds in the world; yet when sown it springs up and becomes larger than all the herbs, and throws out great branches, so that the birds build under its shadow." With many such parables He used to speak the Message to them according to their capacity for receiving it.

He then spoke many things to them in figurative language. "The sower goes out," He said, "to sow. As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on rocky ground, where it has but scanty soil. It quickly shows itself above ground, because it has no depth of earth; read more.
but when the sun is risen, it is scorched by the heat, and through having no root it withers up. Some falls among the thorns; but the thorns spring up and stifle it. But a portion falls upon good ground, and gives a return, some a hundred for one, some sixty, some thirty.

"Listen: the sower goes out to sow. As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on the rocky ground where it finds but little earth, and it shoots up quickly because it has no depth of soil; read more.
but when the sun is risen, it is scorched, and through having no root it withers away. Some, again, falls among the thorns; and the thorns spring up and stifle it, so that it yields no crop. But some of the seed falls into good ground, and gives a return: it comes up and increases, and yields thirty, sixty, or a hundred-fold." "Listen," He added, "every one who has ears to listen with!" When He was alone, the Twelve and the others who were about Him requested Him to explain His figurative language. "To you," He replied, "has been entrusted the secret truth concerning the Kingdom of God; but to those others outside your number all this is spoken in figurative language; that "'They may look and look but not see, and listen and listen but not understand, lest perchance they should return and be pardoned.'" "Do you all miss the meaning of this parable?" He added; "how then will you understand the rest of my parables?" "What the sower sows is the Message. Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them. In the same way those who receive the seed on the rocky places are those who, when they have heard the Message, at once accept it joyfully, but they have no root within them. They last for a time; then, when suffering or persecution comes because of the Message, they are immediately overthrown. Others there are who receive the seed among the thorns: these are they who have heard the Message, but worldly cares and the deceitfulness of wealth and the excessive pursuit of other objects come in and stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful. Those, on the other hand, who have received the seed on the good ground, are all who hear the Message and welcome it, and yield a return of thirty, sixty, or a hundred fold."

"The sower," He said, "goes out to sow his seed; and as he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and is trodden upon, or the birds of the air come and peck it up. Another part drops upon the rock, and after growing up it withers away for want of moisture. Another part falls among the thorns, and the thorns grow up with it and stifle it. read more.
But some of the seed falls into good ground, and grows up and yields a return of a hundred for one." While thus speaking, He cried aloud and said, "Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!"

And God who continually supplies seed for the sower and bread for eating, will supply you with seed and multiply it, and will cause your almsgiving to yield a plentiful harvest. Verse ConceptsAgriculture, Growth From GodBread, As FoodDevelopmentGrowthHarvestProvisionsFruits Of RighteousnessSpiritual GrowthSowing GoodReapingA Righteous PeopleGod Feeds All The EarthBreadReaping What You SowPlanting SeedsFarmingSeedsSowing Seedsprovidingsowing


"What the sower sows is the Message. Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them.

He then spoke many things to them in figurative language. "The sower goes out," He said, "to sow. As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on rocky ground, where it has but scanty soil. It quickly shows itself above ground, because it has no depth of earth; read more.
but when the sun is risen, it is scorched by the heat, and through having no root it withers up. Some falls among the thorns; but the thorns spring up and stifle it. But a portion falls upon good ground, and gives a return, some a hundred for one, some sixty, some thirty.

"The sower," He said, "goes out to sow his seed; and as he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and is trodden upon, or the birds of the air come and peck it up. Another part drops upon the rock, and after growing up it withers away for want of moisture. Another part falls among the thorns, and the thorns grow up with it and stifle it. read more.
But some of the seed falls into good ground, and grows up and yields a return of a hundred for one." While thus speaking, He cried aloud and said, "Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!" The disciples proceeded to ask Him what this parable meant. "To you," He replied, "it is granted to know the secrets of the Kingdom of God; but all others are taught by parables, in order that they may see and yet not see, and may hear and yet not understand. The meaning of the parable is as follows. The seed is God's Message. Those by the way-side are those who have heard, and then the Devil comes and carries away the Message from their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the people who on hearing the Message receive it joyfully; but they have no root: for a time they believe, but when trial comes they fall away. That which fell among the thorns means those who have heard, but as they go on their way, the Message is stifled by the anxieties, wealth and gaieties of time, and they yield nothing in perfection. But as for that in the good ground, it means those who, having listened to the Message with open minds and in a right spirit, hold it fast, and patiently yield a return.

"Listen: the sower goes out to sow. As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on the rocky ground where it finds but little earth, and it shoots up quickly because it has no depth of soil; read more.
but when the sun is risen, it is scorched, and through having no root it withers away. Some, again, falls among the thorns; and the thorns spring up and stifle it, so that it yields no crop. But some of the seed falls into good ground, and gives a return: it comes up and increases, and yields thirty, sixty, or a hundred-fold." "Listen," He added, "every one who has ears to listen with!" When He was alone, the Twelve and the others who were about Him requested Him to explain His figurative language. "To you," He replied, "has been entrusted the secret truth concerning the Kingdom of God; but to those others outside your number all this is spoken in figurative language; that "'They may look and look but not see, and listen and listen but not understand, lest perchance they should return and be pardoned.'" "Do you all miss the meaning of this parable?" He added; "how then will you understand the rest of my parables?" "What the sower sows is the Message. Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them. In the same way those who receive the seed on the rocky places are those who, when they have heard the Message, at once accept it joyfully, but they have no root within them. They last for a time; then, when suffering or persecution comes because of the Message, they are immediately overthrown. Others there are who receive the seed among the thorns: these are they who have heard the Message, but worldly cares and the deceitfulness of wealth and the excessive pursuit of other objects come in and stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful. Those, on the other hand, who have received the seed on the good ground, are all who hear the Message and welcome it, and yield a return of thirty, sixty, or a hundred fold."

"To you then I will explain the parable of the Sower. When a man hears the Message concerning the Kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil one comes and catches away what has been sown in his heart. This is he who has received the seed by the road-side. He who has received the seed on the rocky ground is the man who hears the Message and immediately receives it with joy. read more.
It has struck no root, however, within him. He continues for a time, but when suffering comes, or persecution, because of the Message, he at once stumbles and falls. He who has received the seed among the thorns is the man who hears the Message, but the cares of the present age and the delusions of riches quite stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful. But he who has received the seed on good ground is he who hears and understands. Such hearers give a return, and yield one a hundred for one, another sixty, another thirty.")

"The sower of the good seed," He replied, "is the Son of Man; the field is the world; the good seed--these are the sons of the Kingdom; the darnel, the sons of the Evil one.

Another saying of His was this: "The Kingdom of God is as if a man scattered seed over the ground: he spends days and nights, now awake, now asleep, while the seed sprouts and grows tall, he knows not how. Of itself the land produces the crop-- first the blade, then the ear; afterwards the perfect grain is seen in the ear. read more.
But no sooner is the crop ripe, than he sends the reapers, because the time of harvest has come." Another saying of His was this: "How are we to picture the Kingdom of God? or by what figure of speech shall we represent it? It is like a mustard-seed, which, when sown in the earth, is the smallest of all the seeds in the world; yet when sown it springs up and becomes larger than all the herbs, and throws out great branches, so that the birds build under its shadow."

He then spoke many things to them in figurative language. "The sower goes out," He said, "to sow. As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on rocky ground, where it has but scanty soil. It quickly shows itself above ground, because it has no depth of earth; read more.
but when the sun is risen, it is scorched by the heat, and through having no root it withers up. Some falls among the thorns; but the thorns spring up and stifle it. But a portion falls upon good ground, and gives a return, some a hundred for one, some sixty, some thirty. Listen, every one who has ears!"

Once more He began to teach by the side of the Lake, and a vast multitude of people came together to listen to Him. He therefore went on board the boat and sat there, a little way from the land; and all the people were on the shore close to the water. Then He proceeded to teach them many lessons in figurative language; and in His teaching He said, "Listen: the sower goes out to sow. read more.
As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up. Some falls on the rocky ground where it finds but little earth, and it shoots up quickly because it has no depth of soil; but when the sun is risen, it is scorched, and through having no root it withers away. Some, again, falls among the thorns; and the thorns spring up and stifle it, so that it yields no crop. But some of the seed falls into good ground, and gives a return: it comes up and increases, and yields thirty, sixty, or a hundred-fold." "Listen," He added, "every one who has ears to listen with!" When He was alone, the Twelve and the others who were about Him requested Him to explain His figurative language. "To you," He replied, "has been entrusted the secret truth concerning the Kingdom of God; but to those others outside your number all this is spoken in figurative language; that "'They may look and look but not see, and listen and listen but not understand, lest perchance they should return and be pardoned.'" "Do you all miss the meaning of this parable?" He added; "how then will you understand the rest of my parables?" "What the sower sows is the Message. Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them. In the same way those who receive the seed on the rocky places are those who, when they have heard the Message, at once accept it joyfully, but they have no root within them. They last for a time; then, when suffering or persecution comes because of the Message, they are immediately overthrown. Others there are who receive the seed among the thorns: these are they who have heard the Message, but worldly cares and the deceitfulness of wealth and the excessive pursuit of other objects come in and stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful. Those, on the other hand, who have received the seed on the good ground, are all who hear the Message and welcome it, and yield a return of thirty, sixty, or a hundred fold."

And when a great crowd was assembling, and was receiving additions from one town after another, He spoke a parable to them. "The sower," He said, "goes out to sow his seed; and as he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and is trodden upon, or the birds of the air come and peck it up. Another part drops upon the rock, and after growing up it withers away for want of moisture. read more.
Another part falls among the thorns, and the thorns grow up with it and stifle it. But some of the seed falls into good ground, and grows up and yields a return of a hundred for one." While thus speaking, He cried aloud and said, "Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!" The disciples proceeded to ask Him what this parable meant. "To you," He replied, "it is granted to know the secrets of the Kingdom of God; but all others are taught by parables, in order that they may see and yet not see, and may hear and yet not understand. The meaning of the parable is as follows. The seed is God's Message. Those by the way-side are those who have heard, and then the Devil comes and carries away the Message from their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the people who on hearing the Message receive it joyfully; but they have no root: for a time they believe, but when trial comes they fall away. That which fell among the thorns means those who have heard, but as they go on their way, the Message is stifled by the anxieties, wealth and gaieties of time, and they yield nothing in perfection. But as for that in the good ground, it means those who, having listened to the Message with open minds and in a right spirit, hold it fast, and patiently yield a return.

And God who continually supplies seed for the sower and bread for eating, will supply you with seed and multiply it, and will cause your almsgiving to yield a plentiful harvest. Verse ConceptsAgriculture, Growth From GodBread, As FoodDevelopmentGrowthHarvestProvisionsFruits Of RighteousnessSpiritual GrowthSowing GoodReapingA Righteous PeopleGod Feeds All The EarthBreadReaping What You SowPlanting SeedsFarmingSeedsSowing Seedsprovidingsowing


"What the sower sows is the Message. Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them.

And God who continually supplies seed for the sower and bread for eating, will supply you with seed and multiply it, and will cause your almsgiving to yield a plentiful harvest. Verse ConceptsAgriculture, Growth From GodBread, As FoodDevelopmentGrowthHarvestProvisionsFruits Of RighteousnessSpiritual GrowthSowing GoodReapingA Righteous PeopleGod Feeds All The EarthBreadReaping What You SowPlanting SeedsFarmingSeedsSowing Seedsprovidingsowing


"What the sower sows is the Message. Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them.