Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Galilee » Sea (lake) of galilee » Jesus teaches from a ship on
On that same day, after Jesus had left the house, he took his seat on the seashore; and such a great crowd gathered about him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the crowd stood on the beach. Then he told them many truths in parables. "Behold," he said, "the sower went forth to sow;
Jesus Christ » History of » Parable of the sower (at lake galilee)
On that same day, after Jesus had left the house, he took his seat on the seashore; and such a great crowd gathered about him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the crowd stood on the beach. Then he told them many truths in parables. "Behold," he said, "the sower went forth to sow; read more.
and as he sowed, some seed fell by the roadside, and the birds came and ate it. Some fell on rocky ground where there was not much earth. Now because it had no depth of soil, it sprang up at once; but when the sun rose it was scorched, and withered away because it had no root. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked it. But some fell on good soil, and bore a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear!" Now when his disciples came up to him, they said, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" Jesus answered. "To you it has been granted to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; but to them it has not been granted. "For whoever holds, to him shall more be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever does not hold, from him shall be taken away even what he holds. "This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them is being fulfilled that prophecy of Isaiah which says. "Hearing you will hear and not understand; Seeing you will see and not perceive; For the heart of his people is made fat, Their ears are dull of hearing; Their eyes, too, have they closed, Lest some day their eyes should perceive, And their ears should hear, And their heart should understand and turn, And I should heal them. "But happy are your eyes, because they see, and your ears because they hear. "In solemn truth I tell you that many prophets and holy men have seen it not, and to hear what you are hearing, and have not heard it. "Listen then, to the parable of the sower. "Whenever any one hears the message of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. "This is the seed sown by the wayside. And the word, and at once receives it with joy. "But he has no root in himself; he continues for a time, but when trouble arises, or persecutions, on account of the word, at once he stumbles and falls. "And the seed sown among thorns is he who hears the word, but the anxieties of the age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. "But the seed sown in good soil is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit, and makes now an hundredfold, now sixty, now thirty."
and as he sowed, some seed fell by the roadside, and the birds came and ate it. Some fell on rocky ground where there was not much earth. Now because it had no depth of soil, it sprang up at once; but when the sun rose it was scorched, and withered away because it had no root. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked it. But some fell on good soil, and bore a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear!" Now when his disciples came up to him, they said, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" Jesus answered. "To you it has been granted to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; but to them it has not been granted. "For whoever holds, to him shall more be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever does not hold, from him shall be taken away even what he holds. "This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them is being fulfilled that prophecy of Isaiah which says. "Hearing you will hear and not understand; Seeing you will see and not perceive; For the heart of his people is made fat, Their ears are dull of hearing; Their eyes, too, have they closed, Lest some day their eyes should perceive, And their ears should hear, And their heart should understand and turn, And I should heal them. "But happy are your eyes, because they see, and your ears because they hear. "In solemn truth I tell you that many prophets and holy men have seen it not, and to hear what you are hearing, and have not heard it. "Listen then, to the parable of the sower. "Whenever any one hears the message of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. "This is the seed sown by the wayside. And the word, and at once receives it with joy. "But he has no root in himself; he continues for a time, but when trouble arises, or persecutions, on account of the word, at once he stumbles and falls. "And the seed sown among thorns is he who hears the word, but the anxieties of the age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. "But the seed sown in good soil is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit, and makes now an hundredfold, now sixty, now thirty."
Afterwards Jesus began to teach by the seaside, and a vast multitude of people gathered about him, so that he went on board a boat on the sea, and sat there, while all the people stayed on shore, at the water's edge. Then he began teaching them in parables many things. In his teaching he said to them. "Listen! the Sower once went out to sow, read more.
and as he sowed, it happened that some seed fell on the road, and birds came and picked it up; some other seed fell on stony soil, where it had not much earth; and it sprang up quickly because it had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose it was scorched and withered away because it had no root. Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked it, so that it yielded no crop. But some seed fell into good soil and yielded a crop that sprang up and increased, yielding thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold. "Any one who has ears to hear," he added, "let him listen to this." When he was alone his followers and the Twelve began asking about the parables. He went on to say to them. "The secret truth concerning the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those outside everything is told in parables, so that, "for all their looking they may not see, and for all their hearing, they may not understand, lest perchance they should turn and be pardoned. "You do not understand this parable," said Jesus. "Then how will you understand the other parables? "What the Sower sows is the Word. There are those 'on the wayside' where the Word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan immediately comes and snatches away the Word which has been sown in them. And like the sowing upon 'stony ground' are those who, whenever they hear the Word, at once receive it with joy, but because they have no root in themselves they last for a time; but when suffering or persecution ensues because of the Word, they at once fall away. There are others who are 'sown among thorns.' When they have heard the Word, the anxieties of life and the snares of wealth, and all sorts of other ambitions, come in to choke the Word, so that it proves unfruitful. But those, on the other hand, who were sown on that good soil, are those who listen to the Word, and welcome it, and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold." He went on to say. "Is the lamp brought in to be put under the bushel or the bed? Is it not rather to be put on the lamp-stand? There is nothing hidden except what is to be disclosed, and nothing concealed except what is to be revealed. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear." And he said to them. "Take heed what you hear. With what measure you measure it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you. For he who holds, to him will more be given, and he who holds not, from him will be taken even what he holds."
and as he sowed, it happened that some seed fell on the road, and birds came and picked it up; some other seed fell on stony soil, where it had not much earth; and it sprang up quickly because it had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose it was scorched and withered away because it had no root. Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked it, so that it yielded no crop. But some seed fell into good soil and yielded a crop that sprang up and increased, yielding thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold. "Any one who has ears to hear," he added, "let him listen to this." When he was alone his followers and the Twelve began asking about the parables. He went on to say to them. "The secret truth concerning the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those outside everything is told in parables, so that, "for all their looking they may not see, and for all their hearing, they may not understand, lest perchance they should turn and be pardoned. "You do not understand this parable," said Jesus. "Then how will you understand the other parables? "What the Sower sows is the Word. There are those 'on the wayside' where the Word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan immediately comes and snatches away the Word which has been sown in them. And like the sowing upon 'stony ground' are those who, whenever they hear the Word, at once receive it with joy, but because they have no root in themselves they last for a time; but when suffering or persecution ensues because of the Word, they at once fall away. There are others who are 'sown among thorns.' When they have heard the Word, the anxieties of life and the snares of wealth, and all sorts of other ambitions, come in to choke the Word, so that it proves unfruitful. But those, on the other hand, who were sown on that good soil, are those who listen to the Word, and welcome it, and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold." He went on to say. "Is the lamp brought in to be put under the bushel or the bed? Is it not rather to be put on the lamp-stand? There is nothing hidden except what is to be disclosed, and nothing concealed except what is to be revealed. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear." And he said to them. "Take heed what you hear. With what measure you measure it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you. For he who holds, to him will more be given, and he who holds not, from him will be taken even what he holds."
As a great crowd was gathering, and men of town after town kept restoring to him, he spoke a parable to them. "A sower went out to sow his seed, and as he sowed some fell by the wayside, and was trodden under foot, and the wild birds ate it up. "Some other seed dropped on the rock, as soon as it grew it withered away, because it had no moisture. read more.
"Another part fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. "But some fell on good soil, and grew up, and brought forth fruit, a hundredfold." When he said this, he called out, "Whoever has ears to hear with, let him listen." Then his disciples began to interrupt him, saying, "What does this parable mean?" He answered. "To you it is given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God; But all others are taught in parables so that seeing they shall not see, and hearing they shall not hear. "This is the meaning of the parable. The seed is the word of God. "Those by the wayside are people who hear, but then comes the devil and carries off the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and not be saved. "Those on the rock are people who, upon hearing, receive the word with joy; but they have no root. For a time indeed they all believe, but in time of temptation they fall away. "And that which fell upon thorns is those who have heard, but as they go on their way of word is choked with the cares and riches and pleasures of life; so they bring no fruit of perfection. "And that in the good soil is those who have listened to the message and, in an honest and good heart, hold fast, and bring forth fruit with patience. "When he lights a lamp no one covers it with a vase or hides it under a bed; he puts it on a lamp-stand so whoever may behold the light. "For is nothing hidden that shall not be disclosed; there is nothing secret which shall not be made known and come to the light. "Take heed, then, how you listen. for he who has, to him shall it be given, but from him who has not, shall be taken away even what he has."
"Another part fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it. "But some fell on good soil, and grew up, and brought forth fruit, a hundredfold." When he said this, he called out, "Whoever has ears to hear with, let him listen." Then his disciples began to interrupt him, saying, "What does this parable mean?" He answered. "To you it is given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God; But all others are taught in parables so that seeing they shall not see, and hearing they shall not hear. "This is the meaning of the parable. The seed is the word of God. "Those by the wayside are people who hear, but then comes the devil and carries off the word from their heart, so that they may not believe and not be saved. "Those on the rock are people who, upon hearing, receive the word with joy; but they have no root. For a time indeed they all believe, but in time of temptation they fall away. "And that which fell upon thorns is those who have heard, but as they go on their way of word is choked with the cares and riches and pleasures of life; so they bring no fruit of perfection. "And that in the good soil is those who have listened to the message and, in an honest and good heart, hold fast, and bring forth fruit with patience. "When he lights a lamp no one covers it with a vase or hides it under a bed; he puts it on a lamp-stand so whoever may behold the light. "For is nothing hidden that shall not be disclosed; there is nothing secret which shall not be made known and come to the light. "Take heed, then, how you listen. for he who has, to him shall it be given, but from him who has not, shall be taken away even what he has."
Multitudes » The multitudes follow Christ
Great crowds came to him, bringing the crippled, the blind, the maimed, the dumb, and many others. They laid them at his feet and he healed them;
Meanwhile when myriads of the multitudes were thronging around him so that they trod one upon another, he began to say to his disciples, first of all. "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisee, which is hypocrisy.
Then he went into a house, but again such a multitude assembled that they could not get their food.
Great crowds followed him from Galilee, from the ten towns, from Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond Jordan.
and such a great crowd gathered about him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the crowd stood on the beach.
A great multitude followed him, and he healed them there.
Then Jesus went again to the seaside, and the whole crowd kept coming to him, and he taught them.
Popularity of Christ » The multitudes follow him
Great crowds came to him, bringing the crippled, the blind, the maimed, the dumb, and many others. They laid them at his feet and he healed them;
Meanwhile when myriads of the multitudes were thronging around him so that they trod one upon another, he began to say to his disciples, first of all. "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisee, which is hypocrisy.
Then he went into a house, but again such a multitude assembled that they could not get their food.
Great crowds followed him from Galilee, from the ten towns, from Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond Jordan.
and such a great crowd gathered about him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the crowd stood on the beach.
A great multitude followed him, and he healed them there.
Then Jesus went again to the seaside, and the whole crowd kept coming to him, and he taught them.
Sermon » Beside lake galilee
On that same day, after Jesus had left the house, he took his seat on the seashore; and such a great crowd gathered about him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the crowd stood on the beach. Then he told them many truths in parables. "Behold," he said, "the sower went forth to sow; read more.
and as he sowed, some seed fell by the roadside, and the birds came and ate it. Some fell on rocky ground where there was not much earth. Now because it had no depth of soil, it sprang up at once; but when the sun rose it was scorched, and withered away because it had no root. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked it. But some fell on good soil, and bore a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear!" Now when his disciples came up to him, they said, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" Jesus answered. "To you it has been granted to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; but to them it has not been granted. "For whoever holds, to him shall more be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever does not hold, from him shall be taken away even what he holds. "This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them is being fulfilled that prophecy of Isaiah which says. "Hearing you will hear and not understand; Seeing you will see and not perceive; For the heart of his people is made fat, Their ears are dull of hearing; Their eyes, too, have they closed, Lest some day their eyes should perceive, And their ears should hear, And their heart should understand and turn, And I should heal them. "But happy are your eyes, because they see, and your ears because they hear. "In solemn truth I tell you that many prophets and holy men have seen it not, and to hear what you are hearing, and have not heard it. "Listen then, to the parable of the sower. "Whenever any one hears the message of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. "This is the seed sown by the wayside. And the word, and at once receives it with joy. "But he has no root in himself; he continues for a time, but when trouble arises, or persecutions, on account of the word, at once he stumbles and falls. "And the seed sown among thorns is he who hears the word, but the anxieties of the age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. "But the seed sown in good soil is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit, and makes now an hundredfold, now sixty, now thirty." He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven," he said, "is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; "but while men were asleep his enemy came and sowed tares among his wheat and went away. "And when the blade shot up and formed the wheat-kernel, then the tares also appeared. "The slaves of the owner went to him and said: "'Was it not good seed, sir, that you sowed in your field? From whence then, do you get tares?' "'It is an enemy who has done this,' he answered. "The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us to go and collect them?' "'No,' he answered, 'for fear lest while you are collecting the tares, you at the same time pull up the wheat. "Let both grow together until harvest, and at harvest-time I will tell the reapers to first gather the tares and tie them in bundles for burning, but to bring all the wheat into my store-house.'" He set forth to them another parable, saying. "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard-seed which a man took and planted in his field. "This is indeed the smallest of seeds, but when it is grown it is greater than any herb, and becomes a tree, so that the winged things of the sky come and roost in its branches." He told them another parable. He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until the whole was leavened." Jesus told all this to the crowd in parables; indeed he never spoke to them except in parables, in fulfilment of the word spoken by the prophet, I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things kept secret since the foundation of the world." After he had sent the people away and gone into the house, his disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable about the weeds in the field." "The sower of the seed," he answered, "is the Son of man; "the field is the world; the good seed is the sons of the kingdom; the weeds, the sons of the Evil One. "The enemy who sows the weeds is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age. The reapers are the angels. "Just as the weeds are collected together and burnt with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. "The son of man will send forth his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all hindrances, and whoever practices iniquity, "and will throw them into the fiery furnace. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. "And then shall the just shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears to hear, listen! "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in the ground, which a man finds but buries again, and then in his joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that land. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of beautiful pearls. "When he finds one of great price, he goes and sells everything he has and buys it. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. "When it was full they hauled it upon the beach, and sat down and sorted the good fish into baskets, but threw the worthless fish away. "So will it be at the end of the age. The angels will go forth and separate the wicked from the righteous, and fling them into the furnace of fire. "There shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. "Have you understood all this?" he asked. "We have," they answered him. "Then," said he, "every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his storehouse new things and old."
and as he sowed, some seed fell by the roadside, and the birds came and ate it. Some fell on rocky ground where there was not much earth. Now because it had no depth of soil, it sprang up at once; but when the sun rose it was scorched, and withered away because it had no root. Some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked it. But some fell on good soil, and bore a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears, let him hear!" Now when his disciples came up to him, they said, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" Jesus answered. "To you it has been granted to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; but to them it has not been granted. "For whoever holds, to him shall more be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever does not hold, from him shall be taken away even what he holds. "This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. And in them is being fulfilled that prophecy of Isaiah which says. "Hearing you will hear and not understand; Seeing you will see and not perceive; For the heart of his people is made fat, Their ears are dull of hearing; Their eyes, too, have they closed, Lest some day their eyes should perceive, And their ears should hear, And their heart should understand and turn, And I should heal them. "But happy are your eyes, because they see, and your ears because they hear. "In solemn truth I tell you that many prophets and holy men have seen it not, and to hear what you are hearing, and have not heard it. "Listen then, to the parable of the sower. "Whenever any one hears the message of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. "This is the seed sown by the wayside. And the word, and at once receives it with joy. "But he has no root in himself; he continues for a time, but when trouble arises, or persecutions, on account of the word, at once he stumbles and falls. "And the seed sown among thorns is he who hears the word, but the anxieties of the age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. "But the seed sown in good soil is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit, and makes now an hundredfold, now sixty, now thirty." He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven," he said, "is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; "but while men were asleep his enemy came and sowed tares among his wheat and went away. "And when the blade shot up and formed the wheat-kernel, then the tares also appeared. "The slaves of the owner went to him and said: "'Was it not good seed, sir, that you sowed in your field? From whence then, do you get tares?' "'It is an enemy who has done this,' he answered. "The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us to go and collect them?' "'No,' he answered, 'for fear lest while you are collecting the tares, you at the same time pull up the wheat. "Let both grow together until harvest, and at harvest-time I will tell the reapers to first gather the tares and tie them in bundles for burning, but to bring all the wheat into my store-house.'" He set forth to them another parable, saying. "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard-seed which a man took and planted in his field. "This is indeed the smallest of seeds, but when it is grown it is greater than any herb, and becomes a tree, so that the winged things of the sky come and roost in its branches." He told them another parable. He said, "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until the whole was leavened." Jesus told all this to the crowd in parables; indeed he never spoke to them except in parables, in fulfilment of the word spoken by the prophet, I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things kept secret since the foundation of the world." After he had sent the people away and gone into the house, his disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable about the weeds in the field." "The sower of the seed," he answered, "is the Son of man; "the field is the world; the good seed is the sons of the kingdom; the weeds, the sons of the Evil One. "The enemy who sows the weeds is the Devil. The harvest is the end of the age. The reapers are the angels. "Just as the weeds are collected together and burnt with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. "The son of man will send forth his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all hindrances, and whoever practices iniquity, "and will throw them into the fiery furnace. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. "And then shall the just shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears to hear, listen! "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in the ground, which a man finds but buries again, and then in his joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that land. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of beautiful pearls. "When he finds one of great price, he goes and sells everything he has and buys it. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was cast into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. "When it was full they hauled it upon the beach, and sat down and sorted the good fish into baskets, but threw the worthless fish away. "So will it be at the end of the age. The angels will go forth and separate the wicked from the righteous, and fling them into the furnace of fire. "There shall be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. "Have you understood all this?" he asked. "We have," they answered him. "Then," said he, "every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his storehouse new things and old."
Then he began teaching them in parables many things. In his teaching he said to them. "Listen! the Sower once went out to sow, and as he sowed, it happened that some seed fell on the road, and birds came and picked it up; read more.
some other seed fell on stony soil, where it had not much earth; and it sprang up quickly because it had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose it was scorched and withered away because it had no root. Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked it, so that it yielded no crop. But some seed fell into good soil and yielded a crop that sprang up and increased, yielding thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold. "Any one who has ears to hear," he added, "let him listen to this." When he was alone his followers and the Twelve began asking about the parables. He went on to say to them. "The secret truth concerning the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those outside everything is told in parables, so that, "for all their looking they may not see, and for all their hearing, they may not understand, lest perchance they should turn and be pardoned. "You do not understand this parable," said Jesus. "Then how will you understand the other parables? "What the Sower sows is the Word. There are those 'on the wayside' where the Word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan immediately comes and snatches away the Word which has been sown in them. And like the sowing upon 'stony ground' are those who, whenever they hear the Word, at once receive it with joy, but because they have no root in themselves they last for a time; but when suffering or persecution ensues because of the Word, they at once fall away. There are others who are 'sown among thorns.' When they have heard the Word, the anxieties of life and the snares of wealth, and all sorts of other ambitions, come in to choke the Word, so that it proves unfruitful. But those, on the other hand, who were sown on that good soil, are those who listen to the Word, and welcome it, and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold." He went on to say. "Is the lamp brought in to be put under the bushel or the bed? Is it not rather to be put on the lamp-stand? There is nothing hidden except what is to be disclosed, and nothing concealed except what is to be revealed. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear." And he said to them. "Take heed what you hear. With what measure you measure it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you. For he who holds, to him will more be given, and he who holds not, from him will be taken even what he holds." "It is with the kingdom of God," he continued, "as if a man should have sown seed in the earth; night and day he sleeps and wakes while the seed is sprouting and growing tall, he knows not how. Of its own accord the earth bears its crops; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. Then as soon as the crop is ready the man has the sickle put in at once, because harvest-time is come. "To what shall we compare the kingdom of God?" he said again. "in what parable shall we set it forth? It is like a mustard-seed, which, when sown in the soil, is the smallest seed in the world; yet when sown shoots up and becomes larger than any plant, sending out such branches that the wild birds build their nests under its shadow." With many such illustrations Jesus used to tell his message to people as far as they were able to receive it;
some other seed fell on stony soil, where it had not much earth; and it sprang up quickly because it had no depth of soil, but when the sun rose it was scorched and withered away because it had no root. Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked it, so that it yielded no crop. But some seed fell into good soil and yielded a crop that sprang up and increased, yielding thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold. "Any one who has ears to hear," he added, "let him listen to this." When he was alone his followers and the Twelve began asking about the parables. He went on to say to them. "The secret truth concerning the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those outside everything is told in parables, so that, "for all their looking they may not see, and for all their hearing, they may not understand, lest perchance they should turn and be pardoned. "You do not understand this parable," said Jesus. "Then how will you understand the other parables? "What the Sower sows is the Word. There are those 'on the wayside' where the Word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan immediately comes and snatches away the Word which has been sown in them. And like the sowing upon 'stony ground' are those who, whenever they hear the Word, at once receive it with joy, but because they have no root in themselves they last for a time; but when suffering or persecution ensues because of the Word, they at once fall away. There are others who are 'sown among thorns.' When they have heard the Word, the anxieties of life and the snares of wealth, and all sorts of other ambitions, come in to choke the Word, so that it proves unfruitful. But those, on the other hand, who were sown on that good soil, are those who listen to the Word, and welcome it, and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, or a hundredfold." He went on to say. "Is the lamp brought in to be put under the bushel or the bed? Is it not rather to be put on the lamp-stand? There is nothing hidden except what is to be disclosed, and nothing concealed except what is to be revealed. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear." And he said to them. "Take heed what you hear. With what measure you measure it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you. For he who holds, to him will more be given, and he who holds not, from him will be taken even what he holds." "It is with the kingdom of God," he continued, "as if a man should have sown seed in the earth; night and day he sleeps and wakes while the seed is sprouting and growing tall, he knows not how. Of its own accord the earth bears its crops; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. Then as soon as the crop is ready the man has the sickle put in at once, because harvest-time is come. "To what shall we compare the kingdom of God?" he said again. "in what parable shall we set it forth? It is like a mustard-seed, which, when sown in the soil, is the smallest seed in the world; yet when sown shoots up and becomes larger than any plant, sending out such branches that the wild birds build their nests under its shadow." With many such illustrations Jesus used to tell his message to people as far as they were able to receive it;