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The Parable of the Sower

¹ Again^(C1) he began to teach^(C2) by the sea, and a very large crowd gathered around him. So he got into a boat on the sea and sat down, while the whole crowd was by the sea on the shore. ² He taught them many things in parables,^(C1) and in his teaching^(C2) he said to them: ³ “Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.⁴ As he sowed, some seed fell along the path,⁵ Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly,⁶ When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce fruit.⁸ Still other seed fell on good ground and it grew up, producing fruit that increased⁹ Then he said, “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”

Why Jesus Used Parables

¹⁰ When he was alone, those around him with the Twelve,^(C1) asked him about the parables.^{(C2) 11} He answered them, “The secret¹² so that

The Parable of the Sower Explained

¹³ Then^(C1) he said to them: “Don’t you understand this parable?¹⁴ The sower sows¹⁵ Some are like the word sown on the path.¹⁶ And others are like seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy.¹⁷ But they have no root; they are short-lived. When distress¹⁸ Others are like seed sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word,¹⁹ but the worries²⁰ And those like seed sown on good ground hear the word,

Using Your Light

²¹ He^(C1) also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed?²² For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed,²³ If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen.”²⁴ And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure²⁵ For whoever has, more will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

The Parable of the Growing Seed

²⁶ “The kingdom of God²⁷ He sleeps²⁸ The soil produces a crop²⁹ As soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle,

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

³⁰ And^(C1) he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God,³¹ It’s like a mustard seed³² And when sown,

Using Parables

³³ He was speaking the word^(C1) to them with many parables^(C2) like these, as they were able to understand.^{(C3) 34} He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, he explained everything to his own disciples.^(C1)

Wind and Waves Obey Jesus

³⁵ On^(C1) that day, when evening had come, he told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.”³⁶ So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him. ³⁷ A great windstorm^(C1) arose, and the waves^(C2) were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. ³⁸ He was in the stern, sleeping^(C1) on the cushion. So they woke him up^(C2) and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?” ^(C3)

³⁹ He got up, rebuked^(C1) the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence!⁴⁰ Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid?

⁴¹ And they were terrified^(F1)(C1) and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey^(C2) him!” ^(C3)