Read the Bible

¹ And he began again to teach by the sea-side: and there was gathered to him a great multitude, so that he entered into a boat, and sat on the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea, on the land.² And he taught them many things by parables, and said to them in his doctrine,³ Hearken; Behold, a sower went out to sow:⁴ And it came to pass as he sowed, some fell by the way-side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it.⁵ And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth.⁶ But when the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.⁷ And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.⁸ And other fell on good ground, and yielded fruit that sprang up, and increased, and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some a hundred.⁹ And he said to them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.¹⁰ And when he was alone, they that were about him, with the twelve, asked of him the parable.¹¹ And he said to them, To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but to them that are without, all [these] things are done in parables:¹² That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and [their] sins should be forgiven them.¹³ And he said to them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?¹⁴ The sower soweth the word.¹⁵ And these are they by the way-side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.¹⁶ And these are they likewise who are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;¹⁷ And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they relapse.¹⁸ And these are they who are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,¹⁹ And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.²⁰ And these are they who are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive [it], and bring forth fruit, some thirty-fold, some sixty, and some a hundred.

²¹ And he said to them, Is a candle brought to be put under a close vessel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?²² For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither hath any thing been kept secret, but that it should come abroad.²³ If any man hath ears to hear, let him hear.²⁴ And he said to them, Take heed what ye hear: With the measure which ye give, it shall be measured to you: and to you that hear shall more be given.²⁵ For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.²⁶ And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;²⁷ And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.²⁸ For the earth bringeth forth fruit of itself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.²⁹ But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.³⁰ And he said, To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?³¹ [It is] like a grain of mustard-seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that are in the earth.³² But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under its shade.³³ And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear [it].³⁴ But without a parable he spoke not to them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

³⁵ And the same day, when the evening was come, he saith to them, Let us pass over to the other side.³⁶ And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the boat. And there were also with him other small boats.³⁷ And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was now full.³⁸ And he was in the hinder part of the boat, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say to him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?³⁹ And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Peace, be still: and the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.⁴⁰ And he said to them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?⁴¹ And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?