[1] Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered
about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the
whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. [2] And he taught them many
things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: [3] "Listen! A
sower went out to sow. [4] And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path,
and the birds came and devoured it. [5] Other seed fell on rocky ground,
where it had not much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no
depth of soil; [6] and when the sun rose it was scorched, and since it had
no root it withered away. [7] Other seed fell among thorns and the thorns
grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. [8] And other seeds fell
into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and
yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." [9] And he said, "He
who has ears to hear, let him hear." [10] And when he was alone, those who
were about him with the twelve asked him concerning the parables. [11] And
he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God,
but for those outside everything is in parables; [12] so that they may
indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand; lest
they should turn again, and be forgiven." [13] And he said to them, "Do you
not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?
[14] The sower sows the word. [15] And these are the ones along the path,
where the word is sown; when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes
away the word which is sown in them. [16] And these in like manner are the
ones sown upon rocky ground, who, when they hear the word, immediately
receive it with joy; [17] and they have no root in themselves, but endure
for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the
word, immediately they fall away. [18] And others are the ones sown among
thorns; they are those who hear the word, [19] but the cares of the world,
and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and
choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. [20] But those that were sown
upon the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear
fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold." [21] And he said to
them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and
not on a stand? [22] For there is nothing hid, except to be made manifest;
nor is anything secret, except to come to light. [23] If any man has ears
to hear, let him hear." [24] And he said to them, "Take heed what you hear;
the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be
given you. [25] For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has
not, even what he has will be taken away." [26] And he said, "The kingdom
of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground, [27] and should
sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows
not how. [28] The earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear,
then the full grain in the ear. [29] But when the grain is ripe, at once he
puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." [30] And he said, "With
what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for
it? [31] It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the
ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; [32] yet when it is sown
it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large
branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade." [33]
With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to
hear it; [34] he did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to
his own disciples he explained everything. [35] On that day, when evening
had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side." [36] And
leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And
other boats were with him. [37] And a great storm of wind arose, and the
waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. [38] But he
was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him,
"Teacher, do you not care if we perish?" [39] And he awoke and rebuked the
wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and
there was a great calm. [40] He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you
no faith?" [41] And they were filled with awe, and said to one another,
"Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?"
