The Parable of the Sower
1 Again He began to teach 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 on the shore facing the sea.
2
He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said to them:
3
"Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.
4
As he sowed, this occurred: Some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
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Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn't have much soil, and it sprang up right away, since it didn't have deep soil.
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When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it didn't have a root, it withered.
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Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn't produce a crop.
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Still others fell on good ground and produced a crop that increased 30, 60, and 100 times [what was sown]."
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Then He said, "Anyone who has ears to hear should listen!"