The Purpose of the Parables
9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant,
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he said,
1“To you it has been given to know
2the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so
3that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand. ’
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4Now the parable is this: The seed is
5the word of God.
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The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not
6believe and be saved.
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And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it
7with joy. But these have no root; they
8believe for a while, and in time of testing
9fall away.
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And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but
10as they go on their way they are choked by the
11cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
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As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and
12bear fruit
13with patience.