1
Jesus began to teach again by the Sea of Galilee. A very large crowd gathered around him, so he got into a boat and sat in it. The boat was in the water while the entire crowd lined the shore.
2
He used stories as illustrations to teach them many things. While he was teaching them, he said,
3
"Listen! A farmer went to plant seed.
4
Some seeds were planted along the road, and birds came and devoured them.
5
Other seeds were planted on rocky ground, where there wasn't much soil. The plants sprouted quickly because the soil wasn't deep.
6
When the sun came up, they were scorched. They didn't have any roots, so they withered.
7
Other seeds were planted among thornbushes. The thornbushes grew up and choked them, and they didn't produce anything.
8
But other seeds were planted on good ground, sprouted, and produced thirty, sixty, or one hundred times as much as was planted."
9
He added, "Let the person who has ears listen!"