Matthew 13:3-9

3 He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds.

4 As he scattered them across his field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them.

5 Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.

6 But the plants soon wilted under the hot sun, and since they didn’t have deep roots, they died.

7 Other seeds fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants.

8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!

9 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”