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Some time later Jesus traveled through towns and villages, preaching the Good News about the Kingdom of God. The twelve disciples went with him,
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and so did some women who had been healed of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (who was called Magdalene), from whom seven demons had been driven out;
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Joanna, whose husband Chuza was an officer in Herod's court; and Susanna, and many other women who used their own resources to help Jesus and his disciples.
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People kept coming to Jesus from one town after another; and when a great crowd gathered, Jesus told this parable:
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"Once there was a man who went out to sow grain. As he scattered the seed in the field, some of it fell along the path, where it was stepped on, and the birds ate it up.
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Some of it fell on rocky ground, and when the plants sprouted, they dried up because the soil had no moisture.
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Some of the seed fell among thorn bushes, which grew up with the plants and choked them.
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And some seeds fell in good soil; the plants grew and bore grain, one hundred grains each." And Jesus concluded, "Listen, then, if you have ears!"
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His disciples asked Jesus what this parable meant,
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and he answered, "The knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom of God has been given to you, but to the rest it comes by means of parables, so that they may look but not see, and listen but not understand.
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