Luke 8:2-12

2 and certain women whom He had delivered from evil spirits and various diseases--Mary of Magdala, out of whom seven demons had come,
3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many other women, all of whom contributed to the support of Jesus and His Apostles.
4 And when a great crowd was assembling, and was receiving additions from one town after another, He spoke a parable to them.
5 "The sower," He said, "goes out to sow his seed; and as he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and is trodden upon, or the birds of the air come and peck it up.
6 Another part drops upon the rock, and after growing up it withers away for want of moisture.
7 Another part falls among the thorns, and the thorns grow up with it and stifle it.
8 But some of the seed falls into good ground, and grows up and yields a return of a hundred for one." While thus speaking, He cried aloud and said, "Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!"
9 The disciples proceeded to ask Him what this parable meant.
10 "To you," He replied, "it is granted to know the secrets of the Kingdom of God; but all others are taught by parables, in order that they may see and yet not see, and may hear and yet not understand.
11 The meaning of the parable is as follows. The seed is God's Message.
12 Those by the way-side are those who have heard, and then the Devil comes and carries away the Message from their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
The Weymouth New Testament is in the public domain.