3
And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who ministered to him of their substance.
4
And when many people were collected, and had come to him out of every city, he spoke by a parable:
5
A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
6
And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered, because it lacked moisture.
7
And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
8
And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bore fruit a hundred-fold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
9
And his disciples asked him, saying, What doth this parable mean?
10
And he said, To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.
11
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12
Those by the way side, are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13
They on the rock [are they], who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.