Matthew 13:1-10

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.

2 Large crowds gathered around him, so he got into a boat and sat down, while the people stood on the shore.

3 Then Jesus used stories to teach them many things. He said: "A farmer went out to plant his seed.

4 While he was planting, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and ate it all up.

5 Some seed fell on rocky ground, where there wasn't much dirt. That seed grew very fast, because the ground was not deep.

6 But when the sun rose, the plants dried up, because they did not have deep roots.

7 Some other seed fell among thorny weeds, which grew and choked the good plants.

8 Some other seed fell on good ground where it grew and produced a crop. Some plants made a hundred times more, some made sixty times more, and some made thirty times more.

9 You people who can hear me, listen."

10 The followers came to Jesus and asked, "Why do you use stories to teach the people?"