15
For this people's heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn— and I would heal them.'
16
But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
17
Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.
18
"Hear then the parable of the sower.
19
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what is sown in the heart; this is what was sown on the path.
20
As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;
21
yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.
22
As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the lure of wealth choke the word, and it yields nothing.
23
But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."
24
He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field;
25
but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away.