16
“But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.
17
I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.
18
“Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds:
19
The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.
20
The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.
21
But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.
22
The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.
23
The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”
24
Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field.
25
But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away.
26
When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.