Matthew 13:3-23

Listen to Matthew 13:3-23

3 And He told them many things in parables, saying, “A farmer went out to sow his seed.

4 And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.

5 Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow.

6 But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings.

8 Still other seed fell on good soil and produced a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.

9 He who has ears, ^[a] let him hear.”

The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables

10 Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?” ¹

11 He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

12 Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.

13 This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ ^[b]

14 In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

15 For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’ ^[c]

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.

17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

The Parable of the Sower Explained

18 Consider, then, the parable of the sower: ²

19 When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown ^[d] along the path.

20 The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.

21 But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.

22 The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

23 But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”

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