Luke 8:12

12 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not ¹believe and be saved.

Luke 8:12 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 8:12

Those by the wayside are they that hear
The word of God, though only by accident, and very carelessly, and without understanding what they hear:

then cometh the devil;
signified by the fowls of the air:

and taketh away the word out of their hearts,
or memories; that little of it, which is retained there, and diverts their minds from it by other objects; so that they quite forget what they have heard;

lest they should believe, and be saved:
this clause is only in Luke; and with it may be compared ( 2 Corinthians 4:4 ) for with true faith in Christ the sum and substance of the word salvation is connected; and Satan being an enemy to the salvation of souls, does all he can to hinder their faith in him.

Luke 8:12 In-Context

10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so 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 The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

13 And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing fall away.

14 And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.

Cross References

• 1. 8:12 See Mark 16:16