4
And when many people were gathered together and were come to him out of every city, he spoke by a parable:
5
A sower went out to sow his seed, and as he sowed, some fell along the way, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
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And some fell upon the rock, and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.
7
And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.
8
And some fell on good ground and sprang up and bore fruit a hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that has ears to hear, let him hear.
9
And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be?
10
And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the others in parables that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not understand.
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Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
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Those along the way are those that hear; then comes the devil and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.
13
Those on the rock
are those that when they hear, receive the word with joy, but these have no root, who for a while believe and in time of temptation fall away.
14
And that which fell among thorns are those who when they have heard go forth and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of
this life and bring no fruit to perfection.
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But that on the good ground are those who in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep
it and bring forth fruit with patience.
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No one when they have lighted a lamp cover it with a vessel or put
it under a bed, but set
it on a lampstand, that those who enter in may see the light.
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For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest, neither
any thing hid that shall not be known and come to light.
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Take heed therefore how ye hear, for whosoever has, to him shall be given; and whosoever has not, from him shall be taken even that which he seems to have.
19
Then
his mother and his brethren came to him and could not get to him for the crowd.
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And it was told him
by certain who said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand outside, desiring to see thee.
21
And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are those who hear the word of God and do it.