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Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!
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Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.â
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His disciples came and asked him, âWhy do you use parables when you talk to the people?â
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He replied, âYou are permitted to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not.
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To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.
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That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they donât really see. They hear, but they donât really listen or understand.
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This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says, âWhen you hear what I say, you will not understand. When you see what I do, you will not comprehend.
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For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyesâ so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.â
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âBut blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.
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I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didnât see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didnât hear it.
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âNow listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds:
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The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and donât understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.
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The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.
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But since they donât have deep roots, they donât last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing Godâs word.
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The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear Godâs 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.
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The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand Godâs word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!â
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Here is another story Jesus told: âThe Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field.
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But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away.
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When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.