King James Version KJV
New International Version NIV
3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
3
“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.
4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
4
As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
5
Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
6
But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
7
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.
8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
8
Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”
9 And he said unto them,He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
9
Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
10
When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables.
11 And he said unto them,Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
11
He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables
12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
12
so that, “ ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’”
13 And he said unto them,Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
13
Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.