The Bible in Basic English BBE
New International Version NIV
16 But a blessing be on your eyes, because they see; and on your ears, because they are open.
16
But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
17 For truly, I say to you that prophets and upright men had a desire to see the things which you see, and saw them not; and to have knowledge of the words which have come to your ears, and they had it not.
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For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
18 Give ear, then, to the story of the man who put the seed in the earth.
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“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:
19 When the word of the kingdom comes to anyone, and the sense of it is not clear to him, then the Evil One comes, and quickly takes away that which was put in his heart. He is the seed dropped by the wayside.
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When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
20 And that which went on the stones, this is he who, hearing the word, straight away takes it with joy;
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The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.
21 But having no root in himself, he goes on for a time; and when trouble comes or pain, because of the word, he quickly becomes full of doubts.
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But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
22 And that which was dropped among the thorns, this is he who has the word; and the cares of this life, and the deceits of wealth, put a stop to the growth of the word and it gives no fruit.
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The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful.
23 And the seed which was put in good earth, this is he who gives ear to the word, and gets the sense of it; who gives fruit, some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty times as much.
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But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
24 And he gave them another story, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a man who put good seed in his field:
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Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.
25 But while men were sleeping, one who had hate for him came and put evil seeds among the grain, and went away.
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But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.
26 But when the green stem came up and gave fruit, the evil plants were seen at the same time.
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When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
The Bible in Basic English 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.