English Standard Version ESV
New International Version NIV
1 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea.
1
That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.
2 And great crowds gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach.
2
Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.
3 And he told them many things in parables, saying: "A sower went out to sow.
3
Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed.
4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.
4
As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil,
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 rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.
6
But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
7
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.
8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
8
Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
9 He who has ears, let him hear."
9
Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
10 Then the disciples came and said to him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?"
10
The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
11 And he answered them, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
11
He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
12
Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.
13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
13
This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: "'You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.
14
In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.'
15
For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
16
But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
17
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 "Hear then the parable of the sower:
18
“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:
19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.
19
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 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy,
20
The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.
21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.
21
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 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
22
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 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."
23
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.”
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
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.