Mark 4:5-15

5 Other seeds were planted on rocky ground, where there wasn't much soil. The plants sprouted quickly because the soil wasn't deep.

6 When the sun came up, they were scorched. They didn't have any roots, so they withered.

7 Other seeds were planted among thornbushes. The thornbushes grew up and choked them, and they didn't produce anything.

8 But other seeds were planted on good ground, sprouted, and produced thirty, sixty, or one hundred times as much as was planted."

9 He added, "Let the person who has ears listen!"

10 When he was alone with his followers and the twelve apostles, they asked him about the stories.

11 Jesus replied to them, "The mystery about the kingdom of God has been given [directly] to you. To those on the outside, it is given in stories:

12 'They see clearly but don't perceive. They hear clearly but don't understand. They never return to me and are never forgiven.'"

13 Jesus asked them, "Don't you understand this story? How, then, will you understand any of the stories I use as illustrations?

14 "The farmer plants the word.

15 Some people are like seeds that were planted along the road. Whenever they hear the word, Satan comes at once and takes away the word that was planted in them.