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He who has received the seed on the rocky ground is the man who hears the Message and immediately receives it with joy.
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It has struck no root, however, within him. He continues for a time, but when suffering comes, or persecution, because of the Message, he at once stumbles and falls.
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He who has received the seed among the thorns is the man who hears the Message, but the cares of the present age and the delusions of riches quite stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful.
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But he who has received the seed on good ground is he who hears and understands. Such hearers give a return, and yield one a hundred for one, another sixty, another thirty.")
24
Another parable He put before them. "The Kingdom of the Heavens," He said, "may be compared to a man who has sown good seed in his field,
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but during the night his enemy comes, and over the first seed he sows darnel among the wheat, and goes away.
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But when the blade shoots up and the grain is formed, then appears the darnel also.
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"So the farmer's men come and ask him, "`Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed on your land? Where then does the darnel come from?'
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"`Some enemy has done this,' he said. "`Shall we go, and collect it?' the men inquire.
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"`No,' he replied, `for fear that while collecting the darnel you should at the same time root up the wheat with it.
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Leave both to grow together until the harvest, and at harvest-time I will direct the reapers, Collect the darnel first, and make it up into bundles to burn it, but bring all the wheat into my barn.'"