008:004 And when a great crowd was assembling, and was receiving additions from one town after another, He spoke a parable to them.
008:005 "The sower," He said, "goes out to sow his seed; and as he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and is trodden upon, or the birds of the air come and peck it up.
008:006 Another part drops upon the rock, and after growing up it
withers away for want of moisture.
008:007 Another part falls among the thorns, and the thorns grow up
with it and stifle it.
008:008 But some of the seed falls into good ground, and grows up and yields a return of a hundred for one." While thus speaking, He cried aloud and said, "Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!"
008:009 The disciples proceeded to ask Him what this parable meant.
008:010 "To you," He replied, "it is granted to know the secrets of the Kingdom of God; but all others are taught by parables, in order that they may see and yet not see, and may hear and yet not understand.
008:011 The meaning of the parable is as follows. The seed is God's Message.
008:012 Those by the way-side are those who have heard, and then
the Devil comes and carries away the Message from their hearts,
lest they should believe and be saved.
008:013 Those on the rock are the people who on hearing the Message receive
it joyfully; but they have no root: for a time they believe,
but when trial comes they fall away.