Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow his seed: and it came to pass, as he sowed, some seeds fell by the way-side, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air came and devoured them up.
Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith
they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: and when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away; because it lacked moisture.
And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up, and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, some sixty, and some an hundred.
And when he had said these things, he cried,
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them,
Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be
[95]given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.