jSee Rom. 16:25
sSee Luke 22:32
Matthew 13:3-23
3And ahe told them many things in parables, saying: b“A sower went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6but cwhen the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, dthey withered away. 7Other seeds fell among ethorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some fa hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 gHe who has ears, ▼▼Some manuscripts add here and in verse 43 to hear
let him hear.” The Purpose of the Parables
10Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11And he answered them, i“To you it has been given to know jthe secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 kFor to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, leven what he has will be taken away. 13This is why I speak to them in parables, because mseeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nnor do they understand. 14Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:o“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears pthey can barely hear,
and qtheir eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and runderstand with their heart
and sturn, and I would heal them.’
16But tblessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 uFor truly, I say to you, vmany 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.
The Parable of the Sower Explained
18 w“Hear then the parable of the sower: 19When anyone hears the word of xthe kingdom and ydoes not understand it, zthe evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. 20As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately aareceives it with joy, 21yet he has no root in himself, but abendures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately ache falls away. ▼▼Or stumbles
22As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but aethe cares of afthe world and agthe deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 23As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and ahunderstands it. He indeed aibears fruit and yields, in one case aja hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
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