(3) And He told them many things in parables (stories by way of illustration and comparison), saying, A sower went out to sow. (4) And as he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and ate them up. (5) Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they had not much soil; and at once they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. (6) But when the sun rose, they were scorched, and because they had no root, they dried up {and} withered away. (7) Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them out. (8) Other seeds fell on good soil, and yielded grain--some a hundred times as much as was sown, some sixty times as much, and some thirty. (9) He who has ears [to hear], let him be listening {and} let him consider {and} perceive {and} comprehend by hearing.

(19) While anyone is hearing the Word of the kingdom and does not grasp {and} comprehend it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the roadside. (20) As for what was sown on thin (rocky) soil, this is he who hears the Word and at once welcomes {and} accepts it with joy; (21) Yet it has no real root in him, but is temporary (inconstant, lasts but a little while); and when affliction {or} trouble {or} persecution comes on account of the Word, at once he is caused to stumble [he is repelled and begins to distrust and desert Him Whom he ought to trust and obey] {and} he falls away. (22) As for what was sown among thorns, this is he who hears the Word, but the cares of the world and the pleasure {and} delight {and} glamour {and} deceitfulness of riches choke {and} suffocate the Word, and it yields no fruit. (23) As for what was sown on good soil, this is he who hears the Word and grasps {and} comprehends it; he indeed bears fruit and yields in one case a hundred times as much as was sown, in another sixty times as much, and in another thirty.

(3) Give attention to this! Behold, a sower went out to sow. (4) And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. (5) Other seed [of the same kind] fell on ground full of rocks, where it had not much soil; and at once it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil; (6) And when the sun came up, it was scorched, and because it had not taken root, it withered away. (7) Other seed [of the same kind] fell among thorn plants, and the thistles grew {and} pressed together {and} utterly choked {and} suffocated it, and it yielded no grain. (8) And other seed [of the same kind] fell into good (well-adapted) soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing, and yielded up to thirty times as much, and sixty times as much, and even a hundred times as much as had been sown. (9) And He said, He who has ears to hear, let him be hearing [and let him consider, and comprehend].

(14) The sower sows the Word. (15) The ones along the path are those who have the Word sown [in their hearts], but when they hear, Satan comes at once and [by force] takes away the message which is sown in them. (16) And in the same way the ones sown upon stony ground are those who, when they hear the Word, at once receive {and} accept {and} welcome it with joy; (17) And they have no real root in themselves, and so they endure for a little while; then when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Word, they immediately are offended (become displeased, indignant, resentful) {and} they stumble {and} fall away. (18) And the ones sown among the thorns are others who hear the Word; (19) Then the cares {and} anxieties of the world {and} distractions of the age, and the pleasure {and} delight {and} false glamour {and} deceitfulness of riches, and the craving {and} passionate desire for other things creep in and choke {and} suffocate the Word, and it becomes fruitless. (20) And those sown on the good (well-adapted) soil are the ones who hear the Word and receive {and} accept {and} welcome it and bear fruit--some thirty times as much as was sown, some sixty times as much, and some [even] a hundred times as much.

(4) And when a very great throng was gathering together and people from town after town kept coming to Jesus, He said in a parable: (5) A sower went out to sow seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the traveled path and was trodden underfoot, and the birds of the air ate it up. (6) And some [seed] fell on the rock, and as soon as it sprouted, it withered away because it had no moisture. (7) And other [seed] fell in the midst of the thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it [off]. (8) And some seed fell into good soil, and grew up and yielded a crop a hundred times [as great]. As He said these things, He called out, He who has ears to hear, let him be listening {and} let him consider {and} understand by hearing!

(11) Now the meaning of the parable is this: The seed is the Word of God. (12) Those along the traveled road are the people who have heard; then the devil comes and carries away the message out of their hearts, that they may not believe (acknowledge Me as their Savior and devote themselves to Me) and be saved [here and hereafter]. (13) And those upon the rock [are the people] who, when they hear [the Word], receive {and} welcome it with joy; but these have no root. They believe for a while, and in time of trial {and} temptation fall away (withdraw and stand aloof). (14) And as for what fell among the thorns, these are [the people] who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked {and} suffocated with the anxieties {and} cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not ripen (come to maturity and perfection). (15) But as for that [seed] in the good soil, these are [the people] who, hearing the Word, hold it fast in a just (noble, virtuous) and worthy heart, and steadily bring forth fruit with patience.