The Parable of the Sower. 1^* On another occasion^a he began to teach by the sea.^* A very large crowd gathered around him so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down. And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land.^b 2And he taught them at length in parables, and in the course of his instruction he said to them, 3^* “Hear this! A sower went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. 6And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots. 7Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain. 8And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” 9He added, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”

The Purpose of the Parables. 10And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables. 11^* He answered them, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables, 12so that

‘they may look and see but not perceive,

and hear and listen but not understand,

in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.’”^c

Then Job answered and said:

Today especially my complaint is bitter,

his hand is heavy upon me in my groanings.

Would that I knew how to find him,

that I might come to his dwelling!

I would set out my case before him,

fill my mouth with arguments;

I would learn the words he would answer me,

understand what he would say to me.

Would he contend against me with his great power?

No, he himself would heed me!

There an upright man might argue with him,

and I would once and for all be delivered from my judge.

therefore thus says the Lord GOD:

My servants shall eat,

but you shall go hungry;

My servants shall drink,

but you shall be thirsty;

My servants shall rejoice,

but you shall be put to shame;

My servants shall shout

for joy of heart,

But you shall cry out for grief of heart,

and howl for anguish of spirit.

You will leave your name for a curse to my chosen ones

when the Lord GOD slays you,

and calls his servants by another name.

Whoever invokes a blessing in the land

shall bless by the God of truth;

Whoever takes an oath in the land

shall swear by the God of truth;

For t

The Parable of the Sower. 1^* On another occasion^a he began to teach by the sea.^* A very large crowd gathered around him so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down. And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land.^b 2And he taught them at length in parables, and in the course of his instruction he said to them, 3^* “Hear this! A sower went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. 6And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots. 7Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain. 8And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” 9He added, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.”

The Purpose of the Parables. 10And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables. 11^* He answered them, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables, 12so that

‘they may look and see but not perceive,

and hear and listen but not understand,

in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.’”^c

13^* Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable?^d Then how will you understand any of the parables? 14The sower sows the word. 15These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them. 16And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy. 17But they have no root; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word, 19but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. 20But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”