Matthew 13:4-23

4While he was throwing the seeds, some of them fell on the path. The birds came and they ate those seeds.

5Other seeds fell on ground which had rocks. There was not much soil in that place. The seeds quickly began to grow, because the soil was not deep.

6But when the sun rose, it burned the young plants. They soon died because they had not grown down well into the soil.

7Some other seeds fell among thorn bushes. Those bushes grew up with the young plants. They stopped the seeds from growing into strong plants.

8But some seeds fell on good soil and strong plants grew from those seeds. Some plants made 100 new seeds. Some plants made 60 new seeds and some plants made 30 new seeds.’

9Then Jesus said to the crowd, ‘You have ears, so listen well to what I say!’

10Then Jesus' disciples came to him. They asked him, ‘Why do you use stories to speak to the crowd?’

11Jesus replied, ‘God has let you know what these stories mean. You understand how God rules in the lives of his people. But these other people do not understand what the stories mean.

12A person who has received some things will receive even more. He will have lots of good things. Some other people have nothing. Those people will lose even the little bit that they do have.

13The reason I use stories to talk to other people is this: These people look. But they do not really see clearly. They hear the words. But they do not really understand.

14Long ago, the prophet Isaiah spoke a message from God about those people. Now it has become true. God said: “You will listen and listen. But you will not understand. You will look and look. But you will not see anything.

15These people do not really want to understand. They are like people who have shut their ears. They are like people who have shut their eyes. If they did want to look, then they would really see. If they did want to listen, then they would really hear. They would understand my message. They would turn back to obey me. Then I would forgive them and I would make them well.” ’

16Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘But as for you, be happy because God has helped you to see. He has helped you to hear and understand his message.

17I tell you this: Many prophets and good people from a long time ago wanted to see these things. But they did not see the things that you are seeing. They wanted to hear the message that you are hearing. But they did not hear it.’

18Jesus then said, ‘Listen to me now. I will tell you what this story about the farmer means.

19Some people hear the message about God's kingdom but they do not understand it. Satan comes and he quickly takes the message away from their minds. The seeds that fell on the path show what those people are like.

20Other seeds fell on soil with rocks in it. This is like some people who hear God's message. These people are happy to believe it for a time.

21But they are like plants that have not grown down well into the soil. So they only believe for a short time. They may have problems. Or other people may do bad things to them, because they obey God's message. When that happens, these people soon stop believing.

22Some seeds fell among thorn bushes. This is like people who hear the message from God. But they have many troubles in their minds. They want to get more money and more things. They think that this will make them happy. So they do not let God's message change them. They are like plants that do not grow well and make new seeds.

23But some seeds fell on good soil. This is like other people who hear the message from God and they understand it. These people are like good plants that grow well. From one seed, some good plants make 100 new seeds. Other good plants make 60 new seeds, and some good plants make 30 new seeds.’