Mark 4:1-9

1Jesus began to teach again by the Sea of Galilee. A very large crowd gathered around him, so he got into a boat and sat in it. The boat was in the water while the entire crowd lined the shore.

2He used stories as illustrations to teach them many things. While he was teaching them, he said,

3“Listen! A farmer went to plant seed.

4Some seeds were planted along the road, and birds came and devoured them.

5Other seeds were planted on rocky ground, where there wasn’t much soil. The plants sprouted quickly because the soil wasn’t deep.

6When the sun came up, they were scorched. They didn’t have any roots, so they withered.

7Other seeds were planted among thornbushes. The thornbushes grew up and choked them, and they didn’t produce anything.

8But other seeds were planted on good ground, sprouted, and produced thirty, sixty, or one hundred times as much as was planted.”

9He added, “Let the person who has ears listen!”