Matthew 13:1-15

1That day Jesus went out of 1the house and was sitting 2by the sea. 2And 3large crowds gathered to Him, so 4He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach.

3And He spoke many things to them in 5parables, saying, “Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up. 5Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil. 6But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 7Others fell 6among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out. 8And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a 7hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty. 98He who has ears, 9let him hear.”

10And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 1110Jesus answered them, “11To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. 1212For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while 13seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 1414In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘1516You will keep on hearing, 17but will not understand; 18You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;1519For the heart of this people has become dull, With their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes, Otherwise they would see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I would heal them.’