Luke 8:1-15

1Soon afterward, 1Jesus began going around from one city and village to another, 2proclaiming and preaching the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him, 2and also 3some women who had been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses: 4Mary who was called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, 3and Joanna the wife of Chuza, 5Herod’s 6steward, and Susanna, and many others who were contributing to their support out of their private means.

47Now when a large crowd was coming together, and those from the various cities were journeying to Him, He spoke by way of a parable: 5“The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell beside the road, and it was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the sky ate it up. 6Other seed fell on rocky soil, and when it came up, it withered away because it had no moisture. 7Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew up with it and choked it out. 8And yet other seed fell into the good soil, and grew up, and produced a crop a hundred times as much.” As He said these things, He would call out, “8The one who has ears to hear, 9let him hear.”

910Now His disciples began asking Him what this parable 11meant. 10And He said, “12To you it has been granted to know the 13mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest they are told in parables, so that 1415while seeing they may not see, and 16while hearing they may not understand.

11“Now this is the parable: 17the seed is the word of God. 12And those beside the road are the ones who have heard, then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved. 13Those on the rocky soil are the ones who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and yet these do not have a firm root; 18they believe for a while, and in a time of temptation they 19fall away. 14And the seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked by worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and they bring no fruit to maturity. 15But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word 20with a good and virtuous heart, and hold it firmly, and produce fruit with 21perseverance.