Mark 4:2-11

2He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:

3“Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed.

4As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it.

5Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.

6But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died.

7Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain.

8Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

9Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

10Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant.

11He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders,