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Matthew 13:1-15

The Parable of the Sower

1 That same day Jesus went out of the house ^aand sat beside the sea. 2 And great crowds gathered about him ^bso that he got into a boat and sat down. And the whole crowd stood on the beach. 3 And ^che told them many things in parables, saying: ^d“A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but ^ewhen the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root ^fthey withered away. 7 Other seeds fell among ^gthorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. 8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some ^ha hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 ⁱHe who has ears ^{▼

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Some manuscripts add here and in verse 43 to hear} let him hear.”

The Purpose of the Parables

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 And he answered them, ^k“To you it has been given to know ^lthe secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 ^mFor to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not ⁿeven what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because ^oseeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, ^pnor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

^q“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and with their ears ^rthey can barely hear,
and ^stheir eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and ^tunderstand with their heart
and ^uturn, and I would heal them.’