1 A nd again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.

He began to teach again by the sea. And such a very large crowd gathered to Him that He got into a boat in the sea and sat down; and the whole crowd was by the sea on the land.

2 T hen He taught them many things by parables, and said to them in His teaching:

And He was teaching them many things in parables, and was saying to them in His teaching,

3 “ Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.

“Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow;

4 A nd it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.

as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up.

5 S ome fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.

Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil.

6 B ut when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.

And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

7 A nd some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.

Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.

8 B ut other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

9 A nd He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” The Purpose of Parables

And He was saying, “ He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

10 B ut when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.

As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables.

11 A nd He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,

And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables,

12 s o that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.’” The Parable of the Sower Explained

so that while seeing, they may see and not perceive, and while hearing, they may hear and not understand, otherwise they might return and be forgiven.” Explanation

13 A nd He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?

And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables?

14 T he sower sows the word.

The sower sows the word.

15 A nd these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.

These are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them.

16 T hese likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy;

17 a nd they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.

and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.

18 N ow these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word,

And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word,

19 a nd the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

20 B ut these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.” Light Under a Basket

And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

21 A lso He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand?

And He was saying to them, “ A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand?

22 F or there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.

For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light.

23 I f anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

24 T hen He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.

And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides.

25 F or whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” The Parable of the Growing Seed

For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.” Parable of the Seed

26 A nd He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground,

And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil;

27 a nd should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.

and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he himself does not know.

28 F or the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.

The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head.

29 B ut when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” The Parable of the Mustard Seed

But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 T hen He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it?

And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it?

31 I t is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth;

It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil,

32 b ut when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.” Jesus’ Use of Parables

yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade.”

33 A nd with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it.

With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it;

34 B ut without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, He explained all things to His disciples. Wind and Wave Obey Jesus

and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples. Jesus Stills the Sea

35 O n the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.”

On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.”

36 N ow when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him.

Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him.

37 A nd a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.

And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up.

38 B ut He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

39 T hen He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.

40 B ut He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 A nd they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”