Luke 8:15
New International Version
But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

New Living Translation
And the seeds that fell on the good soil represent honest, good-hearted people who hear God’s word, cling to it, and patiently produce a huge harvest.

English Standard Version
As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

Berean Standard Bible
But the seeds on good soil are those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, cling to it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Berean Literal Bible
And that in the good soil, these are those who, having heard the word, keep it in a worthy and good heart and bring forth fruit by perseverance.

King James Bible
But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

New King James Version
But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.

New American Standard Bible
But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and virtuous heart, and hold it firmly, and produce fruit with perseverance.

NASB 1995
“But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.

NASB 1977
“And the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.

Legacy Standard Bible
But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.

Amplified Bible
But as for that seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word with a good and noble heart, and hold on to it tightly, and bear fruit with patience.

Christian Standard Bible
But the seed in the good ground—these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, produce fruit.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But the seed in the good ground—these are the ones who, having heard the word with an honest and good heart, hold on to it and by enduring, bear fruit.

American Standard Version
And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Contemporary English Version
Those seeds that fell on good ground are the people who listen to the message and keep it in good and honest hearts. They last and produce a harvest.

English Revised Version
And that in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bring forth fruit with patience.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
The seeds that were planted on good ground are people who also hear the word. But they keep it in their good and honest hearts and produce what is good despite what life may bring.

Good News Translation
The seeds that fell in good soil stand for those who hear the message and retain it in a good and obedient heart, and they persist until they bear fruit.

International Standard Version
But the ones on the good soil are the people who hear the word but also hold on to it with good and honest hearts, producing a crop through endurance."

Majority Standard Bible
But the seeds on good soil are those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, cling to it, and by persevering produce a crop.

NET Bible
But as for the seed that landed on good soil, these are the ones who, after hearing the word, cling to it with an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with steadfast endurance.

New Heart English Bible
That in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Webster's Bible Translation
But that on the good ground are they, who in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Weymouth New Testament
But as for that in the good ground, it means those who, having listened to the Message with open minds and in a right spirit, hold it fast, and patiently yield a return.

World English Bible
Those in the good ground, these are those who with an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and produce fruit with perseverance.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And that in the good ground: these are they who in an upright and good heart, having heard the word, retain [it], and bear fruit in continuance.

Berean Literal Bible
And that in the good soil, these are those who, having heard the word, keep it in a worthy and good heart and bring forth fruit by perseverance.

Young's Literal Translation
And that in the good ground: These are they, who in an upright and good heart, having heard the word, do retain it, and bear fruit in continuance.

Smith's Literal Translation
And that in the good earth, they are they which, in a fair and good heart, having heard, keep the word, and bring forth fruit with patience.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
But that on the good ground, are they who in a good and perfect heart, hearing the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit in patience.

Catholic Public Domain Version
But those which were on good soil are those who, upon hearing the word with a good and noble heart, retain it, and they bring forth fruit in patience.

New American Bible
But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance.

New Revised Standard Version
But as for that in the good soil, these are the ones who, when they hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patient endurance.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
But that in good soil, these are those who hear the word with pure and good heart, and keep it, and bear fruit with patience.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
“But these which are on the good ground are those who hear the word with a pure and good heart, and they hold onto it and they yield fruit with patience.”
NT Translations
Anderson New Testament
But that on the good ground are those who, in a good and honest heart, hear the word, and keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Godbey New Testament
And that which is in the good ground, are those whosoever hearing the word in a beautiful and good heart, retain it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Haweis New Testament
But that on the good ground are they who having heard the word, retain it in a heart excellent and good, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Mace New Testament
but by the good ground is meant such persons as have received the doctrine with simplicity and sincerity, abide by it, and practise it with perseverance.

Weymouth New Testament
But as for that in the good ground, it means those who, having listened to the Message with open minds and in a right spirit, hold it fast, and patiently yield a return.

Worrell New Testament
"And that in the good ground, these are such as, in a good and honest heart, having heard the word, hold it fast, and bear fruit with patience.

Worsley New Testament
But that on the good ground, are those who having heard the word, retain it in a good and honest heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Parable of the Sower
14The seeds that fell among the thorns are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the worries, riches, and pleasures of this life, and their fruit does not mature. 15But the seeds on good soil are those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, cling to it, and by persevering produce a crop. 16No one lights a lamp and covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he sets it on a stand, so those who enter can see the light.…

Cross References
Matthew 13:23
But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”

Mark 4:20
Still others are like the seeds sown on good soil. They hear the word, receive it, and produce a crop—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold.”

John 15:5
I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.

James 1:22-25
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. / For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, / and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ...

Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, / gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Colossians 1:10
so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,

Hebrews 10:36
You need to persevere, so that after you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised.

Romans 7:4
Therefore, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.

Philippians 1:11
filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

2 Peter 1:5-8
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; / and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; / and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. ...

Psalm 1:1-3
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. / But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night. / He is like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither, and who prospers in all he does.

Isaiah 55:10-11
For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, / so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.

Jeremiah 17:7-8
But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him. / He is like a tree planted by the waters that sends out its roots toward the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes, and its leaves are always green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor does it cease to produce fruit.

Ezekiel 36:26-27
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. / And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances.

Hosea 10:12
Sow for yourselves righteousness and reap the fruit of loving devotion; break up your unplowed ground. For it is time to seek the LORD until He comes and sends righteousness upon you like rain.


Treasury of Scripture

But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

in an.

Luke 6:45
A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.

Deuteronomy 30:6
And the LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.

Psalm 51:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

keep.

Luke 11:28
But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

Job 23:11,12
My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined…

Psalm 1:1-3
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful…

bring.

Matthew 24:13
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

Romans 2:7
To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

Romans 6:22
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Jump to Previous
Anxieties Crop Ear Earth Fast Fell Forth Fruit Good Ground Hear Heard Heart Hold Honest Means Message Noble Patience Perfection Perseverance Persevering Produce Quiet Retain Seed Stands Strength Thorns Tightly Time Upright True. Way Wealth Word Yield
Jump to Next
Anxieties Crop Ear Earth Fast Fell Forth Fruit Good Ground Hear Heard Heart Hold Honest Means Message Noble Patience Perfection Perseverance Persevering Produce Quiet Retain Seed Stands Strength Thorns Tightly Time Upright True. Way Wealth Word Yield
Luke 8
1. Women minister unto Jesus of their own means.
4. Jesus, after he had preached from place to place,
9. explains the parable of the sower,
16. and the candle;
19. declares who are his mother, and brothers;
22. rebukes the winds;
26. casts the legion of demons out of the man into the herd of pigs;
37. is rejected by the Gadarenes;
43. heals the woman of her bleeding;
49. and raises Jairus's daughter from death.














But the seed on good soil
The "seed" in this parable represents the Word of God, and "good soil" symbolizes a receptive heart. In the Greek, "good soil" (καλῇ γῇ, kalē gē) implies not just physical fertility but moral and spiritual readiness. Historically, the imagery of soil would resonate with an agrarian society familiar with the necessity of fertile ground for a successful harvest. Spiritually, this phrase challenges believers to cultivate their hearts to be receptive to God's Word, emphasizing the importance of spiritual preparedness and openness.

stands for those with a noble and good heart
The phrase "noble and good heart" (καρδίαν ἀγαθὴν καὶ καλήν, kardiān agathēn kai kalēn) refers to an inner moral quality that is both virtuous and beautiful. In biblical terms, the heart is the center of human will and emotion. A "noble and good heart" suggests a person whose inner life is aligned with God's righteousness. This echoes the Old Testament's emphasis on the heart as the seat of faithfulness and integrity, as seen in passages like Psalm 51:10, "Create in me a clean heart, O God."

who hear the word
"Hear" (ἀκούσαντες, akousantes) in the biblical context implies more than just auditory reception; it involves understanding and obedience. In the Hebrew tradition, to "hear" is to heed, as seen in the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4), which calls Israel to listen and obey. This phrase underscores the necessity of active listening in the life of faith, where hearing God's Word leads to transformation and action.

retain it
To "retain" (κατέχουσιν, katechousin) means to hold fast or keep secure. This suggests a deliberate effort to internalize and protect the Word of God against distractions and challenges. Historically, this reflects the early Christian community's emphasis on memorization and meditation on Scripture, ensuring that the Word remains a guiding force in believers' lives.

and by persevering
"Persevering" (ὑπομονῇ, hypomonē) conveys the idea of steadfast endurance. In the New Testament, perseverance is often linked with faithfulness amidst trials (James 1:12). This word encourages believers to remain steadfast in their faith journey, trusting that God will bring about growth and fruitfulness in His timing.

produce a crop
The phrase "produce a crop" (καρποφοροῦσιν, karpophorousin) signifies the visible outcome of a life transformed by God's Word. In the agricultural metaphor, a crop is the result of careful cultivation and divine blessing. Spiritually, it represents the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and the impact of a believer's life on others. This phrase inspires Christians to live fruitful lives, reflecting God's love and truth in the world.

(15) In an honest and good heart.--The Greek for "honest" has a somewhat higher meaning than that which now attaches to the English, and may be better expressed by noble or honourable. The two adjectives were frequently joined together by Greek ethical writers (kalok'agathos), the nobly-good, and so applied to the best forms of an aristocracy, or claimed by those who professed to represent it, to express the highest ideal of moral excellence.

With patience.--Better, with perseverance, or steadfastness. The word implies something more vigorous than the passive submission which we commonly associate with "patience." The thought is the same as in "he that endureth to the end" (Matthew 10:22; Matthew 24:13), but the noun does not occur in the other Gospels. It occurs thirteen times in St. Paul's Epistles.

Verse 15. - But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the Word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. In this portraiture of the fourth class of our Lord's great life-picture of hearers of and inquirers concerning religion, the Greek words rendered in the Authorized Version "honest" and "good" ("in an honest and good heart ") were words well known and in familiar use among the widely spread Greek-speaking peoples for whom especially St. Luke's Gospel was compiled. Professor Bruce ('Parabolic Teaching of Christ,' ch. 1.) remarks that "the man who united the two qualities expressed by the term 'honest' (better rendered 'noble') and 'good,' represented the beau-ideal of manhood. He was one whose aim was noble, and who was generously devoted to his aim. The expression rendered 'honest' (better translated 'noble,' καλός) has reference to aims or chief ends, and describes one whose mind is raised above moral vulgarity, and is bent, not on money-making and such low pursuits, but on the attainment of wisdom, holiness, and righteousness. The epithet rendered 'good' (ἀγαθός) denotes generous self-abandonment in the prosecution of lofty ends; large-heartedness, magnanimous, overflowing devotion." Mary of Bethany, with her devoted love and her generous friendship; the centurion Cornelius, with his fervent piety and his noble generosity towards a despised and hated race; Barnabas, with his splendid liberality, his utter absence of care for self, his bright, loving trust in human nature, his true charity, "bearing all things, hoping all things;" - are good examples, drawn from different sexes and from varied races, and out of diverse paths of life, of these true inquirers, who not only hear the Word, but keep it.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
But
δὲ (de)
Conjunction
Strong's 1161: A primary particle; but, and, etc.

the [seeds]
Τὸ (To)
Article - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

on
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

good
καλῇ (kalē)
Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2570: Properly, beautiful, but chiefly good, i.e. Valuable or virtuous.

soil
γῇ (gē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1093: Contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe.

are
εἰσιν (eisin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

those
οἵτινες (hoitines)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3748: Whosoever, whichsoever, whatsoever.

with
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

a noble
καλῇ (kalē)
Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2570: Properly, beautiful, but chiefly good, i.e. Valuable or virtuous.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

good
ἀγαθῇ (agathē)
Adjective - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 18: A primary word; 'good'.

heart,
καρδίᾳ (kardia)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2588: Prolonged from a primary kar; the heart, i.e. the thoughts or feelings; also the middle.

[who] hear
ἀκούσαντες (akousantes)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

the
τὸν (ton)
Article - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3588: The, the definite article. Including the feminine he, and the neuter to in all their inflections; the definite article; the.

word,
λόγον (logon)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3056: From lego; something said; by implication, a topic, also reasoning or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, the Divine Expression.

cling to [it],
κατέχουσιν (katechousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2722: From kata and echo; to hold down, in various applications.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

by
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

persevering
ὑπομονῇ (hypomonē)
Noun - Dative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5281: Endurance, steadfastness, patient waiting for. From hupomeno; cheerful endurance, constancy.

produce a crop.
καρποφοροῦσιν (karpophorousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 2592: To bear fruit. From karpophoros; to be fertile.


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NT Gospels: Luke 8:15 That in the good ground these (Luke Lu Lk)
Luke 8:14
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