| New Living Translation | NET Bible |
| 1Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore. | 1Again he began to teach by the lake. Such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there while the whole crowd was on the shore by the lake. |
| 2He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: | 2He taught them many things in parables, and in his teaching said to them: |
| 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed. | 3"Listen! A sower went out to sow. |
| 4 As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it. | 4And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. |
| 5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. | 5Other seed fell on rocky ground where it did not have much soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. |
| 6 But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died. | 6When the sun came up it was scorched, and because it did not have sufficient root, it withered. |
| 7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain. | 7Other seed fell among the thorns, and they grew up and choked it, and it did not produce grain. |
| 8 Still 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!” | 8But other seed fell on good soil and produced grain, sprouting and growing; some yielded thirty times as much, some sixty, and some a hundred times." |
| 9Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” | 9And he said, "Whoever has ears to hear had better listen!" |
| 10Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant. | 10When he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. |
| 11He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders, | 11He said to them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables, |
| 12 so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they see what I do, they will learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they will not understand. Otherwise, they will turn to me and be forgiven.’ ” | 12so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand, so they may not repent and be forgiven." |
| 13Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables? | 13He said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? Then how will you understand any parable? |
| 14 The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others. | 14The sower sows the word. |
| 15 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. | 15These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: Whenever they hear, immediately Satan comes and snatches the word that was sown in them. |
| 16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. | 16These are the ones sown on rocky ground: As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy. |
| 17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. | 17But they have no root in themselves and do not endure. Then, when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away. |
| 18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, | 18Others are the ones sown among thorns: They are those who hear the word, |
| 19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. | 19but worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it produces nothing. |
| 20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” Parable of the Lamp | 20But these are the ones sown on good soil: They hear the word and receive it and bear fruit, one thirty times as much, one sixty, and one a hundred." |
| 21Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine. | 21He also said to them, "A lamp isn't brought to be put under a basket or under a bed, is it? Isn't it to be placed on a lampstand? |
| 22 For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light. | 22For nothing is hidden except to be revealed, and nothing concealed except to be brought to light. |
| 23 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” | 23If anyone has ears to hear, he had better listen!" |
| 24Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given —and you will receive even more. | 24And he said to them, "Take care about what you hear. The measure you use will be the measure you receive, and more will be added to you. |
| 25 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” Parable of the Growing Seed | 25For whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him." |
| 26Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground. | 26He also said, "The kingdom of God is like someone who spreads seed on the ground. |
| 27 Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens. | 27He goes to sleep and gets up, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. |
| 28 The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens. | 28By itself the soil produces a crop, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. |
| 29 And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.” Parable of the Mustard Seed | 29And when the grain is ripe, he sends in the sickle because the harvest has come." |
| 30Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it? | 30He also asked, "To what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to present it? |
| 31 It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds, | 31It is like a mustard seed that when sown in the ground, even though it is the smallest of all the seeds in the ground-- |
| 32 but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.” | 32when it is sown, it grows up, becomes the greatest of all garden plants, and grows large branches so that the wild birds can nest in its shade." |
| 33Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand. | 33So with many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear. |
| 34In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them. Jesus Calms the Storm | 34He did not speak to them without a parable. But privately he explained everything to his own disciples. |
| 35As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” | 35On that day, when evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's go across to the other side of the lake." |
| 36So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). | 36So after leaving the crowd, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat, and other boats were with him. |
| 37But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. | 37Now a great windstorm developed and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was nearly swamped. |
| 38Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” | 38But he was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. They woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care that we are about to die?" |
| 39When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. | 39So he got up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Be quiet! Calm down!" Then the wind stopped, and it was dead calm. |
| 40Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” | 40And he said to them, "Why are you cowardly? Do you still not have faith?" |
| 41The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!” | 41They were overwhelmed by fear and said to one another, "Who then is this? Even the wind and sea obey him!" |
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