Matthew 13:1-15 ▼

1 THAT same day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the seaside.

2 And many people gathered around him, so that he had to go up and sit in a boat, and all the people stood on the seashore.

3 And he spoke many things to them in parables, and said, Behold the sower went out to sow;

4 And when he had sown, some seed fell on the roadside, and the fowls came and ate it.

5 Other fell upon the rock, where there was not sufficient soil; and it sprang up earlier because the ground was not deep enough;

6 But when the sun shone, it was scorched, and because it had no root, it dried up;

7 And other fell among thistles, and the thistles sprung up and choked it.

8 And other fell in good soil, and bore fruit, some one hundred, and some sixty, and some thirty.

9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear.

10 Then his disciples drew near to him and said, Why do you speak to them in parables?

11 He answered and said to them, Because to you it is granted to know the mystery of the kingdom of heaven, but it is not granted to them.

12 For to him who has, shall be given and it shall increase to him; but to him who has not, even that which he has shall be taken away from him.

13 This is the reason I speak to them in figures, because they see and yet cannot perceive; and they hear and yet do not listen, nor do they understand.

14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah who said, Hearing you will hear, but you will not understand; and seeing you will see, but you will not know.

15 For the heart of this people has become hardened, and their ears hear heavily, and their eyes are dull; so that they cannot see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts; let them return, and I will heal them.