1 And again he began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to him, so as for him, after entering into the boat, to sit on the sea, and all the multitude was by the sea on the land.
2 And he taught them many things in parables, and said to them in his teaching,
3 Listen. Behold, the man who sows went forth to sow.
4 And it came to pass during the sowing, some fell by the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
5 And others fell on the rocky ground where it had not much soil. And straightaway it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil.
6 And when the sun was risen it was scorched, and because it had no root it dried out.
7 And others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it gave no fruit.
8 And others fell into the good ground and gave fruit, coming up and increasing, and brought forth, one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred.
9 And he said, He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
10 And when he became alone, those around him, with the twelve, asked him the parable.
11 And he said to them, To you is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to those outside, all things occur in parables.
12 So that seeing they may see, and not perceive, and hearing they may hear, and not understand, lest they should turn, and the sins would be forgiven them.
13 And he says to them, Do ye not know this parable? And how will ye understand all the parables?
14 The man who sows sows the word.
15 And these are those by the path where the word is sown. And whenever they may hear, straightaway Satan comes, and takes away the word that has been sown in their hearts.
16 And these in like manner are those being sown upon the rocky places, who, whenever they may hear the word, straightaway receive it with joy.
17 And they have no root in themselves, but are temporary. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution develops because of the word, straightaway they are caused to stumble.
18 And these are those being sown in the thorns, who hear the word,
19 and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of wealth, and the cravings about other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
20 And these are those that were sown upon the good ground, who hear the word and receive it, and bear fruit, one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred.
21 And he said to them, Does the lamp come so that it might be put under the bushel or under the bed? Is it not so that it might be put on the lampstand?
22 For there is not anything hid, except that it may be revealed, nor become secret, but that it may come to be visible.
23 If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.
24 And he said to them, Watch what ye hear. By what measure ye measure, it will be measured to you, and to those who hear, it will be added to you.
25 For whoever has, to him it will be given. And he who has not, even what he has will be taken away from him.
26 And he said, Thus is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground,
27 and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and lengthen, he knows not how.
28 For the earth bears fruit spontaneously, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
29 But when the fruit yields, straightaway he sends forth the sickle, because the harvest has come.
30 And he said, To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or by what parable shall we compare it?
31 It is like a grain of the mustard plant, which, when it is sown in the ground, is smaller than all the seeds upon the ground.
32 Yet when it is sown, it goes up and becomes greater than all the plants, and it makes great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under the shade of it.
33 And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.
34 And he did not speak to them apart from a parable, but privately he explained all things to his disciples.
35 And on that day, having become evening, he says to them, Let us pass through to the other side.
36 And having sent the multitude away, they bring him along as he was in the boat. And other small boats were also with him.
37 And a great storm of wind develops, and the waves were thrown into the boat, so as for it now to be filling.
38 And he himself was in the stern sleeping on the cushion. And they awake him, and say to him, Teacher, does it not concern thee that we perish?
39 And having awaken, he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Be quiet! Silence! And the wind ceased, and it became a great calm.
40 And he said to them, Why are ye cowardly this way? How have ye no faith?
41 And they feared a great fear, and said to each other, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea also obey him?