Parable of the Soils
AND again He began to teach alongside the sea: and there was gathered to Him a great crowd, so that He entered into a boat, and sat in it, on the sea; and the whole crowd 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, there went out a sower to sow;
4 And it came to pass, as he sowed seed: some fell alongside the way, and the birds of the air came and devoured it up.
5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
6 But when the sun arose, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it bore no fruit.
8 And the others fell on good ground, and bore fruit that sprang up and grew greatly; and brought forth: some thirtyfold, and some sixty, and some a hundred.”
9 And He said to them: “He that has ears to hear, let him hear!”
10 ¶ And when He was alone, those that were around Him, together with the twelve asked Him of the parable.
11 And He said to them: “To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those outside, all things are done in parables:
12 That seeing, they may see and not perceive; and hearing, they may hear and not understand: lest at any time they be converted, and their sins be forgiven them.”
13 And He said to them: “Do you not understand this parable? And how then, will you understand all the parables?”
14 ¶ “The sower, sows the word.
15 And these are those by the way side: wherever the word is sown, but when they have heard, Satan comes immediately, and takes away the word, that was sown in their hearts.
16 And likewise, these are those which are sown on stony ground: who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy;
17 And have no root within themselves, being but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution takes place, on account of the word: immediately they stumble.
18 And these are those which are sown among thorns: such as hear the word,
19 And the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires of other things: enter in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
20 And these are those, which are sown on good ground: such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
Parable of the Lamp
21 ¶ And He said to them: “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket, or under a bed? and not to be set on a lampstand?
22 For there is nothing hidden, which shall not be made visible; nor be kept secret, but that it should become evident.
23 If anyone has ears to hear: let him hear.”
24 And He said to them: “Take heed of what you hear! With what measure you use, it shall be measured to you: and to you that listen, shall more be given.
25 For he that has, to him shall be given; and he that has not, from him shall be taken, even that which he has.”
26 ¶ And He said: “So 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 spring up and grow, yet he knows not how.
28 For the earth bears fruit of herself; first the sprout, then the ear, after that the full grain in the ear.
29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
Parable of the Mustard Seed
30 ¶ And He said: “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what parable shall we come near it?
31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth: is less than all the seeds, that be in the earth;
32 But when it is sown, it grows up, and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out great branches: therefore, the birds of the air are able to lodge under the shadow of it.”
33 And with many such parables He spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.
34 And without parable He spoke not to them: but when they were alone, He expounded all things to His disciples.
The Sea is Stilled
35 ¶ And the same day, when the evening had come, He said to them: “Let us pass over to the other side.”
36 And when they had sent away the crowd, they took Him as he was in the boat. And there were also with him other small boats.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was now full.
38 And He was in the stern of the boat, asleep on a pillow; and they awoke Him, and said to Him: “Teacher, do you not care that we perish?”
39 And He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea: “Peace, be silent!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And He said to them: “Why are you so cowardly? how is it that you have no faith?”
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another: “What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”