The Sower

4When a great multitude came together, and people from every city were coming to him, he spoke by a parable.

5“The farmer went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the road, and it was trampled under foot, and the birds of the sky devoured it.

6Other seed fell on the rock, and as soon as it grew, it withered away, because it had no moisture.

7Other fell amid the thorns, and the thorns grew with it, and choked it.

8Other fell into the good ground, and grew, and produced one hundred times as much fruit.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

9Then his disciples asked him, “What does this parable mean?”

10He said, “To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, but to the rest in parables; that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’

11Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.

12Those along the road are those who hear, then the devil comes, and takes away the word from their heart, that they may not believe and be saved.

13Those on the rock are they who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; but these have no root, who believe for a while, then fall away in time of temptation.

14That which fell among the thorns, these are those who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.

15That in the good ground, these are such as in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, hold it tightly, and produces fruit with patience.

22Now on one of those days, he entered into a boat, himself and his disciples, and he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” So they launched out.

23But as they sailed, he fell asleep. A wind storm came down on the lake, and they were taking on dangerous amounts of water.

24They came to him, and awoke him, saying, “Master, master, we are dying!” He awoke, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water, and they ceased, and it was calm.

25He said to them, “Where is your faith?” Being afraid they marveled, saying to one another, “Who is this, then, that he commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him?”