Luke 8:4-15 (OTB)
4As a large crowd was gathering and people from various towns were coming to Jesus, he spoke to them in a parable: 5“A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some fell along the path; it was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6Some fell on rocky ground, and when it sprang up, it withered because it lacked moisture. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked it. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It grew up and produced a crop a hundred times more than was sown.” As he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” 9His disciples inquired about the meaning of this parable. 10He replied, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but to others I speak in parables, so that, ‘though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.’ 11“The parable's meaning is this: The seed represents the word of God. 12Those along the path are those who hear, and then the adversary comes and removes the word from their hearts, preventing them from believing and being saved. 13Those on rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in a time of testing they fall away. 14The seed that fell among thorns represents those who hear, but as they continue on their way, they are overwhelmed by life’s worries, riches, and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15But the seed on good soil represents those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and through perseverance produce a crop.
Open in the Bible reader ↗