^{1 Ref} Again he began to teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea, and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea.

^{2 Ref} He taught them many things in parables, and told them in his teaching,

^{3 Ref} "Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow,

^{4 Ref} and it happened, as he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds{TR adds "of the air"} came and devoured it.

^{5 Ref} Others fell on the rocky ground, where it had little soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil.

^{6 Ref} When the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

^{7 Ref} Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

^{8 Ref} Others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some brought forth thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times as much."

^{9 Ref} He said, "Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear."

^{10 Ref} When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.

^{11 Ref} He said to them, "To you is given the mystery of the Kingdom of God, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables,

^{12 Ref} that 'seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.'"