1Once again Jesus began to teach beside the sea, and such a large crowd gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people crowded along the shore.[ † ]Matthew 13:1-15Luke 8:4-10
2And He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said,[ † ]Mark 12:38 3“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
5Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings, and they yielded no crop.
8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it sprouted, grew up, and produced a crop—one bearing thirtyfold, another sixtyfold, and another a hundredfold.”
9Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10As soon as Jesus was alone with the Twelve and those around Him, they asked Him about the parable.[ † ]Matthew 13:10Luke 8:9
11He replied, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those on the outside everything is expressed in parables,[ † ]Matthew 11:251 Corinthians 2:10-162 Corinthians 4:61 Corinthians 5:12-13Colossians 4:51 Thessalonians 4:121 Timothy 3:7
13Then Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?
14The farmer sows the word.[ † ]Matthew 13:18-23Luke 8:11-15 15Some are like the seeds along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
16Some are like the seeds sown on rocky ground. They hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17But they themselves have no root, and they remain for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
18Others are like the seeds sown among the thorns. They hear the word, 19but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.[ † ]Luke 21:34Proverbs 23:5Ecclesiastes 5:13Luke 18:241 Timothy 6:9-10, 17
20Still others are like the seeds sown on good soil. They hear the word, receive it, and produce a crop—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold.”[ † ]John 15:2-5Romans 7:4
21Jesus also said to them, “Does anyone bring in a lamp to put it under a basket or under a bed? Doesn’t he set it on a stand?[ † ]Matthew 5:15Luke 8:16Luke 11:33 22For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light.[ † ]Ecclesiastes 12:14Matthew 10:26-27Luke 12:31 Corinthians 4:5
23If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”[ † ]Matthew 11:15Matthew 13:9-43Mark 4:9Luke 8:8Luke 14:35Revelation 3:6-13, 22Revelation 13:9
24He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.[ † ]Matthew 7:2Luke 6:382 Corinthians 9:6 25For whoever has will be given more. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”[ † ]Matthew 13:12Matthew 25:29Luke 8:18Luke 19:26
26Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground.[ † ]Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43Luke 8:1 27Night and day he sleeps and wakes, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he knows not how.[ † ]2 Corinthians 3:182 Peter 3:18 28All by itself the earth produces a crop—first the stalk, then the head, then grain that ripens within.[ † ]John 12:24 29And as soon as the grain is ripe, he swings the sickle, because the harvest has come.”[ † ]Mark 13:30-39Revelation 14:15
30Then He asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God? With what parable shall we present it?[ † ]Matthew 13:31-32Luke 13:18-19Acts 2:41Acts 4:4Acts 5:14Acts 19:20 31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds sown upon the earth. 32But after it is planted, it grows to be the largest of all garden plants and puts forth great branches, so that the birds of the air nest in its shade.”
33With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them, to the extent that they could understand.[ † ]Matthew 13:34-35John 16:12 34He did not tell them anything without using a parable. But privately He explained everything to His own disciples.[ † ]Luke 24:27-45
35When that evening came, He said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side.”[ † ]Matthew 8:18-23-27Luke 8:22-25 36After they had dismissed the crowd, they took Jesus with them, since He was already in the boat. And there were other boats with Him.
37Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped. 38But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?”[ † ]Matthew 23:8-10Psalms 44:23
39Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.[ † ]Mark 9:25Luke 4:39Psalms 65:7Psalms 89:9Psalms 93:4Psalms 104:6-7Matthew 8:26Luke 8:24
40“Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?”[ † ]Matthew 14:31-32Luke 8:25
41Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”