| 1 | And again he began to teach by the sea. And a great crowd was gathered together to him, so that going on board ship he sat in the sea, and all the crowd were close to the sea on the land. |
| 2 | And he taught them many things in parables. And he said to them in his doctrine, |
| 3 | Hearken: Behold, the sower went forth to sow. |
| 4 | And it came to pass as he sowed, one fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured it. |
| 5 | And another fell on the rocky ground, where it had not much earth, and immediately it sprung up out [of the ground] because it had no depth of earth; |
| 6 | and when the sun arose it was burnt up, and because of its not having any root, it withered. |
| 7 | And another fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. |
| 8 | And another fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing; and bore, one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred. |
| 9 | And he said, He that has ears to hear, let him hear. |
| 10 | And when he was alone, those about him with the twelve asked him [as to] the parables. |
| 11 | And he said to them, To you is given [to know] the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to them who are without, all things are done in parables, |
| 12 | that beholding they may behold and not see, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest it may be, they should be converted and they should be forgiven. |
| 13 | And he says to them, Do ye not know this parable? and how will ye be acquainted with all the parables? |
| 14 | The sower sows the word: |
| 15 | and these are they by the wayside where the word is sown, and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. |
| 16 | And these are they in like manner who are sown upon the rocky places, who when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy, |
| 17 | and they have no root in themselves, but are for a time: then, tribulation arising, or persecution on account of the word, immediately they are offended. |
| 18 | And others are they who are sown among the thorns: these are they who have heard the word, |
| 19 | and the cares of life, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things, entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. |
| 20 | And these are they who have been sown on the good ground, such as hear the word and receive it, and bear fruit; one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred [fold]. |
| 21 | And he said to them, Does the lamp come that it should be put under the bushel or under the couch? [Is it] not that it should be set upon the lamp-stand? |
| 22 | For there is nothing hidden which shall not be made manifest; nor does any secret thing take place, but that it should come to light. |
| 23 | If any one have ears to hear, let him hear. |
| 24 | And he said to them, Take heed what ye hear; with what measure ye mete, it shall be meted to you; and there shall be [more] added to you. |
| 25 | For whosoever has, to him shall be given; and he who has not, even what he has shall be taken from him. |
| 26 | And he said, Thus is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast the seed upon the earth, |
| 27 | and should sleep and rise up night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he does not know how. |
| 28 | The earth bears fruit of itself, first [the] blade, then an ear, then full corn in the ear. |
| 29 | But when the fruit is produced, immediately he sends the sickle, for the harvest is come. |
| 30 | And he said, How should we liken the kingdom of God, or with what comparison should we compare it? |
| 31 | As to a grain of mustard [seed], which, when it is sown upon the earth, is less than all seeds which are upon the earth, |
| 32 | and when it has been sown, mounts up and becomes greater than all herbs, and produces great branches, so that the birds of heaven can roost under its shadow. |
| 33 | And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear, |
| 34 | but without a parable spoke he not to them; and in private he explained all things to his disciples. |
| 35 | And on that day, when evening was come, he says to them, Let us go over to the other side: |
| 36 | and having sent away the crowd, they take him with [them], as he was, in the ship. But other ships also were with him. |
| 37 | And there comes a violent gust of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it already filled. |
| 38 | And he was in the stern sleeping on the cushion. And they awake him up and say to him, Teacher, dost thou not care that we are perishing? |
| 39 | And awaking up he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Silence; be mute. And the wind fell, and there was a great calm. |
| 40 | And he said to them, Why are ye [thus] fearful? how [is it] ye have not faith? |
| 41 | And they feared [with] great fear, and said one to another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? |