1 And he began again to teach by the sea side, and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship and sat in the sea, and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. 2 And he taught them many things by parables and said unto them in his doctrine, 3 Hearken; Behold, the sower went out to sow; 4 and it came to pass as he sowed some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 5 And some fell on stony ground where it had not much earth, and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth; 6 but when the sun was up, it was scorched, and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8 And other fell on good ground and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased and brought forth: some thirty and some sixty and some a hundred. 9 And he said unto them, He that has ears to hear, let him hear.
10 And when he was alone, those that were close to him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but unto those that are without, all these things are done in parables,
12 that seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? How then will ye understand all the parables? 14 The sower is he who sows the word. 15 And these are those by the way side, in whom the word is sown, but when they have heard, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 And likewise these are those who are sown on stony ground, who when they have heard the word immediately receive it with gladness 17 but have no root in themselves and are temporal; afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. 18 And these are those who are sown among thorns, such as hear the word, 19 and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 And these are those who are sown in good ground, such as hear the word and receive it and bring forth fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.
21 And he also said unto them, Is the lamp brought to be put under the bushel or under the bed? and not to be set in the lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hid which shall not be manifested; nor secret which shall not be exposed. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear. 24 And he also said unto them, Take heed what ye hear; with the measure ye measure by, ye shall be measured by others, and unto you that hear shall more be added. 25 For he that has, to him shall be given; and he that has not, from him shall be taken even that which he has.
26 He also said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground 27 and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring forth and grow up, he knows not how. 28 For the earth brings forth fruit of herself: first the blade, then the ear, after that the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he puts in the sickle because the harvest is come.
30 He also said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we compare it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that are in the earth; 32 but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs and shoots out great branches, so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
33 And with many such parables he spoke the word unto them as they were able to hear it. 34 But without a parable he did not speak unto them; and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
35 And that same day, when evening was come, he said unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow; and they awoke him and said unto him, Master, dost thou not care that we perish? 39 And as he arose, he rebuked the wind and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly and said one to another, Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?