5 "A sower went out to sow his seed. As he sowed, some seed fell along the roadside and was trodden on, and the birds of heaven ate it up.
6 Other seed fell on the rock, and when it sprang up it withered away because it had no moisture.
7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it.
8 Other seed fell into the good ground, and grew up and yielded a harvest a hundred fold." When he said this, he called out, "Let him who has ears to hear, hear."
9 His disciples kept asking him what the illustration meant.
10 He said: "To you it is granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. But to the rest the message comes in figures of speech, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand.
11 This is the illustration: The seed is the message of God.
12 Those by the roadside are those who hear, and then the Devil comes and takes away the message from their hearts so that they may not believe and be saved.
13 Those on the rock are those who, though they receive the message with joy, yet have no root, who for a while believe, but in the time of trial desert.
14 That which fell among thorns means those who hear, and as they go on are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life and bring nothing to completion.