| 4:1 | And again, he began to teach by the sea. And a great crowd was gathered to him, so much so that, climbing into a boat, he was seated on the sea. And the entire crowd was on the land along the sea. |
| 4:2 | And he taught them many things in parables, and he said to them, in his doctrine: |
| 4:3 | “Listen. Behold, the sower went out to sow. |
| 4:4 | And while he was sowing, some fell along the way, and the birds of the air came and ate it. |
| 4:5 | Yet truly, others fell upon stony ground, where it did not have much soil. And it rose up quickly, because it had no depth of soil. |
| 4:6 | And when the sun was risen, it was scorched. And because it had no root, it withered away. |
| 4:7 | And some fell among thorns. And the thorns grew up and suffocated it, and it did not produce fruit. |
| 4:8 | And some fell on good soil. And it brought forth fruit that grew up, and increased, and yielded: some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred.” |
| 4:9 | And he said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.” |
| 4:10 | And when he was alone, the twelve, who were with him, questioned him about the parable. |
| 4:11 | And he said to them: “To you, it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to those who are outside, everything is presented in parables: |
| 4:12 | ‘so that, seeing, they may see, and not perceive; and hearing, they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they may be converted, and their sins would be forgiven them.’ ” |
| 4:13 | And he said to them: “Do you not understand this parable? And so, how will you understand all the parables? |
| 4:14 | He who sows, sows the word. |
| 4:15 | Now there are those who are along the way, where the word is sown. And when they have heard it, Satan quickly comes and takes away the word, which was sown in their hearts. |
| 4:16 | And similarly, there are those who were sown upon stony ground. These, when they have heard the word, immediately accept it with gladness. |
| 4:17 | But they have no root in themselves, and so they are for a limited time. And when next tribulation and persecution arises because of the word, they quickly fall away. |
| 4:18 | And there are others who are sown among thorns. These are those who hear the word, |
| 4:19 | but worldly tasks, and the deception of riches, and desires about other things enter in and suffocate the word, and it is effectively without fruit. |
| 4:20 | And there are those who are sown upon good soil, who hear the word and accept it; and these bear fruit: some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred.” |
