The Sower Explained

¹⁸ “^(A)Listen then to the parable of the sower. ¹⁹ When anyone hears ^(B)the ^[a]word of the kingdom and does not understand it, ^(C)the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one sown with seed beside the road. ²⁰ The one sown with seed on the rocky places, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; ²¹ yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution occurs because of the ^[b]word, immediately he ^[c](D)falls away. ²² And the one sown with seed among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, and the anxiety of ^(E)the ^[d]world and the ^(F)deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it ^[e]becomes unfruitful. ²³ But the one sown with seed on the good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces, some ^(G)a hundred, some sixty, and some thirty times as much.”

Weeds among Wheat

²⁴ Jesus presented another parable to them, saying, “^(H)The kingdom of heaven ^[f]is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed ^[g]weeds among the wheat, and left. ²⁶ And when the ^[h]wheat sprouted and produced grain, then the weeds also became evident. ²⁷ And the slaves of the landowner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? ^[i]How then does it have weeds?’ ²⁸ And he said to them, ‘^[j]An enemy has done this!’ The slaves *said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ ²⁹ But he *said, ‘No; while you are gathering up the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and at the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the weeds and bind them in bundles to burn them; but ^(I)gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

³⁷ And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is ^(A)the Son of Man, ³⁸ and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are ^(B)the sons of the kingdom; and the weeds are ^(C)the sons of ^(D)the evil one; ³⁹ and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is ^(E)the ^[a]end of the age; and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰ So just as the weeds are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at ^(F)the ^[b]end of the age. ^41 (G)The Son of Man ^(H)will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom ^[c]all ^(I)stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, ⁴² and they ^(J)will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place ^(K)there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ^43 (L)Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. ^(M)The one who has ears, ^[d]let him hear.