When much people were gathered together, and were come to him out
of the cities, he spake by a similitude: A sower went out to sow his
seed, and as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and it was trodden
under feet, and the fowls of the air devoured it up. And some fell on
stone, and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it
lacked moistness. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang
up with it, and choked it. And some fell on good ground, and sprang
up and bare fruit, an hundred fold. And as he said these things, he
cried: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
And his disciples asked him, saying: what manner similitude this
should be. And he said: unto you is it given to know the secrets of
the kingdom of God: but to other in similitudes, that when they see,
they should not see, and when they hear they should not understand.
The similitude is this. The seed is the word of God. Those that
are beside the way, are they that hear, and afterward cometh the
devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should
believe and be saved. They on the stones, are they which when they
hear the word receive it with joy. And these have no roots, which for
a while believe, and in time of temptation go away.
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