And again he began to teach by the sea. And a great crowd was gathered together to him, so that going on board ship he sat in the sea, and all the crowd were close to the sea on the land.
And he taught them many things by parables, and said to them in his doctrine,
Hearken: Behold, the sower went forth to sow,
and it came to pass as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured it up.
And some fell on rocky ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth;
but when the sun arose it was scorched; and because it had no root it withered away.
And some fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
And other fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some a hundred.
And he said, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parables.
And he said unto them, Unto you it is given [to know] the mystery of the kingdom of God; but unto them that are without, all things are done in parables:
that beholding they may behold, and not see; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest it may be they should be converted, and they should be forgiven.
And he said to them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye be acquainted with all parables?
and these are they by the wayside where the word is sown, and when they hear, Satan cometh immediately and taketh away the word that was sown in them.
And these are they in like manner who are sown upon the rocky places, who when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
and have no root in themselves, but are for a time; then, tribulation or persecution arising for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
And others are they who are sown among the thorns: these are they who have heard the word,
and the cares of life, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things, entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
And these are they who have been sown on the good ground, such as hear the word and receive it, and bear fruit; one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred [fold].
And he said unto them, Is a lamp brought to be put under the bushel, or under the candle, and not to be set on the lamp-stand?
For there is nothing hidden which shall not be manifested; neither does any secret thing take place but that it should come to light.
If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
And he said to them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you [that hear] shall more be added.
For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed upon the earth,
and should sleep, and rise up night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow up, he knoweth not how.
[For] the earth bringeth forth fruit of itself; first the blade, then an ear, then the full corn in the ear.
But when the fruit is produced, immediately he putteth in the sickle, for the harvest is come.
And he said, How should we liken the kingdom of God, or with what comparison should we compare it?
As to a grain of mustard [seed], which, when it is sown upon the earth, is less than all seeds which are upon the earth,
and when it has been sown, mounts up and becomes greater than all herbs, and produces great branches, so that the birds of heaven can roost under its shadow.
And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear.
But without a parable he spoke not unto them; and in private he expounded all things to his disciples.
And on that day, when evening was come, he says to them, Let us go over to the other side:
and having sent away the crowd, they take him with [them] as he was in the ship. But other ships also were with him.
And there comes a violent gust of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it already filled.
And he was in the stern sleeping on the cushion. And they awake him up and say to him, Teacher, dost thou not care that we are perishing?
And awaking up he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Silence; be mute. And the wind fell, and there was a great calm.
And he said to them, Why are ye [thus] fearful? how [is it] ye have not faith?
And they feared [with] great fear, and said one to another, Who then is this that even the wind and the sea obey him?