¹ And again he began to teach by the sea; and a great multitude came together to him, so that he went into a ship, and sat in the sea: and the whole multitude was on the land near the sea.

² And he taught them many things in parables, and said to them in his teaching:

³ Hear; Behold, the sower went forth to sow;

⁴ and it came to pass, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside, and the birds came and ate it up.

⁵ Other seed fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth: and it immediately sprung up, because it had no depth of earth.

⁶ And when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

⁷ And other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it produced no fruit.

⁸ And other seed fell in the good ground, and produced fruit that grew up and increased, and produced, one thirty, one sixty, and one a hundred.

⁹ And he said: He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

¹⁰ And when he was alone, those who were about him, with the twelve, asked him the meaning of the parable.

¹¹ And he said to them: To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are without, all things are done in parables;

¹² that they may surely see, and not perceive; and that they may surely hear, and not understand; lest they should turn to me, and their sins should be forgiven them.

¹³ And he said to them: Do you not understand this parable? And how then will you understand all parables?

¹⁴ The sower sows the word.

¹⁵ These are they that received seed by the wayside, where the word is sown; and when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.

¹⁶ And these are they that, in like manner, received seed in stony places: who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy:

¹⁷ and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a time; afterward, when affliction or persecution arises on account of the word, they immediately take offense.

¹⁸ And these are they that received seed among thorns; who hear the word,

¹⁹ and the anxieties of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

²⁰ And these are they that received seed on the good ground; who hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred.

²¹ And he said to them: Is a lamp brought in that it may be put under the measure, or under the divan? Is it not brought that it may be put on the lamp-stand?

²² For there is nothing hid that shall not be made known; nor has any thing been concealed, but that it may come into open view.

²³ If any one has ears to hear, let him hear.

²⁴ And he said to them: Take heed how you hear; with what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you; and to you that hear, more shall be given;

²⁵ for whoever has, to him shall be given; and whoever has not, even that which he has shall be taken from him.

²⁶ And he said: So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should sow seed in the ground,

²⁷ and should sleep and rise, night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he knows not how.

²⁸ For the earth, of its own accord, produces fruit, first the blade; then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.

²⁹ But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he sends forth the sickle, because the harvest is ready.

³⁰ And he said: To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or, by what similitude shall we illustrate it?

³¹ It is like a grain of mustard, which, when it is sown in the ground, is less than all seeds that are in the ground;

³² yet, when it is sown, it grows up, and becomes larger than all garden-plants, and sends out great branches, so that the birds of the air can roost under its shadow.

³³ And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear.

³⁴ But without a parable he did not speak to them; but when alone, he explained all things to his disciples.

³⁵ And on the same day, when it was evening, he said to them: Let us go over to the opposite side.

³⁶ And when they had sent the multitude away, they took him with them, as he was in the ship; and there were other little ships with him.

³⁷ And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves dashed into the ship, so that it was now full.

³⁸ And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on the pillow. And they awoke him, and said to him: Teacher, carest thou not that we perish?

³⁹ And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea: Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

⁴⁰ And he said to them: Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?

⁴¹ And they were greatly afraid, and said one to another: Who, then, is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?