The Parable of the Sower
(Matthew 13:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)

1And He began to teach again by the sea-side, and there was gathered unto Him a great multitude; so that He went into a ship, and sat on board, and all the people were by the sea, upon the shore. 2And He taught them many things by similitudes, and said to them in his instruction,

3hearken, Behold a sower went out to sow: 4and in sowing, some fell by the way-side, and the birds came and ate it up: 5and some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth, and it sprang up immediately, because it had not depth of earth; 6but when the sun rose, it was burnt up, and withered because it had no root: 7and some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit: 8and other fell on good ground, and yielded fruit springing up and increasing; and produced some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred-fold. 9And He said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables
(Matthew 13:10–17; Luke 8:9–10)

10And when He was apart from the multitude, those that were about Him with the twelve asked Him concerning the parable. 11And he said unto them, To you it is granted to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but unto them that are without all things are delivered in parables: 12that in seeing they may see and not perceive, and in hearing they may hear and not understand, least they should be converted, and their sins be forgiven them.

The Parable of the Sower Explained
(Matthew 13:18–23; Luke 8:11–15)

13Then saith He unto them, Do ye not understand this parable? how then will ye understand all my other parables. 14The sower is he that soweth the word. And these are they by the way-side: 15where the word is sown; but when they have heard it, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16And in like manner, they that are sown as on stony grounds are such, as when they hear the word, 17immediately receive it with joy, but have no root in themselves, and so continue but for a short season: and then, when affliction cometh, or persecution on account of the word, they are as soon offended. 18And those that are sown as among thorns, are these: such as hear the word indeed, 19but the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and inordinate desires after other things entering in choke the word, and so it becometh unfruitful. 20And these are they who are like seed sown on good ground: such as hear the word, and receive it; and bring forth fruit, some thirty-fold, and some sixty, and some an hundred.

The Lesson of the Lamp
(Luke 8:16–18)

21And He said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or a bed, and not to be set on a candlestick? 22for there is nothing hidden, which may not be revealed; nor was there any thing concealed, but in order to become manifest. 23If any one hath ears to hear, let him hear. 24And mind what ye hear: for with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you; and more shall be imparted to you that are observant: 25for whosoever hath, to him more shall be given; and he that hath not, even what he hath, or seemeth to have, shall be taken from him.

The Seed Growing Secretly

26And He said, The kingdom of God is as if a man should cast seed into the ground, 27and sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up, and increase; he knows not how. 28For the earth produces fruit of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear: 29but when the fruit is ripe, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed
(Matthew 13:31–32; Luke 13:18–19)

30And He said, To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or by what similitude shall we represent it? 31It is like to a grain of mustard-seed, which when it is sown in the ground, is one of the lest of all the seeds on the earth: 32but after it is sown, it grows up, and becomes greater than all herbs, and produces large branches, so that the birds of the air may lodge under it's shadow.

33And in many such parables spake He the word to them, as they had ability to hear it: but spake not to them without a parable. 34And He explained all to his disciples in private.

Jesus Calms the Storm
(Matthew 8:23–27; Luke 8:22–25)

35And the same day, in the evening, He saith to them, Let us go over to the other side. 36So they dismissed the multitude, and took Him as He was in the ship. But there were other small vessels likewise with Him. 37And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now almost full. 38And He was in the stern asleep on a pillow: and they awake Him, and say unto Him, Master, art thou under no concern that we are perishing? 39And He rose and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still; and the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40And He said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how! have ye no faith? 41And they were exceedingly afraid, and said to one another, Who is this? that even the wind and the sea obey Him?