1. Soon after this, Jesus was going through towns and villages, telling the good news about God's kingdom. His twelve apostles were with him,
2. and so were some women who had been healed of evil spirits and all sorts of diseases. One of the women was Mary Magdalene, who once had seven demons in her.
3. Joanna, Susanna, and many others had also used what they owned to help Jesus and his disciples. Joanna's husband Chuza was one of Herod's officials.
4. When a large crowd from several towns had gathered around Jesus, he told them this story:
5. A farmer went out to scatter seed in a field. While the farmer was doing it, some of the seeds fell along the road and were stepped on or eaten by birds.
6. Other seeds fell on rocky ground and started growing. But the plants did not have enough water and soon dried up.
7. Some other seeds fell where thorn bushes grew up and choked the plants.
8. The rest of the seeds fell on good ground where they grew and produced a hundred times as many seeds.When Jesus had finished speaking, he said, “If you have ears, pay attention!”
9. Jesus' disciples asked him what the story meant.