8. Still other seed fell on good soil. It grew up and produced a crop 30, 60, or even 100 times more than the farmer planted."
9. Then Jesus said, "Those who have ears should listen."
10. Later Jesus was alone. The Twelve asked him about the stories. So did the others around him.
11. He told them, "The secret of God's kingdom has been given to you. But to outsiders everything is told by using stories.
12. In that way, " 'They will see but never know what they are seeing. They will hear but never understand. Otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!' " (Isaiah 6:9,10)
13. Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this story? Then how will you understand any stories of this kind?
14. The seed the farmer plants is God's message.
15. What is seed scattered on a path like? The message is planted. The people hear the message. Then Satan comes. He takes away the message that was planted in them.
16. And what is seed scattered on rocky places like? The people hear the message. At once they receive it with joy.
17. But they have no roots. So they last only a short time. They quickly fall away from the faith when trouble or suffering comes because of the message.
18. And what is seed scattered among thorns like? The people hear the message.
19. But then the worries of this life come to them. Wealth comes with its false promises. The people also long for other things. All of those are the kinds of things that crowd out the message. They keep it from producing fruit.
20. And what is seed scattered on good soil like? The people hear the message. They accept it. They produce a good crop 30, 60, or even 100 times more than the farmer planted."
21. Jesus said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a large bowl or a bed? Don't you put it on its stand?
22. What is hidden is meant to be seen. And what is put out of sight is meant to be brought out into the open.
23. Everyone who has ears should listen."
24. "Think carefully about what you hear," he said. "As you give, so you will receive. In fact, you will receive even more.
25. If you have something, you will be given more. If you have nothing, even what you have will be taken away from you."
26. Jesus also said, "Here is what God's kingdom is like. A farmer scatters seed on the ground.
27. Night and day the seed comes up and grows. It happens whether the farmer sleeps or gets up. He doesn't know how it happens.