Luke 8:1-15 (ESV) 8Soon afterward he went onthrough cities and villages, proclaiming andbringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him,2and alsosome women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities:Mary, called Magdalene,from whom seven demons had gone out,3andJoanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's household manager, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them[a]out of their means. The Parable of the Sower 4And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable,5A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it.6And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up,it withered away, because it had no moisture.7And some fell amongthorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it.8And some fell into good soil and grew and yieldeda hundredfold.As he said these things, he called out,He who has ears to hear, let him hear. The Purpose of the Parables 9And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant,10he said,To you it has been given to knowthe secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, sothat seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.11Now the parable is this: The seed isthe word of God.12The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may notbelieve and be saved.13And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive itwith joy. But these have no root; theybelieve for a while, and in time of testingfall away.14And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, butas they go on their way they are choked by thecares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.15As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, andbear fruitwith patience.