Focused Passage

Matthew 13:18-23

The Kingdom in Parables: Hearing, Hiddenness, Growth, Worth, and Judgment

Matthew moves from public parabolic teaching beside the lake, to private explanation with the disciples, to more kingdom parables, to fulfillment of hidden speech, to further private explanation, to parables of kingdom worth and final judgment, to the disciples’ responsibility as trained scribes, and finally to hometown rejection.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

18 Consider, then, the parable of the sower:

19 When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

20 The seed sown on rocky ground is the one who hears the word and at once receives it with joy.

21 But since he has no root, he remains for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.

22 The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

23 But the seed sown on good soil is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and produces a crop—a hundredfold, sixtyfold, or thirtyfold.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 18

Original words

vvv Ὑμεῖς G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Nominative 2nd Person Plural Consider ἀκούσατε G191 Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Plural then οὖν G3767 Conjunction the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular parable παραβολὴν G3850 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular of the τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular sower σπείραντος G4687 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular
Verse 19

Original words

When anyone Παντὸς G3956 Adjective - Genitive Masculine Singular hears ἀκούοντος G191 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular message λόγον G3056 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular kingdom βασιλείας G932 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular but καὶ G2532 Conjunction {does} not μὴ G3361 Adverb understand [it] συνιέντος G4920 Verb - Present Participle Active - Genitive Masculine Singular the G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular evil one πονηρὸς G4190 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular comes ἔρχεται G2064 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction snatches away ἁρπάζει G726 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular what τὸ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Singular was sown ἐσπαρμένον G4687 Verb - Perfect Participle Middle or Passive - Accusative Neuter Singular in ἐν G1722 Preposition - τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular his αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular heart καρδίᾳ G2588 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular This οὗτός G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular is ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the [seed] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular sown σπαρείς G4687 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular along παρὰ G3844 Preposition the τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular path ὁδὸν G3598 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular

BSB notes

  • Literally the one sown; also in verses 20, 22, and 23
Verse 20

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction The [seed] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular sown σπαρείς G4687 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular on ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition - τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural rocky ground πετρώδη G4075 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural - οὗτός G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular is ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the [one who] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular hears ἀκούων G191 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular word λόγον G3056 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction at once εὐθὺς G2112 Adverb receives λαμβάνων G2983 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular it αὐτόν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Singular with μετὰ G3326 Preposition joy χαρᾶς G5479 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Verse 21

Original words

But ἀλλὰ G235 Conjunction since δὲ G1161 Conjunction he has ἔχει G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . ἐν G1722 Preposition . . . ἑαυτῷ G1438 Reflexive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular no οὐκ G3756 Adverb root ῥίζαν G4491 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular he remains ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular for only a season πρόσκαιρός G4340 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular [When] δὲ G1161 Conjunction trouble θλίψεως G2347 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular or G2228 Conjunction persecution διωγμοῦ G1375 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular comes γενομένης G1096 Verb - Aorist Participle Middle - Genitive Feminine Singular because of διὰ G1223 Preposition the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular word λόγον G3056 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular vvv εὐθὺς G2112 Adverb he quickly falls away σκανδαλίζεται G4624 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 22

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction The [seed] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular sown σπαρείς G4687 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular among εἰς G1519 Preposition the τὰς G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Plural thorns ἀκάνθας G173 Noun - Accusative Feminine Plural - οὗτός G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular is ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the [one who] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular hears ἀκούων G191 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular word λόγον G3056 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular but καὶ G2532 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular worries μέριμνα G3308 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular of τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular this τούτου G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular life αἰῶνος G165 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular deceitfulness ἀπάτη G539 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular of wealth πλούτου G4149 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular choke συμπνίγει G4846 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular word λόγον G3056 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction it becomes γίνεται G1096 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular unfruitful ἄκαρπος G175 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Singular
Verse 23

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction the [seed] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular sown σπαρείς G4687 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular on ἐπὶ G1909 Preposition - τὴν G3588 Article - Accusative Feminine Singular good καλὴν G2570 Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular soil γῆν G1093 Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular - οὗτός G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular is ἐστιν G1510 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular the [one who] G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular hears ἀκούων G191 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular the τὸν G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Singular word λόγον G3056 Noun - Accusative Masculine Singular [and] καὶ G2532 Conjunction understands [it] συνιείς G4920 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Singular [He] ὃς G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular indeed δὴ G1211 Particle bears fruit καρποφορεῖ G2592 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction produces a crop ποιεῖ G4160 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - μὲν G3303 Conjunction - G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular a hundredfold ἑκατὸν G1540 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural - δὲ G1161 Conjunction - G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular sixtyfold ἑξήκοντα G1835 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural or δὲ G1161 Conjunction - G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular thirtyfold τριάκοντα G5144 Adjective - Accusative Neuter Plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.