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Selected Verse: Matthew 13:18 - Strong Concordance

Verse         Translation Text
Mt 13:18 Strong Concordance Hear [191] ye [5210] therefore [3767] the parable [3850] of the sower [4687].
  King James Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

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Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
See also Mar 4:13-20; Luk 8:11-15. "Hear ye, therefore, the parable of the sower." That is, hear the "explanation" or the "spiritual meaning" of the narrative given before. Mark adds Mar 4:13, "Know ye not this parable? And how, then, shall ye know all parables?" By which it seems that the Saviour regarded this as one of the simplest and plainest of the parables, and gave an explanation of it that they might understand the general principles of interpreting others.

Mat 13:19

When any one heareth ... - The seed represents the word of God communicated in any manner to the minds of people - by the Scriptures, by preaching, by acts of Providence, or by the direct influences of the Holy Spirit.

Then cometh the wicked one - That is, Satan Mar 4:15, or the devil Luk 8:12 - the one eminently "wicked," the accuser, the tempter.

He is represented by the fowls that came and picked up the seed by the way-side. The gospel is preached to people hardened in sin. It makes no impression. It lies like seed on the "hard path;" it is easily taken away, and never suffered to take root.

Mat 13:20, Mat 13:21

But he that received the seed into stony places - Jesus explains this as denoting those who hear the gospel; who are caught with it as something new or pleasing; who profess to be greatly delighted with it, and who are full of zeal for it.

Yet they have no root in themselves. They are not true Christians. Their hearts are not changed. They have not seen their guilt and danger, and the true excellency of Christ. They are not "really" attached to the gospel; and when they are tried and persecution comes, they fall - as the rootless grain withers before the scorching rays of the noonday sun.

Anon - "Quickly," or "readily."

With joy receiveth it - They are under deep distress for sin; they are apprehensive of danger; they hear the offer of mercy, and they seem to themselves to embrace the gospel. It offers them peace, pardon, salvation, and religion assumes for a time a lovely aspect. They imagine that they are pardoned, and they have a temporary peace and joy. Their anxieties subside. Their fears are gone. They are for a time happy. "The mere subsiding of anxious feeling from any cause will make the mind for a time happy." They have only to imagine, therefore, that their sins are forgiven, to produce a certain kind of peace and joy. But there is no ground of permanent joy, as there is in true pardon, and soon their joy subsides, and all evidence of piety disappears. There is no strength of principle to resist temptation; there is no real love of the Saviour; and in times of trial and persecution they show that they have no true religion, and fall away.

By and by - Mark, "Immediately." That is, it soon occurs, or this is an effect which may be expected soon to follow.

Is offended - Stumbles or falls, for this is the meaning of the word "offend" in the New Testament. See the notes at Mat 5:29. Persecution and trial are placed in his path, and he falls as he would over a "stumbling-block." He has no strength of principle - no real confidence in God - no true religion. Mere excited animal feeling is all that he ever had, and that is not sufficient to sustain him when the trial comes.

Mat 13:22

He also that received seed among the thorns - These represent the cares, the anxieties, and the deceitful lure of riches, or the way in which a desire to be rich deceives people.

They take the time and attention. They do not leave opportunity to examine the state of the soul. Besides, riches allure, and promise what they do not yield. They promise to make us happy; but, when gained, they do not do it. The soul is not satisfied. There is the same desire to possess more wealth. And to this there is no end "but death." In doing it there is every temptation to be dishonest, to cheat, to take advantage of others, to oppress others, and to wring their hard earnings from the poor. Every evil passion is therefore cherished by the love of gain; and it is no wonder that the word is choked, and every good feeling destroyed, by this "execrable love of gold." See the notes at Ti1 6:7-11. How many, O how many, thus foolishly drown themselves in destruction and perdition! How many more might reach heaven, if it were not for this deep-seated love of that which fills the mind with care, deceives the soul, and finally leaves it naked, and guilty, and lost!

Mat 13:23

Into good ground - Those whose hearts are prepared by grace to receive it honestly, and to give it full opportunity to grow.

In a rich and mellow soil - in a heart that submits itself to the full influence of truth, unchecked by cares and anxieties; under the showers and summer suns of divine grace; with the heart spread open, like a broad, luxuriant field, to the rays of the morning and to evening dews, the gospel takes deep root and grows; it has full room, and then and there only shows "what it is."
 
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23 But [1161] he that received seed [4687] into [1909] the good [2570] ground [1093] is [2076] he [3778] that heareth [191] the word [3056], and [2532] understandeth [4920] it; which [3739] also [1211] beareth fruit [2592], and [2532] bringeth forth [4160], some [3739] [3303] an hundredfold [1540], [1161] some [3739] sixty [1835], [1161] some [3739] thirty [5144].
7 For [1063] we brought [1533] nothing [3762] into [1519] this world [2889], and it is certain [1212] [3754] we can [1410] carry [1627] nothing [3761] [5100] out [1627].
8 And [1161] having [2192] food [1305] and [2532] raiment [4629] let us be [714] therewith [5125] content [714].
9 But [1161] they that will [1014] be rich [4147] fall [1706] into [1519] temptation [3986] and [2532] a snare [3803], and [2532] into many [4183] foolish [453] and [2532] hurtful [983] lusts [1939], which [3748] drown [1036] men [444] in [1519] destruction [3639] and [2532] perdition [684].
10 For [1063] the love of money [5365] is [2076] the root [4491] of all [3956] evil [2556]: which [3739] while some [5100] coveted after [3713], they have erred [635] from [575] the faith [4102], and [2532] pierced [4044] themselves [1438] through [4044] with many [4183] sorrows [3601].
11 But [1161] thou [4771], O [5599] man [444] of God [2316], flee [5343] these things [5023]; and [1161] follow after [1377] righteousness [1343], godliness [2150], faith [4102], love [26], patience [5281], meekness [4236].
22 He also [1161] that received seed [4687] among [1519] the thorns [173] is [2076] he that [3778] heareth [191] the word [3056]; and [2532] the care [3308] of this [5127] world [165], and [2532] the deceitfulness [539] of riches [4149], choke [4846] the word [3056], and [2532] he becometh [1096] unfruitful [175].
29 And [1161] if [1487] thy [4675] right [1188] eye [3788] offend [4624] thee [4571], pluck [1807] it [846] out [1807], and [2532] cast [906] it from [575] thee [4675]: for [1063] it is profitable [4851] for thee [4671] that [2443] one [1520] of thy [4675] members [3196] should perish [622], and [2532] not [3361] that thy [4675] whole [3650] body [4983] should be cast [906] into [1519] hell [1067].
21 Yet [1161] hath he [2192] not [3756] root [4491] in [1722] himself [1438], but [235] dureth [2076] for a while [4340]: for [1161] when tribulation [2347] or [2228] persecution [1375] ariseth [1096] because [1223] of the word [3056], by and by [2117] he is offended [4624].
20 But [1161] he that received the seed [4687] into [1909] stony places [4075], the same [3778] is [2076] he that heareth [191] the word [3056], and [2532] anon [2117] with [3326] joy [5479] receiveth [2983] it [846];
12 Those [1161] by [3844] the way side [3598] are [1526] they that hear [191]; then [1534] cometh [2064] the devil [1228], and [2532] taketh away [142] the word [3056] out of [575] their [846] hearts [2588], lest [3363] they should believe [4100] and be saved [4982].
15 And [1161] these [3778] are they [1526] by [3844] the way side [3598], where [3699] the word [3056] is sown [4687]; but [2532] when [3752] they have heard [191], Satan [4567] cometh [2064] immediately [2112], and [2532] taketh away [142] the word [3056] that was sown [4687] in [1722] their [846] hearts [2588].
19 When any [3956] one heareth [191] the word [3056] of the kingdom [932], and [2532] understandeth [4920] it not [3361], then cometh [2064] the wicked [4190] one, and [2532] catcheth away [726] that which [3588] was sown [4687] in [1722] his [846] heart [2588]. This [3778] is [2076] he which received seed [4687] by [3844] the way side [3598].
13 And [2532] he said [3004] unto them [846], Know ye [1492] not [3756] this [5026] parable [3850]? and [2532] how then [4459] will ye know [1097] all [3956] parables [3850]?
11 Now [1161] the parable [3850] is [2076] this [3778]: The seed [4703] is [2076] the word [3056] of God [2316].
12 Those [1161] by [3844] the way side [3598] are [1526] they that hear [191]; then [1534] cometh [2064] the devil [1228], and [2532] taketh away [142] the word [3056] out of [575] their [846] hearts [2588], lest [3363] they should believe [4100] and be saved [4982].
13 [1161] They on [1909] the rock [4073] are they, which [3739], when [3752] they hear [191], receive [1209] the word [3056] with [3326] joy [5479]; and [2532] these [3778] have [2192] no [3756] root [4491], which [3739] for [4314] a while [2540] believe [4100], and [2532] in [1722] time [2540] of temptation [3986] fall away [868].
14 And [1161] that which fell [4098] among [1519] thorns [173] are [1526] they [3778], which, when they have heard [191], go forth [4198], and [2532] are choked [4846] with [5259] cares [3308] and [2532] riches [4149] and [2532] pleasures [2237] of this life [979], and [2532] bring [5052] no [3756] fruit to perfection [5052].
15 But [1161] that on [1722] the good [2570] ground [1093] are [1526] they [3778], which [3748] in [1722] an honest [2570] and [2532] good [18] heart [2588], having heard [191] the word [3056], keep [2722] it, and [2532] bring forth fruit [2592] with [1722] patience [5281].
13 And [2532] he said [3004] unto them [846], Know ye [1492] not [3756] this [5026] parable [3850]? and [2532] how then [4459] will ye know [1097] all [3956] parables [3850]?
14 The sower [4687] soweth [4687] the word [3056].
15 And [1161] these [3778] are they [1526] by [3844] the way side [3598], where [3699] the word [3056] is sown [4687]; but [2532] when [3752] they have heard [191], Satan [4567] cometh [2064] immediately [2112], and [2532] taketh away [142] the word [3056] that was sown [4687] in [1722] their [846] hearts [2588].
16 And [2532] these [3778] are they [1526] likewise [3668] which are sown [4687] on [1909] stony ground [4075]; who [3739], when [3752] they have heard [191] the word [3056], immediately [2112] receive [2983] it [846] with [3326] gladness [5479];
17 And [2532] have [2192] no [3756] root [4491] in [1722] themselves [1438], and [235] so endure [1526] but for a time [4340]: afterward [1534], when affliction [2347] or [2228] persecution [1375] ariseth [1096] for [1223] the word's sake [3056], immediately [2112] they are offended [4624].
18 And [2532] these [3778] are [1526] they which are [1526] sown [4687] among [1519] thorns [173]; such as [3778] hear [191] the word [3056],
19 And [2532] the cares [3308] of this [5127] world [165], and [2532] the deceitfulness [539] of riches [4149], and [2532] the lusts [1939] of [4012] other things [3062] entering in [1531], choke [4846] the word [3056], and [2532] it becometh [1096] unfruitful [175].
20 And [2532] these [3778] are [1526] they which are sown [4687] on [1909] good [2570] ground [1093]; such as [3748] hear [191] the word [3056], and [2532] receive [3858] it, and [2532] bring forth fruit [2592], some [1520] thirtyfold [5144], some [2532] [1520] sixty [1835], and [2532] some [1520] an hundred [1540].