Bible verses about "seed" | Twentieth_Century

⁸ Some fell into good soil, and, shooting up and growing, yielded a return, amounting to thirty, sixty, and even a hundred fold."

¹ From Paul, a servant of God, and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, charged to strengthen the faith of God's Chosen People, and their knowledge of that Truth which makes for godliness, . ² and is based on the hope of Immortal Life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began, ³ and has revealed at his own time in his Message, with the proclamation of which I was entrusted by the command of God our Savior. ⁴ To Titus, my true Child in our one Faith: May God, the Father, and Christ Jesus, our Savior, bless you and give you peace. ⁵ My reason for leaving you in Crete was that you might put in order what had been left unsettled, and appoint Officers of the Church in the various towns, as I myself directed you. ⁶ They are to be men of irreproachable character, who are faithful husbands, whose children are Christians and have never been charged with dissolute conduct or have been unruly. ⁷ For a Presiding-Officer, as God's steward, ought to be a man of irreproachable character; not self-willed or quick-tempered, nor addicted to drink or to brawling or to questionable money-making. ⁸ On the contrary, he should be hospitable, eager for the right discreet, upright, a man of holy life and capable of self-restraint, ⁹ who holds doctrine that can be relied on as being in accordance with the accepted Teaching; so that he may be able to encourage others by sound teaching, as well as to refute our opponents. ¹⁰ There are, indeed, many unruly persons--great talkers who deceive themselves, principally converts from Judaism, ¹¹ whose mouths ought to be stopped; for they upset whole households by teaching what they ought not to teach, merely to make questionable gains. ¹² It was a Cretan--one of their own teachers--who said: 'Cretans are always liars, base brutes, and gluttonous idlers'; and his statement is true. ¹³ Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they may be sound in the Faith, ¹⁴ and may pay no attention to Jewish legends, or to the directions of those who turn their backs upon the Truth. ¹⁵ Everything is pure to the pure-minded, but to those whose minds are polluted and who are unbelievers nothing is pure. Their minds and consciences are alike polluted. ¹⁶ They profess to know God, but by their actions they disown him. They are degraded and self-willed; and, as far as anything good is concerned, they are utterly worthless.

¹ Shortly afterwards, Jesus went on a journey through the towns and villages, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God. With him went the Twelve, ² As well as some women who had been cured of wicked spirits and of infirmities. They were Mary, known as Mary of Magdala (from whom seven demons had been expelled), ³ And Joanna (the wife of Herod's steward, Chuza), and Susannah, and many others--all of whom ministered to Jesus and his Apostles out of their means. ⁴ Once, when a great crowd was collecting, and, when the people of town after town were flocking to Jesus, he spoke to them in the form of a parable: ⁵ "The sower went out to sow his seed; and, as he was sowing, some of the seed fell along the path and was trodden upon; and the wild birds ate it up. ⁶ Other seed fell upon rock, and, as soon as it began to grow, having no moisture, withered away. ⁷ Other seed fell in the middle of brambles, but the brambles grew up with it and choked it entirely. ⁸ Other seed fell into rich soil, and grew, and gave a hundred-fold return." After saying this, Jesus cried aloud: "Let him who has ears to hear with hear." ⁹ His disciples asked Jesus the meaning of this parable. ¹⁰ "To you," he said, "the knowledge of the hidden truths of the Kingdom of God has been imparted, but to others in parables only, that 'though they have eyes they may not see, and though they have ears, they may not understand.' ¹¹ This is the parable--The seed is God's Message. ¹² By the seed which fell along the path are meant those who hear the Message; but then comes the Devil and carries away the Message from their minds, to prevent their believing it and being saved. ¹³ By the seed which fell upon the rock are meant those who, as soon as they hear the Message, welcome it joyfully; but they have no root, and believe it only for a time, and, when the time of temptation comes, they draw back. ¹⁴ By that which fell among the brambles are meant those who hear the Message, but who, as they go on their way, are completely choked by this world's cares and wealth and pleasures, and bring nothing to perfection. ¹⁵ But by that in the good ground are meant those who, having heard the Message, keep it in the good, rich soil of their hearts, and patiently yield a return. ¹⁶ No man sets light to a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or puts it underneath a couch, but he puts it on a lamp-stand, so that anyone who comes in may see the light. ¹⁷ Nothing is hidden which will not be brought into the light of day, not ever kept hidden which will not some day become known and come into the light of day. ¹⁸ Take care, then, how you listen. For, to all those who have, more will be given; while, from all those who have nothing, even what they seem to have will be taken away." ¹⁹ Presently Jesus' mother and brothers came where he was, but they were not able to join him on account of the crowd. ²⁰ So word was brought to him--'Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.' ²¹ His reply, spoken to them all, was: "My mother and my brothers are those who listen to God's teaching and do what it bids." ²² One day about that time, Jesus got into a boat with his disciples and said to them: "Let us go across the lake." ²³ So they put off. While they were sailing, Jesus fell asleep. A squall swept down upon the lake, and their boat was filling and they were in danger. ²⁴ So the disciples came and roused him. "Sir, Sir," they cried, "we are lost!" Jesus rose and rebuked the wind and the rushing waves, and they fell, and a calm followed. ²⁵ "Where is your faith?" he exclaimed. But in great awe and amazement they said to one another: "Who can this be, that he commands even the winds and the waves, and they obey him?" ²⁶ And they reached the country of the Gerasenes, which is on the opposite side to Galilee; ²⁷ And, on getting ashore, Jesus met a man, who had demons in him, coming out of the town. For a long time this man had worn no clothing, and he had not lived in a house, but in the tombs. ²⁸ Catching sight of Jesus, he shrieked out and threw himself down before him, and in a loud voice exclaimed: "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beseech you not to torment me." ²⁹ For Jesus was commanding the foul spirit to come out from the man. On many occasions it had seized him, and, even when secured with chains and fetters, and watched, he would break through anything that bound him, and be driven by the demon into the Wilds. ³⁰ "What is your name?" Jesus asked. "Legion," he answered (for many demons had taken possession of him); ³¹ And the demons begged Jesus not to order them away into the bottomless pit. ³² There was a drove of many pigs close by feeding upon the hill- side; and the demons begged Jesus to give them leave to enter into them. Jesus gave them leave. ³³ They came out from the man and took possession of the pigs; and the drove rushed down the steep slope into the lake and were drowned. ³⁴ When the men who tended them saw what had happened, they ran away, and carried the news to the town, and to the country round. ³⁵ The people went out to see what had happened, and, when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting, clothed and in his right mind, at Jesus' feet; and they were awe-struck. ³⁶ Those who had seen it told them how the possessed man had been delivered; ³⁷ Upon which all the people in the neighborhood of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, for they were terrified. Jesus got into a boat and returned. ³⁸ The man from whom the demons had gone out begged Jesus to let him be with him; but Jesus sent him away. ³⁹ "Go back to your home," he said, "and relate the story of all that God has done for you." So the man went through the whole town and proclaimed, as he went, all that Jesus had done for him. ⁴⁰ On his return, Jesus was welcomed by the people; for everyone was looking out for him. ⁴¹ And a man named Jaeirus, who was a President of the Synagogue, came to Jesus, and threw himself at Jesus' feet, with entreaties that he would come to his house, ⁴² Because his only daughter, who was about twelve years old, was dying. As Jesus was going, the people were pressing closely round him. ⁴³ And a woman, who had suffered from hemorrhage for twelve years, and whom no one could cure, ⁴⁴ Came up behind and touched the tassel of his cloak. Instantly the hemorrhage ceased. ⁴⁵ "Who was it that touched me?" Jesus asked; and, while everyone was denying having done so, Peter exclaimed: "Why, Sir, the people are crowding round you and pressing upon you!" ⁴⁶ "Somebody touched me," said Jesus; "for I felt that power had gone out from me." ⁴⁷ Then the woman, when she saw that she was discovered, came forward trembling, and threw herself down before him; and, in the presence of all the people, she told him her reason for touching him, and that she had been cured instantly. ⁴⁸ "Daughter," he said, "your faith has delivered you. Go, and peace be with you." ⁴⁹ Before he had finished speaking, some one came from the house of the President of the Synagogue and said: "Your daughter is dead! Do not trouble the Teacher further." ⁵⁰ But Jesus, hearing this, spoke to the President: "Do not be afraid; only have faith, and she shall yet be delivered." ⁵¹ When he reached the house, he did not allow any one to go in with him, except Peter, John, and James, and the child's father and mother. ⁵² And every one was weeping and mourning for her. "Do not weep," Jesus said, "she is not dead; she is asleep." ⁵³ They began to laugh at him, for they knew that she was dead. ⁵⁴ But, taking her by the hand, Jesus said in a loud voice: "Child, rise!" ⁵⁵ The child's spirit returned to her, and she instantly stood up; and Jesus ordered them to give her something to eat. ⁵⁶ Her parents were amazed, but Jesus impressed on them that they were not to tell any one what had happened.

⁶ Remember the saying--'Scanty sowing, scanty harvest; plentiful sowing, plentiful harvest.'

²² Now that, by your obedience to the Truth, you have purified your lives, so that there is growing up among you a genuine brotherly affection, love one another earnestly with all your hearts; ²³ since your new Life has come, not from perishable, but imperishable, seed, through the Message of the Everliving God. ²⁴ For-- 'All earthly life is but as grass, And all its splendor as the flower of grass. The grass fades, Its flower falls, ²⁵ But the teaching of the Lord remains for ever.' And that is the Teaching of the Good News which has been told to you.

²⁰ "Because you have so little faith," he answered; "for, I tell you, if your faith were only like a mustard-seed, you could say to this mountain 'Move from this place to that!' and it would be moved; and nothing would be impossible to you."

⁸ For he who sows the field of his earthly nature will from that earthly nature reap corruption; while he who sows the field of the spirit will from that spirit reap Immortal Life.

³⁶ You foolish man! The seed you yourself sow does not come to life, unless it dies! ³⁷ And when you sow, you sow not the body that will be, but a mere grain-perhaps of wheat, or something else. ³⁸ God gives it the body that he pleases-to each seed its special body.

³⁸ God gives it the body that he pleases-to each seed its special body.

¹ That same day, when Jesus had left the house and was sitting by the Sea, ² such great crowds gathered round him, that he got into a boat, and sat in it, while all the people stood upon the beach. ³ Then he told them many truths in parables. "The sower," he began, "went out to sow; and, ⁴ As he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it had not much soil, and, having no depth of soil, sprang up at once. ⁶ As soon as the sun had risen, it was scorched, and, having no root, withered away. ⁷ Some, again, fell into the brambles; but the brambles shot up and choked it. ⁸ Some, however, fell on good soil, and yielded a return, sometimes one hundred, sometimes sixty, sometimes thirty fold. ⁹ Let him who has ears hear." ¹⁰ Afterwards his disciples came to him, and said: "Why do you speak to them in parables?" ¹¹ "To you," answered Jesus, "the knowledge of the hidden truths of the Kingdom of Heaven has been imparted, but not to those. ¹² For, to all who have, more will be given, and they shall have abundance; but, from all who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. ¹³ That is why I speak to them in parables, because, though they have eyes, they do not see, and though they have ears, they do not hear or understand. ¹⁴ And in them is being fulfilled that prophecy of Isaiah which says--'You will hear with your ears without ever understanding, And, though you have eyes, you will see without ever perceiving, ¹⁵ For the mind of this nation has grown dense, And their ears are dull of hearing, Their eyes also have they closed; Lest some day they should perceive with their eyes, And with their ears they should hear, And in their mind they should understand, and should turn--And I should heal them.' ¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear; ¹⁷ For I tell you that many Prophets and good men have longed for the sight of the things which you are seeing, yet never saw them, and to hear the things which you are hearing, yet never heard them. ¹⁸ Listen, then, yourselves to the parable of the Sower. ¹⁹ When any one hears the Message of the Kingdom without understanding it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what has been sown in his mind. This is the man meant by the seed which was sown along the path. ²⁰ By the seed which was sown on rocky places is meant the man who hears the Message, and at once accepts it joyfully; ²¹ But, as he has no root, he stands for only a short time; and, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the Message, he falls away at once. ²² By the seed which was sown among the brambles is meant the man who hears the Message, but the cares of life and the glamour of wealth completely choke the Message, so that it gives no return. ²³ But by the seed which was sown on the good ground is meant the man who hears the Message and understands it, and really yields a return, sometimes one hundred, sometimes sixty, sometimes thirty fold." ²⁴ Another parable which Jesus told them was this-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. ²⁵ But, while every one was asleep, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and then went away. ²⁶ So, when the blades of corn shot up, and came into ear, the tares made their appearance also. ²⁷ On this the owner's servants came to him, and said 'Was not it good seed that you sowed in your field? Where, then, do the tares in it come from?' ²⁸ 'An enemy has done this,' was his answer. 'Do you wish us, then,' they asked,' to go and gather them together?' ²⁹ 'No,' said he, 'for fear that, while you are gathering the tares, you should root up the wheat as well. ³⁰ Let both grow side by side till harvest; and then I shall say to the reapers, Gather the tares together first, and tie them in bundles for burning; but bring all the wheat into my barn.'" ³¹ Another parable which he told them was this-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed in his field. ³² This seed is smaller than all other seeds, but, when it has grown up, it is larger than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that 'the wild birds come and roost in its branches.'" ³³ This was another parable which Jesus related-- "The Kingdom of Heaven is like some yeast which a woman took and covered up in three pecks of flour, until the whole had risen." ³⁴ Of all this Jesus spoke to the crowd in parables; indeed to them he used never to speak at all except in parables, ³⁵ in fulfillment of these words in the Prophet--'I will speak to them in parables; I will utter things kept secret since the foundation of the world.' ³⁶ Then Jesus left the crowd, and went into the house. Presently his disciples came to him, and said: "Explain to us the parable of the tares in the field." ³⁷ And he answered: "The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man. ³⁸ The field is the world. By the good seed is meant the People of the Kingdom. The tares are the wicked, ³⁹ And the enemy who sowed them is the Devil. The harvest-time is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰ And, just as the tares are gathered and burnt, so it will be at the close of the age. ⁴¹ The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather from his kingdom all that hinders and those who live in sin, ⁴² And 'will throw them into the fiery furnace,' where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. ⁴³ Then shall the righteous shine, like the sun, in the Kingdom of their Father. Let him who has ears hear. ⁴⁴ The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid again, and then, in his delight, went and sold everything that he had, and bought that field. ⁴⁵ Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant in search of choice pearls. ⁴⁶ Finding one of great value, he went and sold everything that he had, and bought it. ⁴⁷ Or again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net which was cast into the sea, and caught fish of all kinds. ⁴⁸ When it was full, they hauled it up on the beach, and sat down and sorted the good fish into baskets, but threw the worthless ones away. ⁴⁹ So will it be at the close of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous, ⁵⁰ And 'will throw them into the fiery furnace,' where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. ⁵¹ Have you understood all this?" Jesus asked. "Yes," they answered. ⁵² Then he added: "So every Teacher of the Law, who has received instruction about the Kingdom of Heaven, is like a householder who produces from his stores things both new and old." ⁵³ When Jesus had finished these parables, he withdrew from that place. ⁵⁴ Going to his own part of the country, he taught the people in their Synagogue in such a manner that they were deeply impressed. "Where did he get this wisdom?" they said, "and the miracles? ⁵⁵ Is not he the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas? ⁵⁶ And his sisters, too--are not they all living among us? Where, then did he get all this?" ⁵⁷ These things proved a hindrance to their believing in him; whereupon Jesus said: "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country and in his own house." ⁵⁸ And he did not work many miracles there, because of their want of faith.