MNT(i)
18 "Listen then, to the parable of the sower.
19 "Whenever any one hears the message of the kingdom, and does not understand it, the Evil One comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart.
20 "This is the seed sown by the wayside. And the word, and at once receives it with joy.
21 "But he has no root in himself; he continues for a time, but when trouble arises, or persecutions, on account of the word, at once he stumbles and falls.
22 "And the seed sown among thorns is he who hears the word, but the anxieties of the age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
23 "But the seed sown in good soil is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit, and makes now an hundredfold, now sixty, now thirty."
24 He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven," he said, "is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;
25 "but while men were asleep his enemy came and sowed tares among his wheat and went away.
26 "And when the blade shot up and formed the wheat-kernel, then the tares also appeared.
27 "The slaves of the owner went to him and said: "'Was it not good seed, sir, that you sowed in your field? From whence then, do you get tares?'
28 "'It is an enemy who has done this,' he answered. "The slaves said to him, 'Do you want us to go and collect them?'
29 "'No,' he answered, 'for fear lest while you are collecting the tares, you at the same time pull up the wheat.
30 "Let both grow together until harvest, and at harvest-time I will tell the reapers to first gather the tares and tie them in bundles for burning, but to bring all the wheat into my store-house.'"