Part 15

012:043 "No sooner however has the foul spirit gone out of the man, then he roams about in places where there is no water, seeking rest but finding none.

012:044 Then he says, `I will return to my house that I left;' and he comes and finds it unoccupied, swept clean, and in good order.

012:045 Then he goes and brings back with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they come in and dwell there; and in the end that man's condition becomes worse than it was at first. So will it be also with the present wicked generation."

012:046 While He was still addressing the people His mother and His brothers were standing on the edge of the crowd desiring to speak to Him.

012:047 So some one told Him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and desire to speak to you."

012:048 "Who is my mother?" He said to the man; "and who are my brothers?"

012:049 And pointing to His disciples He added, "See here are my mother and my brothers.

012:050 To obey my Father who is in Heaven--that is to be my brother and my sister and my mother."

013:001 That same day Jesus had left the house and was sitting on the shore of the Lake,

013:002 when a vast multitude of people crowded round Him. He therefore went on board a boat and sat there, while all the people stood on the shore.

013:003 He then spoke many things to them in figurative language. "The sower goes out," He said, "to sow.

013:004 As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up.

013:005 Some falls on rocky ground, where it has but scanty soil. It quickly shows itself above ground, because it has no depth of earth;

013:006 but when the sun is risen, it is scorched by the heat, and through having no root it withers up.

013:007 Some falls among the thorns; but the thorns spring up and stifle it.

013:008 But a portion falls upon good ground, and gives a return, some a hundred for one, some sixty, some thirty.

013:009 Listen, every one who has ears!"

013:010 (And His disciples came and asked Him, "Why do you speak to them in figurative language?"

013:011 "Because," He replied, "while to you it is granted to know the secrets of the Kingdom of the Heavens, to them it is not.

013:012 For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever has not, from him even what he has shall be taken away.

013:013 I speak to them in figurative language for this reason, that while looking they do not see, and while hearing they neither hear nor understand.

013:014 And in regard to them the prophecy of Isaiah is receiving signal fulfilment: "`You will hear and hear and by no means understand, and you will look and look and by no means see.

013:015 For this people's mind is stupefied, their hearing has become dull, and their eyes they have closed; to prevent their ever seeing with their eyes, or hearing with their ears, or understanding with their minds, and turning back, so that I might heal them.'

013:016 "But as for you, blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.

013:017 For I solemnly tell you that many Prophets and holy men have longed to see the sights you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the words you hear, and have not heard them.

013:018 "To you then I will explain the parable of the Sower.

013:019 When a man hears the Message concerning the Kingdom and does not understand it, the Evil one comes and catches away what has been sown in his heart. This is he who has received the seed by the road-side.

013:020 He who has received the seed on the rocky ground is the man who hears the Message and immediately receives it with joy.