13 ¹⁸ 'You, then, may hear the parable of the sower. 13 ¹⁹ When a man hears the word that tells of the Kingdom but fails to understand it, the evil one comes and carries off what has been sown in his heart. There you have the seed sown along the footpath. 13 ²⁰ The seed sown on rocky ground stands for the man who, on hearing the word, accepts it at once with joy; 13 ²¹ but as it strikes no root in him he has no staying-power, and when there is trouble or persecution on account of the word he falls away at once. 13 ²² The seed sown among thistles represents the man who hears the word, but worldly cares and the false glamour of wealth choke it, and it proves barren. 13 ²³ But the seed that fell into good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it, who accordingly bears fruit, and yields a hundredfold or, it may be, sixtyfold or thirtyfold.'