The Life of Jesus

And the multitude sat about him; and they say to him: Behold thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.

And answering them, he said: Who is my mother and my brethren?

And looking round about on them who sat about him, he saith: Behold my mother and my brethren.

For whosoever shall do the will of God, he is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

And again he began to teach by the sea side; and a great multitude was gathered together unto him, so that he went up into a ship and sat in the sea: and all the multitude was upon the land by the sea side.

And he taught them many things in parables, and said unto them in his doctrine:

Hear ye: Behold, the sower went out to sow.

And whilst he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the birds of the air came and ate it up.

And other some fell upon stony ground, where it had not much earth; and it shot up immediately, because it had no depth of earth.

And when the sun was risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

And some fell upon good ground; and brought forth fruit that grew up, and increased and yielded, one thirty, another sixty, and another a hundred.

And he said: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

And when he was alone, the twelve that were with him asked him the parable.

And he said to them: To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but to them that are without, all things are done in parables:

That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

And he saith to them: Are you ignorant of this, parable? and how shall you know all parables?

He that soweth, soweth the word.

And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown, and as soon as they have heard, immediately Satan cometh and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

And these likewise are they that are sown on the stony ground: who when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy.

And they have no root in themselves, but are only for a time: and then when tribulation and persecution ariseth for the word they are presently scandalized.

And others there are who are sown among thorns: these are they that hear the word,

And the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts after other things entering in choke the word, and it is made fruitless.

And these are they who are sown upon the good ground, who hear the word, and receive it, and yield fruit, the one thirty, another sixty, and another a hundred.

And he said to them: Doth a candle come in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?