And his disciples came, and said to him: Why speakest thou to them in parables? He answered and said unto them: It is given unto you to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given: and he shall have abundance. But whosoever hath not: from him shall be taken away even that same that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in similitudes: for though they see, they see not: and hearing they hear not: nether understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esay, which prophecy saith: with your ears ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and with your eyes ye shall see, and shall not perceive. For this people's heart is waxed gross: And their ears were dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should turn, that I might heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Verily I say unto you, that many prophets and perfect men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them: and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. Hear ye therefore the similitude of the sower. When a man heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, there cometh the evil man, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. And this is he which was sown by the way side. But he that was sown in the stony ground is he, which heareth the word of God, and anon with joy receiveth it, yet hath no roots in himself, and therefore dureth but a season: for as soon as tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he falleth. He that was sown among thorns, is he, that heareth the word of God, but the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and so is he made unfruitful. He which is sown in the good ground, is he, that heareth the word and understandeth it, which also beareth fruit and bringeth forth, some an hundred fold, some fifty {or sixty} fold, and some thirty fold. Another similitude put he forth, unto them saying: The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man which sowed good seed in his field. But while men slept, there came his foe, and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. When the blade was sprung up, and had brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. The servants came to the householder, and said unto him: Sir sowest not thou good seed in thy close, from whence then hath it tares? He said to them, the envious man hath done this. Then the servants said unto him: wilt thou then that we go and gather it? and he said, nay, lest while ye go about to weed out the tares, ye pluck up also with them the wheat by the roots: let both grow together till harvest come, and in time of harvest, I will say yea unto my reapers, gather ye first the tares, and bind them in sheaves to be brent: but gather the wheat into my barn.