# Matthew 13.20-21

<!-- type: passage | created: 2026-06-01 | updated: 2026-06-01 -->

**Book:** [Matthew](/codex/matthew-the-apostle/) · NASB95

## Immediate context (±2 verses)

**ASV** ([ASV](/codex/asv/))
> 18. <span class="rl-speech">Hear then ye the parable of the sower.</span> 19. <span class="rl-speech">When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the evil one, and snatcheth away that which hath been sown in his heart. This is he that was sown by the way side.</span>
>
> **20. <span class="rl-speech">And he that was sown upon the rocky places, this is he that heareth the word, and straightway with joy receiveth it;</span> 21. <span class="rl-speech">yet hath he not root in himself, but endureth for a while; and when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway he stumbleth.</span>**
>
> 22. <span class="rl-speech">And he that was sown among the thorns, this is he that heareth the word; and the care of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.</span> 23. <span class="rl-speech">And he that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; who verily beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.</span> (Matthew 13:18-23, ASV)

**WEB** ([WEB](/codex/web/))
> 18. <span class="rl-speech">“Hear, then, the parable of the farmer.</span> 19. <span class="rl-speech">When anyone hears the word of the Kingdom, and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes, and snatches away that which has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown by the roadside.</span>
>
> **20. <span class="rl-speech">What was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word, and immediately with joy receives it;</span> 21. <span class="rl-speech">yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.</span>**
>
> 22. <span class="rl-speech">What was sown among the thorns, this is he who hears the word, but the cares of this age and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.</span> 23. <span class="rl-speech">What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word, and understands it, who most certainly bears fruit, and produces, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty.”</span> (Matthew 13:18-23, WEB)

**KJV** ([KJV](/codex/kjv/))
> 18. <span class="rl-speech">Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.</span> 19. <span class="rl-speech">When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.</span>
>
> **20. <span class="rl-speech">But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;</span> 21. <span class="rl-speech">Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. <sup>offended: he relapseth, or, falleth into sin</sup></span>**
>
> 22. <span class="rl-speech">He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.</span> 23. <span class="rl-speech">But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.</span> (Matthew 13:18-23, KJV)

**YLT** ([YLT](/codex/ylt/))
> 18. <span class="rl-speech">'Ye, therefore, hear ye the simile of the sower:</span> 19. <span class="rl-speech">Every one hearing the word of the reign, and not understanding, the evil one doth come, and doth catch that which hath been sown in his heart; this is that sown by the way.</span>
>
> **20. <span class="rl-speech">'And that sown on the rocky places, this is he who is hearing the word, and immediately with joy is receiving it,</span> 21. <span class="rl-speech">and he hath not root in himself, but is temporary, and persecution or tribulation having happened because of the word, immediately he is stumbled.</span>**
>
> 22. <span class="rl-speech">'And that sown toward the thorns, this is he who is hearing the word, and the anxiety of this age, and the deceitfulness of the riches, do choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.</span> 23. <span class="rl-speech">'And that sown on the good ground: this is he who is hearing the word, and is understanding, who indeed doth bear fruit, and doth make, some indeed a hundredfold, and some sixty, and some thirty.'</span> (Matthew 13:18-23, YLT)

## Setting

- **Speaker:** _TBD_
- **Audience:** _TBD_
- **Location:** _TBD_
- **Time period:** _TBD_

## Theological reading

_Patristic / early-church-father exegesis, to be added._

## Key words

_Theologically-loaded Greek or Hebrew words in this verse may have entries in the lexicon. Curated to roughly 100 contested terms across the corpus, not every word; see Lexicon Roadmap._

- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_
- _TBD_

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## Quoted in

**Concepts:**

- [Jesus Said](/codex/jesus-said/), via [Matthew 13](/codex/matthew-13/)
- [Prayers for Evangelism](/codex/prayers-for-evangelism/)

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_Scripture quotations taken from the **New American Standard Bible®** (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by **The Lockman Foundation**. Used by permission. All rights reserved. [www.lockman.org](https://www.lockman.org)_

## Why these four translations

ris3n chose ASV, WEB, KJV, and YLT for two reasons together. They are the **most literal English translations available** (formal-equivalence: word-for-word renderings that preserve the Hebrew and Greek grammar rather than smoothing it into modern dynamic-equivalence idiom). And they are in the **public domain in the United States**, which means fair-use quotation at any length requires no publisher license. Modern licensed translations (NASB95, ESV, NIV) restrict volume of quotation under their copyright terms, so they are not used at stub-level coverage here. NASB95 appears only on hand-curated rich passage hubs under Lockman Foundation's fair-use allowance.

The four:

- **[ASV](/codex/asv/)** (American Standard Version, 1901). The basis of the modern critical-text English tradition.
- **[WEB](/codex/web/)** (World English Bible, contemporary). Public-domain revision in the ASV line, in current English.
- **[KJV](/codex/kjv/)** (King James Version, 1611). Reformation-era, Textus Receptus base.
- **[YLT](/codex/ylt/)** (Young's Literal Translation, Robert Young, 1862). Hyper-literal preservation of Hebrew and Greek grammar; useful for word-study work even where English reads stiff.

See [Bibles](/codex/bibles/) for the full per-translation history, translators, textual basis, strengths, and weaknesses.