What does the Bible say about sowing a seed?

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Rankings: OpenBible.info Topical Bible (CC BY) · Scripture: World English Bible

• Galatians 6:7

  Don't be deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that will he also reap.

• 2 Corinthians 9:6

  Remember this: he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly. He who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

• Matthew 13:1-58

  [1] On that day Jesus went out of the house, and sat by the seaside. [2] Great multitudes gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat, and sat, and all the multitude stood on the beach. [3] He spoke to them many things in parables, saying, "Behold, a farmer went out to sow. [4] As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them. [5] Others fell on rocky ground, where they didn't have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of earth. [6] When the sun had risen, they were scorched. Because they had no root, they withered away. [7] Others fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked them: [8] and others fell on good soil, and yielded fruit: some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty. [9] He who has ears to hear, let him hear." [10] The disciples came, and said to him, "Why do you speak to them in parables?" [11] He answered them, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them. [12] For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever doesn't have, from him will be taken away even that which he has. [13] Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don't see, and hearing, they don't hear, neither do they understand. [14] In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, 'By hearing you will hear, And will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, And will in no way perceive: [15] For this people's heart has grown callous, Their ears are dull of hearing, They have closed their eyes; Or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, Hear with their ears, Understand with their heart, And should turn again; And I would heal them.' [16] "But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. [17] For most assuredly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn't see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and didn't hear them. [18] "Hear, then, the parable of the farmer. [19] 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. [20] What was sown on the rocky places, this is he who hears the word, and immediately with joy receives it; [21] yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. [22] 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. [23] What was sown on the good ground, this is he who hears the word, and understands it, who most assuredly bears fruit, and brings forth, some one hundred times as much, some sixty, and some thirty." [24] He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field, [25] but while people slept, his enemy came and sowed darnel also among the wheat, and went away. [26] But when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then the darnel appeared also. [27] The servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, didn't you sow good seed in your field? Where did this darnel come from?' [28] "He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' "The servants asked him, 'Do you want us to go and gather them up?' [29] "But he said, 'No, lest perhaps while you gather up the darnel, you root up the wheat with them. [30] Let both grow together until the harvest, and in the harvest time I will tell the reapers, "First, gather up the darnel, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn."'" [31] He set another parable before them, saying, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field; [32] which indeed is smaller than all seeds. But when it is grown, it is greater than the herbs, and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in its branches." [33] He spoke another parable to them. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, until it was all leavened." [34] Jesus spoke all these things in parables to the multitudes; and without a parable, he didn't speak to them, [35] that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through the prophet, saying, "I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden from the foundation of the world." [36] Then Jesus sent the multitudes away, and went into the house. His disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the darnel of the field." [37] He answered them, "He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, [38] the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the Kingdom; and the darnel are the children of the evil one. [39] The enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. [40] As therefore the darnel is gathered up and burned with fire; so will it be at the end of this age. [41] The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will gather out of his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and those who do iniquity, [42] and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be weeping and the gnashing of teeth. [43] Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. [44] "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field. [45] "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a merchant seeking fine pearls, [46] who having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it. [47] "Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a dragnet, that was cast into the sea, and gathered some fish of every kind, [48] which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach. They sat down, and gathered the good into containers, but the bad they threw away. [49] So will it be in the end of the world. The angels will come forth, and separate the wicked from among the righteous, [50] and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth." [51] Jesus said to them, "Have you understood all these things?" They answered him, "Yes, Lord." [52] He said to them, "Therefore, every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things." [53] It happened that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there. [54] Coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom, and these mighty works? [55] Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother called Mary, and his brothers, James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? [56] Aren't all of his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all of these things?" [57] They were offended by him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and in his own house." [58] He didn't do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

• Galatians 6:8

  For he who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.

• Ephesians 6:8

  knowing that whatever good thing each one does, he will receive the same again from the Lord, whether he is bound or free.

• 1 Corinthians 9:11

  If we sowed to you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your fleshly things?

• Ecclesiastes 11:6

  In the morning sow your seed, And in the evening don't withhold your hand; For you don't know which will prosper, whether this or that, Or whether they both will be equally good.

• Jeremiah 4:3

  For thus says Yahweh to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and don't sow among thorns.

• Isaiah 59:1

  Behold, Yahweh's hand is not shortened, that it can't save; neither his ear heavy, that it can't hear:

• Mark 4:1-41

  [1] Again he began to teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea, and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea. [2] He taught them many things in parables, and told them in his teaching, [3] "Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow, [4] and it happened, as he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and devoured it. [5] Others fell on the rocky ground, where it had little soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil. [6] When the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. [7] Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. [8] Others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some brought forth thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times as much." [9] He said, "Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear." [10] When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. [11] He said to them, "To you is given the mystery of the Kingdom of God, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables, [12] that 'seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.'" [13] He said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables? [14] The farmer sows the word. [15] These are the ones by the road, where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes, and takes away the word which has been sown in them. [16] These in like manner are those who are sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy. [17] They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble. [18] Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word, [19] and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. [20] These are those which were sown on the good ground: such as hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times." [21] He said to them, "Is the lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn't it put on a lampstand? [22] For there is nothing hidden, except that it should be made known; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light. [23] If any man has ears to hear, let him hear." [24] He said to them, "Take heed what you hear. With whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you who hear. [25] For whoever has, to him will more be given, and he who doesn't have, from him will be taken away even that which he has." [26] He said, "The Kingdom of God is as if a man should cast seed on the earth, [27] and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he doesn't know how. [28] For the earth bears fruit: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. [29] But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts forth the sickle, because the harvest has come." [30] He said, "How will we liken the Kingdom of God? Or with what parable will we illustrate it? [31] It's like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth, [32] yet when it is sown, grows up, and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow." [33] With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. [34] Without a parable he didn't speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained all things. [35] On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let's go over to the other side." [36] Leaving the multitude, they took him with them, even as he was, in the boat. Other small boats were also with him. [37] There arose a great wind storm, and the waves beat into the boat, so much that the boat was already filled. [38] He himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion, and they woke him up, and told him, "Teacher, don't you care that we are dying?" [39] He awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. [40] He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?" [41] They were greatly afraid, and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

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