Matthew 13:19-22

13:19 When anyone hears the word about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one 1  comes and snatches what was sown in his heart; 2  this is the seed sown along the path. 13:20 The 3  seed sown on rocky ground 4  is the person who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. 13:21 But he has no root in himself and does not endure; 5  when 6  trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he falls away. 13:22 The 7  seed sown among thorns is the person who hears the word, but worldly cares and the seductiveness of wealth 8  choke the word, 9  so it produces nothing.

1 sn Interestingly, the synoptic parallels each use a different word for Satan here: Mark 4:15 has “Satan,” while Luke 8:12 has “the devil.” This illustrates the fluidity of the gospel tradition in often using synonyms at the same point of the parallel tradition.

2 sn The word of Jesus has the potential to save if it germinates in a person’s heart, something the devil is very much against.

3 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

4 tn Grk “The one sown on rocky ground, this is the one.” The next two statements like this one have this same syntactical structure.

5 tn Grk “is temporary.”

6 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

7 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.

8 tn Grk “the deceitfulness of riches.” Cf. BDAG 99 s.v. ἀπάτη 1, “the seduction which comes from wealth.”

9 sn That is, their concern for spiritual things is crowded out by material things.