“ Listen! A farmer went out to plant his seed.

“你们听啊！有一个撒种的出去撒种。

“你们听啊，有一个撒种的出去撒种。

“你们听啊，有一个撒种的出去撒种。

“听着！有一个农夫出去撒种。

“你们听着！有一个撒种的出去撒种，

“你们当听好：看哪，有一个撒种的出去撒种。

「你們聽啊！有一個撒種的出去撒種。

「你們聽啊，有一個撒種的出去撒種。

「你們聽啊，有一個撒種的出去撒種。

「聽著！有一個農夫出去撒種。

“你們聽著！有一個撒種的出去撒種，

『你們要聽！看哪，有一個撒種的出去撒種；

「你們當聽好：看哪，有一個撒種的出去撒種。

曰聽之哉、有播種者出而播種、

聽之哉、有播種者、出而播種、

聽之哉、有播種者、出而播種、

『爾其諦聽：有農人出而播種、

“ Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.

“ Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.

“ Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed.

“ Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.

“ Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow;

“ Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.

Hearken: Behold, the sower went forth to sow:

“ Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.

Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

“ Listen! A sower went out to sow.

“ Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow,

“ A farmer went out to plant his seed. He scattered the seed on the ground. Some fell on a path. People walked on it, and the birds ate it up.Some seed fell on rocky ground. When it grew, the plants dried up because they had no water.Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up with it and crowded out the plants.Still other seed fell on good soil. It grew up and produced a crop 100 times more than the farmer planted.” When Jesus said this, he called out,“ Whoever has ears should listen.”

Now, Israel, listen to the rules and laws I’m going to teach you. Obey them and you will live. You will go in and take over the land. The Lord was the God of your people of long ago. He’s giving you the land.

The wheat began to grow and form grain. At the same time, weeds appeared.

I planted the seed. Apollos watered it. But God has been making it grow.So the one who plants is not important. The one who waters is not important. It is God who makes things grow. He is the important one.The one who plants and the one who waters have the same purpose. The Lord will give each of them a reward for their work.We work together to serve God. You are like God’s field. You are like his building.

Jesus also said,“ Here is what God’s kingdom is like. A farmer scatters seed on the ground.Night and day the seed comes up and grows. It happens whether the farmer sleeps or gets up. He doesn’t know how it happens.All by itself the soil produces grain. First the stalk comes up. Then the head appears. Finally, the full grain appears in the head.Before long the grain ripens. So the farmer cuts it down, because the harvest is ready.”

Don’t you have a saying? You say,‘ It’s still four months until harvest time.’ But I tell you, open your eyes! Look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest right now.Even now the one who gathers the crop is getting paid. They are already harvesting the crop for eternal life. So the one who plants and the one who gathers can now be glad together.Here is a true saying.‘ One plants and another gathers.’I sent you to gather what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work. You have gathered the benefits of their work.”

“ Come, all you who are thirsty. Come and drink the water I offer to you. You who do not have any money, come. Buy and eat the grain I give you. Come and buy wine and milk. You will not have to pay anything for it.Why spend money on what is not food? Why work for what does not satisfy you? Listen carefully to me. Then you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the richest food there is.

So we must pay the most careful attention to what we have heard. Then we will not drift away from it.Even the message God spoke through angels had to be obeyed. Every time people broke the Law, they were punished. Every time they didn’t obey, they were punished.Then how will we escape if we don’t pay attention to God’s great salvation? The Lord first announced this salvation. Those who heard him gave us the message about it.

‘ Whoever has ears should listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches. Here is what I will do for anyone who has victory over sin. I will let that person eat from the tree of life in God’s paradise.’

Whoever has ears should listen.”

The Lord says,“ Family of Jacob, listen to me. Pay attention, you people of Israel who are left alive. I have taken good care of you since your life began. I have carried you since you were born as a nation.

Royal bride, listen and pay careful attention. Forget about your people and the home you came from.

My sons, listen to me. Pay attention to what I say.

Again Jesus called the crowd to him. He said,“ Listen to me, everyone. Understand this.Nothing outside of a person can make them‘ unclean’ by going into them. It is what comes out of them that makes them‘ unclean.’ ”

Listen and hear my voice. Pay attention to what I’m saying.When a farmer plows in order to plant, does he plow without stopping? Does he keep on breaking up the soil and making the field level?When he’s made the surface even, doesn’t he plant caraway seeds? Doesn’t he scatter cumin seeds? Doesn’t he plant wheat in its proper place? Doesn’t he plant barley where it belongs? Doesn’t he plant spelt along the edge of the field?His God directs him. He teaches him the right way to do his work.

The seed the farmer plants is God’s message.

“ My children, listen to me. Blessed are those who keep my ways.

Then Peter stood up with the 11 apostles. In a loud voice he spoke to the crowd.“ My fellow Jews,” he said,“ let me explain this to you. All of you who live in Jerusalem, listen carefully to what I say.

My children, come. Listen to me. I will teach you to have respect for the Lord.

‘ Whoever has ears should listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches. Here is what I will do for anyone who has victory over sin. I will not let that person be hurt at all by the second death.’

Whoever has ears should listen to what the Holy Spirit says to the churches.’

Listen to me, you stubborn people. Pay attention, you who now refuse to do what I have said is right.

Then he told them many things using stories. He said,“ A farmer went out to plant his seed.

Jesus told the crowd another story.“ Here is what the kingdom of heaven is like,” he said.“ A man planted good seed in his field.

Then Jesus said,“ Whoever has ears should listen.”

In the morning plant your seeds. In the evening keep your hands busy. You don’t know what will succeed. It may be one or the other. Or both might do equally well.

My dear brothers and sisters, listen to me. Hasn’t God chosen those who are poor in the world’s eyes to be rich in faith? Hasn’t he chosen them to receive the kingdom? Hasn’t he promised it to those who love him?