Study Desk

"But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

Jesus replied to them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.

"For whoever has [spiritual wisdom because he is receptive to God's word], to him more will be given, and he will be richly and abundantly supplied; but whoever does not have [spiritual wisdom because he has devalued God's word], even what he has will be taken away from him.

"In them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, 'YOU WILL HEAR and KEEP ON HEARING, BUT NEVER UNDERSTAND; AND YOU WILL LOOK and KEEP ON LOOKING, BUT NEVER COMPREHEND;

"But blessed [spiritually aware, and favored by God] are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.

yet he has no [substantial] root in himself, but is only temporary, and when pressure or persecution comes because of the word, immediately he stumbles and falls away [abandoning the One who is the source of salvation].

"And the one on whom seed was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the worries and distractions of the world and the deceitfulness [the superficial pleasures and delight] of riches choke the word, and it yields no fruit.

"But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds [resembling wheat] among the wheat, and went away.

"But he said, 'No; because as you pull out the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them.

'Let them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, "First gather the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; but gather the wheat into my barn."'"

and of all the seeds [planted in the region] it is the smallest, but when it has grown it is the largest of the garden herbs and becomes a tree, so that THE BIRDS OF THE AIR FIND SHELTER IN ITS BRANCHES."

and when it was full, they dragged it up on the beach; and they sat down and sorted out the good fish into baskets, but the worthless ones they threw away.

And they took offense at Him [refusing to believe in Him]. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household."

But when Herod's birthday came, [his niece Salome], the daughter of Herodias danced [immodestly] before them and pleased and fascinated Herod,

The king was distressed, but because of his oaths, and because of his dinner guests, he ordered it to be given her.

When Jesus heard about John, He left there privately in a boat and went to a secluded place. But when the crowds heard of this, they followed Him on foot from the cities.

But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!"

But the boat [by this time] was already a long distance from land, tossed and battered by the waves; for the wind was against them.

But immediately He spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I! Do not be afraid!"

But when he saw [the effects of] the wind, he was frightened, and he began to sink, and he cried out, "Lord, save me!"