Limitless Word
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one sown with seed beside the road.
Matthew 13:19 · New American Standard Bible
Parallel translations
  • WEB 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.
  • KJV 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.
  • BSB When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
  • NKJV When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.
  • NLT The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message about the Kingdom and don’t understand it. Then the evil one comes and snatches away the seed that was planted in their hearts.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

The seed on the path is the one who hears the kingdom's word but, not understanding, has it snatched away by the evil one.

Overview

A hardened, uncomprehending heart never lets the word take root. Satan, the evil one, quickly steals the word away. This warns that mere hearing without understanding leaves a person spiritually unchanged.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 33

  • Luke 8:11–15Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
  • Heb 2:1Therefore we ought to pay greater attention to the things that were heard, lest perhaps we drift away.
  • Matt 13:38the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the children of the Kingdom; and the darnel weeds are the children of the evil one.
  • 1 Jn 5:18We know that whoever is born of God doesn’t sin, but he who was born of God keeps himself, and the evil one doesn’t touch him.
  • Matt 4:23Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people.
  • 1 Jn 3:12unlike Cain, who was of the evil one, and killed his brother. Why did he kill him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother’s righteous.
  • 1 Jn 2:13–14I write to you, fathers, because you know him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, little children, because you know the Father.
  • Rom 1:28Even as they refused to have God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not fitting;
  • Prov 18:1–2An unfriendly man pursues selfishness, and defies all sound judgment.
  • Prov 2:1–6My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you;
  • Prov 1:7The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.
  • Acts 17:32Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, “We want to hear you again concerning this.”
  • Prov 17:16Why is there money in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, since he has no understanding?
  • Matt 5:37But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’ Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.
  • John 8:43Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word.
  • Mark 4:15The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes, and takes away the word which has been sown in them.
  • Acts 28:23When they had appointed him a day, many people came to him at his lodging. He explained to them, testifying about God’s Kingdom, and persuading them concerning Jesus, both from the law of Moses and from the prophets, from morning until evening.
  • Acts 26:31–32When they had withdrawn, they spoke to one another, saying, “This man does nothing worthy of death or of bonds.”
  • Acts 25:19–20but had certain questions against him about their own religion, and about one Jesus, who was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.
  • Rom 14:17for God’s Kingdom is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
  • Luke 10:9Heal the sick who are therein, and tell them, ‘God’s Kingdom has come near to you.’
  • Prov 1:20–22Wisdom calls aloud in the street. She utters her voice in the public squares.
  • 1 Jn 5:20We know that the Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding, that we know him who is true, and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
  • John 3:19–20This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.
  • Acts 20:25“Now, behold, I know that you all, among whom I went about preaching God’s Kingdom, will see my face no more.
  • Acts 24:25–26As he reasoned about righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come, Felix was terrified, and answered, “Go your way for this time, and when it is convenient for me, I will summon you.”
  • Rom 2:8but to those who are self-seeking, and don’t obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, will be wrath and indignation,
  • 2 Cor 4:2–3But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by the manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
  • 2 Th 2:12that they all might be judged who didn’t believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
  • John 18:38Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” When he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no basis for a charge against him.
  • Acts 18:15but if they are questions about words and names and your own law, look to it yourselves. For I don’t want to be a judge of these matters.”
  • Luke 9:2He sent them out to preach God’s Kingdom and to heal the sick.
  • Eph 3:8To me, the very least of all saints, was this grace given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (8)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Matthew videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Matthew 13:19YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on MatthewMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'

How Matthew 13:19 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.