Luke 8:5
What does Luke 8:5 mean?
A plain-English look at Luke 8:5 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Luke 8:5 means
Luke 8:5 begins the Parable of the Sower. A sower scatters seed; some falls along the path where it is trodden down and eaten by birds. The image illustrates how the Word of God can be heard by some but immediately snatched away before it penetrates the heart. The birds represent spiritual forces or distractions that remove the message’s power. The verse warns that mere exposure to the gospel is not enough — without receptive soil in the heart, the message is lost and bears no salvific fruit.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000The sower went forth to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden under foot, and the birds of the heaven devoured it.
KJV
King James Version · 1611A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901The sower went forth to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden under foot, and the birds of the heaven devoured it.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949A man went out to put in seed, and while he was doing it, some was dropped by the wayside and it was crushed under foot, and was taken by the birds of heaven.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862`The sower went forth to sow his seed, and in his sowing some indeed fell beside the way, and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the heaven did devour it.
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752The sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the way side. And it was trodden down: and the fowls of the air devoured it.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890The sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the way, and it was trodden under foot, and the birds of the heaven devoured it up;
Context
This first image of the parable is the opening in a set of four soil-types. It follows the note about many wanting to hear, and it challenges readers to consider their receptivity. The progression of soils will demonstrate increasing obstacles to fruitfulness, preparing for Jesus’ explanation to the disciples later in the chapter.
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Mark 4:26
And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed upon the earth;
- Hebrews 2:1
Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things that were heard, lest haply we drift away from them.
- Psalms 119:118
Thou hast set at nought all them that err from thy statutes; For their deceit is falsehood.
- James 1:23
For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a mirror:
- Matthew 13:18
Hear then ye the parable of the sower.
- Matthew 13:37
And he answered and said, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;
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