Matthew 13:23 Meaning and Explanation
“But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The good soil is the one who hears and understands the word and bears abundant, varied fruit.
What Does Matthew 13:23 Mean?
Jesus reaches the good ground at last. This hearer not only receives the word but understands it, and that understanding bears fruit, thirty, sixty, even a hundredfold. The contrast with the failing soils is complete.
Here is the heart God seeks: open to receive, willing to understand, and yielding a harvest. The varied measures show that fruitfulness is real even when it differs from person to person. The verse holds out hope and invitation together. No soil is fixed forever; the prayer the reader is led to pray is that their own heart would become this good ground, hearing, grasping, and bearing fruit for the kingdom.
Matthew 13:23 in the Original Language
syniēmi (συνίημι), 'understand' -- to put together or comprehend, grasping the sense of a thing, not merely hearing its sound.
Frequently Asked Questions About Matthew 13:23
What does Matthew 13:23 mean?
The good soil is the one who hears and understands the word and bears abundant, varied fruit.