20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or ^mpersecution arises on account of the word, immediately he ⁿfalls away.¹ 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the ^ocares of the world and the ^pdeceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.