:18a–b

Others are like the seeds sown among the thorns: The Greek text here is literally “others are the ones among the thorns, being sown.” For example, the Revised Standard Version says:

And others are the ones sown among thorns

The words “others are the ones” (Revised Standard Version) introduce the third group of people. These people are compared to soil on which thorn plants are growing. Jesus described what happens when the seed/word falls among those thorn plants.

Here are some other ways to translate this comparison:

Sometimes the word/teaching falls among thorns. This is like what happens when some other people…
-or-
These other people are like the places with thorny plants where the word/seed was sown.

thorns: The word thorns also occurs in 4:7a. Translate this word using the same word or expression as you did there.

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