8:7a

Other seed fell among thorns: The phrase among thorns probably refers to soil where roots or seeds of thorny plants were present. So when the grain began to grow up, the thorn plants grew up with it. Here are some ways to translate the phrase among thorns:

• Translate this in a general way:

other seeds fell among thorns

• Translate more specifically:

Some other seeds fell where thornbushes grew up (Contemporary English Version)
-or-
Other seeds fell where thorns habitually grow
-or-
Other seeds fell on soil with thorn seeds/roots

thorns: The Greek word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as thorns refers to any kind of thorny plant. Some ways to translate thorns here are:

• Use a general term in your language for thorny plants or for undesirable plants that compete with grain. For example:

thorny plants/bushes
-or-
weeds

• Use a specific word that describes a hardy, fast-growing plant from your area that is annoying to farmers. If this plant has thorns, that is good but not essential.

8:7b

which grew up with it: The thorn plants grew up along with the young grain plants. The Berean Standard Bible has supplied it, but in some languages it may be more natural to supply a form such as “them” or “the grain plants.”

choked the seedlings: The Greek phrase that the Berean Standard Bible translates as choked the seedlings refers to the way in which the thorns crowded out the grain plants. This caused the grain not to have enough room, soil, water, or sunlight to grow well. Some other ways to translate this are:

crowded the ⌊grain/good⌋ plants
-or-
kept the grain from growing to maturity

The thorns may have choked the grain plants so severely that they died or only so that they did not yield any grain. The point in the parable is that the plants did not yield any grain for the farmer to harvest. Jesus’ comment in 8:14c (“their fruit does not mature”) implies that they did not yield any grain.

Note that the Berean Standard Bible has supplied the seedlings where the Greek text has the pronoun “it.” This may be helpful in other languages also.

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