unfoldingWord_en_tn/mat/13/20.md

# Connecting Statement:

Jesus continues to explain to his disciples the parable about a person who sows seeds.

# What was sown on rocky ground

The phrase "what was sown" refers to seed that fell. AT: "The seed that fell on rocky ground" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-explicit]])

# What was sown on rocky ground is

"The rocky ground where seed was sown represents" or "The rocky ground where seed fell fell represents"

# the person who hears the word

In the parable, the seed represents the word.

# the word

This represents God's message. AT: "the message" or "God's teaching" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metonymy]])

# receives it with joy

Believing the word is spoken of as receiving it. AT: "joyfully believes it" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# yet he has no root in himself and he endures for a while

"Yet he has shallow roots and only lasts for a little while." The root represents what makes a person continue to believe God's message. AT: "But like a plant that does not grow deep roots, he only endures for a little while" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# he quickly falls away

Here "falls away" means stops believing. AT: "immediately he falls away" or "he quickly stops believing the message" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/translate/figs-metaphor]])

# translationWords

* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/sow]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/receive]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/joy]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/endure]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/tribulation]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/persecute]]
* [[rc://en/tw/dict/bible/other/stumble]]