Matthew 13:4

And when he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:
- King James Version

and as he sowed, some {seeds} fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.
- New American Standard Version (1995)

and as he sowed, some `seeds' fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured them:
- American Standard Version (1901)

And while he did so, some seeds were dropped by the wayside, and the birds came and took them for food:
- Basic English Bible

and as he sowed, some [grains] fell along the way, and the birds came and devoured them;
- Darby Bible

And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them:
- Webster's Bible

As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up.
- Weymouth Bible

As he sowed, some seeds fell by the roadside, and the birds came and devoured them.
- World English Bible

And while he sowith, summe seedis felden bisidis the weie, and briddis of the eir camen, and eeten hem.
- Wycliffe Bible

and in his sowing, some indeed fell by the way, and the fowls did come and devour them,
- Youngs Literal Bible

Wesley's Notes for Matthew 13:4

13:4 And while he sowed, some seeds fell by the highway side, and the birds came and devoured them - It is observable, that our Lord points out the grand hinderances of our bearing fruit, in the same order as they occur. The first danger is, that the birds will devour the seed. If it escape this, there is then another danger, namely, lest it be scorched, and wither away. It is long after this that the thorns spring up and choke the good seed. A vast majority of those who hear the word of God, receive the seed as by the highway side. Of those who do not lose it by the birds, yet many receive it as on stony places. Many of them who receive it in a better soil, yet suffer the thorns to grow up, and choke it: so that few even of these endure to the end, and bear fruit unto perfection: yet in all these cases, it is not the will of God that hinders, but their own voluntary perverseness.

People's Bible Notes for Matthew 13:4

Mt 13:4 And when he sowed. The seed-time in Palestine is usually in October, about the time when this parable was spoken. Sowing is always done by hand. Fell by the way side. Where the field and the road join, or, rather, along the narrow, trodden foot-path through the fields, so common in Palestine. Fowls came and devoured them. The birds, because the grains were not covered.