{Those by the wayside} (hoi para t(886e) hodon). As in  Mr
4:15  Mt 13:19  so here the people who hear the word = the seed
are discussed by metonymy. {The devil} (ho diabolos). The
slanderer. Here  Mr 4:15  has Satan. {From their heart} (apo t(8873)
kardias aut(936e)). Here Mark has "in them." It is the devil's
business to snatch up the seed from the heart before it sprouts
and takes root. Every preacher knows how successful the devil is
with his auditors.  Mt 13:19  has it "sown in the heart." {That
they may not believe and be saved} (hina m(8820)pisteusantes
s(9374)h(9373)in). Peculiar to Luke. Negative purpose with aorist active
participle and first aorist (ingressive) passive subjunctive.
Many reasons are offered today for the failure of preachers to
win souls. Here is the main one, the activity of the devil during
and after the preaching of the sermon. No wonder then that the
sower must have good seed and sow wisely, for even then he can
only win partial success.