Mark 4
1 And again, he began to teach by the sea. And a great crowd was gathered to him, so much so that, climbing into a boat, he was seated on the sea. And the entire crowd was on the land along the sea.
Again he began to teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea.
2 And he taught them many things in parables, and he said to them, in his doctrine:
He taught them many things in parables, and told them in his teaching,
3 “Listen. Behold, the sower went out to sow.
“Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow.
4 And while he was sowing, some fell along the way, and the birds of the air came and ate it.
As he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and devoured it.
5 Yet truly, others fell upon stony ground, where it did not have much soil. And it rose up quickly, because it had no depth of soil.
Others fell on the rocky ground, where it had little soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil.
6 And when the sun was risen, it was scorched. And because it had no root, it withered away.
When the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns. And the thorns grew up and suffocated it, and it did not produce fruit.
Others fell amongst the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 And some fell on good soil. And it brought forth fruit that grew up, and increased, and yielded: some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred.”
Others fell into the good ground and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some produced thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times as much.”
9 And he said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10 And when he was alone, the twelve, who were with him, questioned him about the parable.
When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.
11 And he said to them: “To you, it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to those who are outside, everything is presented in parables:
He said to them, “To you is given the mystery of God’s Kingdom, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables,
12 ‘so that, seeing, they may see, and not perceive; and hearing, they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they may be converted, and their sins would be forgiven them.’”
that ‘seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.’”
13 And he said to them: “Do you not understand this parable? And so, how will you understand all the parables?
He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables?
14 He who sows, sows the word.
The farmer sows the word.
15 Now there are those who are along the way, where the word is sown. And when they have heard it, Satan quickly comes and takes away the word, which was sown in their hearts.
The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them.
16 And similarly, there are those who were sown upon stony ground. These, when they have heard the word, immediately accept it with gladness.
These in the same way are those who are sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy.
17 But they have no root in themselves, and so they are for a limited time. And when next tribulation and persecution arises because of the word, they quickly fall away.
They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble.
18 And there are others who are sown among thorns. These are those who hear the word,
Others are those who are sown amongst the thorns. These are those who have heard the word,
19 but worldly tasks, and the deception of riches, and desires about other things enter in and suffocate the word, and it is effectively without fruit. (aiōn g165)
and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. (aiōn g165)
20 And there are those who are sown upon good soil, who hear the word and accept it; and these bear fruit: some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred.”
Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times.”
21 And he said to them: “Would someone enter with a lamp in order to place it under a basket or under a bed? Would it not be placed upon a lampstand?
He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it put on a stand?
22 For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. Neither was anything done in secret, except that it may be made public.
For there is nothing hidden except that it should be made known, neither was anything made secret but that it should come to light.
23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24 And he said to them: “Consider what you hear. With whatever measure you have measured out, it shall be measured back to you, and more shall be added to you.
He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you; and more will be given to you who hear.
25 For whoever has, to him it shall be given. And whoever has not, from him even what he has shall be taken away.”
For whoever has, to him more will be given; and he who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away from him.”
26 And he said: “The kingdom of God is like this: it is as if a man were to cast seed on the land.
He said, “God’s Kingdom is as if a man should cast seed on the earth,
27 And he sleeps and he arises, night and day. And the seed germinates and grows, though he does not know it.
and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, though he doesn’t know how.
28 For the earth bears fruit readily: first the plant, then the ear, next the full grain in the ear.
For the earth bears fruit by itself: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
29 And when the fruit has been produced, immediately he sends out the sickle, because the harvest has arrived.”
But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
30 And he said: “To what should we compare the kingdom of God? Or to what parable should we compare it?
He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it?
31 It is like a grain of mustard seed which, when it has been sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds which are in the earth.
It’s like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth,
32 And when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all the plants, and it produces great branches, so much so that the birds of the air are able to live under its shadow.”
yet when it is sown, grows up and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.”
33 And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as much as they were able to hear.
With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.
34 But he did not speak to them without a parable. Yet separately, he explained all things to his disciples.
Without a parable he didn’t speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
35 And on that day, when evening had arrived, he said to them, “Let us cross over.”
On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side.”
36 And dismissing the crowd, they brought him, so that he was in one boat, and other boats were with him.
Leaving the multitude, they took him with them, even as he was, in the boat. Other small boats were also with him.
37 And a great wind storm occurred, and the waves broke over the boat, so that the boat was being filled.
A big wind storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so much that the boat was already filled.
38 And he was in the stern of the boat, sleeping on a pillow. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, does it not concern you that we are perishing?”
He himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and asked him, “Rabbi, don’t you care that we are dying?”
39 And rising up, he rebuked the wind, and he said to the sea: “Silence. Be stilled.” And the wind ceased. And a great tranquility occurred.
He awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was a great calm.
40 And he said to them: “Why are you afraid? Do you still lack faith?”
He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?”
41 And they were struck with a great fear. And they said to one another, “Who do you think this is, that both wind and sea obey him?”
They were greatly afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
