Mark 4
1 Jesus began teaching beside the Sea again. So many people came to listen to him that he climbed into a boat and sat in it on the water while the crowd listened from the shore.
And again he began to teach by the sea. And a great crowd was gathered together to him, so that going on board ship he sat in the sea, and all the crowd were close to the sea on the land.
2 He illustrated his teachings using many stories.
And he taught them many things in parables. And he said to them in his doctrine,
3 “Listen,” he said. “A sower went out to sow.
Hearken: Behold, the sower went forth to sow.
4 Now as he was scattering the seeds, some fell on the path, and birds came and ate them up.
And it came to pass as he sowed, one fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured it.
5 Other seeds fell on stony ground where there wasn't much earth. In the shallow soil the plants started growing quickly, but because the soil wasn't deep
And another fell on the rocky ground, where it had not much earth, and immediately it sprung up out [of the ground] because it had no depth of earth;
6 they were scorched when the sun came up. Since they didn't have any real roots, they soon withered.
and when the sun arose it was burnt up, and because of its not having any root, it withered.
7 Other seeds fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked the sprouting seeds, so they produced nothing.
And another fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 Other seeds fell on good soil where they sprouted and grew. They produced a harvest of some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred times what was planted.
And another fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing; and bore, one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred.
9 If you have ears to hear, listen to what I'm saying.”
And he said, He that has ears to hear, let him hear.
10 When he was by himself, his twelve disciples and the others who were with him asked him what the illustrations meant.
And when he was alone, those about him with the twelve asked him [as to] the parables.
11 He told them, “The mystery of God's kingdom has been given to you to understand. But outsiders only have the stories,
And he said to them, To you is given [to know] the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to them who are without, all things are done in parables,
12 so that even though they see, they don't really ‘see,’ and even though they hear, they don't understand, otherwise they might turn to me and be forgiven.”
that beholding they may behold and not see, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest it may be, they should be converted and they should be forgiven.
13 “Don't you understand this story?” Jesus asked them. “If you can't, how are you going to understand all the other stories?
And he says to them, Do ye not know this parable? and how will ye be acquainted with all the parables?
14 The sower sows the word.
The sower sows the word:
15 The seeds on the path where the word is sown illustrate those who hear the message, but then Satan immediately comes along and takes away the word that's been sown in them.
and these are they by the wayside where the word is sown, and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
16 Likewise the seeds on the rocky ground illustrate those who hear the word, and happily accept it right away.
And these are they in like manner who are sown upon the rocky places, who when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy,
17 But since they have no real roots, they only last for a while until trouble or persecution comes, and then they quickly fall away.
and they have no root in themselves, but are for a time: then, tribulation arising, or persecution on account of the word, immediately they are offended.
18 Those sown among the thorns illustrate those who hear the word,
And others are they who are sown among the thorns: these are they who have heard the word,
19 but worries of this world, the temptation of wealth, and other distractions choke the growth of the word, and it becomes unproductive. (aiōn g165)
and the cares of life, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things, entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. (aiōn g165)
20 But the seeds sown on good soil illustrate those who hear the word, accept it, and are productive—producing thirty, sixty, and hundred times what was originally sown.
And these are they who have been sown on the good ground, such as hear the word and receive it, and bear fruit; one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred [fold].
21 Who puts a lamp under a bucket, or beneath a bed?” Jesus asked them. “No, you put a lamp up on a lamp-stand.
And he said to them, Does the lamp come that it should be put under the bushel or under the couch? [Is it] not that it should be set upon the lamp-stand?
22 Everything that is hidden will be revealed, and everything that is secret will be brought out into the open.
For there is nothing hidden which shall not be made manifest; nor does any secret thing take place, but that it should come to light.
23 If you have ears to hear, listen to what I'm saying!
If any one have ears to hear, let him hear.
24 Pay attention to what you're hearing,” he told them, “for you will be given according to how much you want to receive, measure for measure.
And he said to them, Take heed what ye hear; with what measure ye mete, it shall be meted to you; and there shall be [more] added to you.
25 More will be given to those who already have understanding, but those who don't want to know will have what little understanding they have taken from them.
For whosoever has, to him shall be given; and he who has not, even what he has shall be taken from him.
26 God's kingdom is like a man sowing seed in the ground,” Jesus said.
And he said, Thus is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast the seed upon the earth,
27 “He goes to bed and gets up, day after day, but the man has no knowledge of how the seeds sprout and grow.
and should sleep and rise up night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he does not know how.
28 The earth produces a harvest by itself. First a shoot appears, then the heads of grain, and then the heads of grain ripen.
The earth bears fruit of itself, first [the] blade, then an ear, then full corn in the ear.
29 When the grain is ripe, the farmer reaps it with a sickle, because the harvest is ready.
But when the fruit is produced, immediately he sends the sickle, for the harvest is come.
30 What can we compare God's kingdom to? What illustration shall we use?” he asked.
And he said, How should we liken the kingdom of God, or with what comparison should we compare it?
31 “It's like a mustard seed, the tiniest seed of all.
As to a grain of mustard [seed], which, when it is sown upon the earth, is less than all seeds which are upon the earth,
32 But when it's sown it grows into a plant that's larger than other plants. It has branches big enough that birds can roost in its shade.”
and when it has been sown, mounts up and becomes greater than all herbs, and produces great branches, so that the birds of heaven can roost under its shadow.
33 Jesus used many of these illustrated stories when he spoke to the people so they would understand as much as they could.
And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear,
34 In fact, when he spoke publicly, he only used stories; however in private he explained everything to his disciples.
but without a parable spoke he not to them; and in private he explained all things to his disciples.
35 Later that day, in the evening, he said to his disciples, “Let's go across to the other side of the Sea.”
And on that day, when evening was come, he says to them, Let us go over to the other side:
36 Leaving the crowd behind, the disciples went with Jesus and got into a boat. Other boats went with them.
and having sent away the crowd, they take him with [them], as he was, in the ship. But other ships also were with him.
37 Soon a terrible storm started blowing, and waves crashed against the boat, filling it with water.
And there comes a violent gust of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it already filled.
38 Jesus was asleep in the stern, resting his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting at him, “Teacher, don't you care that we're about to drown?”
And he was in the stern sleeping on the cushion. And they awake him up and say to him, Teacher, dost thou not care that we are perishing?
39 Jesus woke up. He told the wind to die down and told the waves, “Be quiet! Be still.” The wind stopped, and the water became completely calm.
And awaking up he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Silence; be mute. And the wind fell, and there was a great calm.
40 “Why are you so frightened? Haven't you learned to trust me?” he asked them.
And he said to them, Why are ye [thus] fearful? how [is it] ye have not faith?
41 They were stunned and terrified. They asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
And they feared [with] great fear, and said one to another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
