Mark 4
1 And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.
Once more He began to teach by the side of the Lake, and a vast multitude of people came together to listen to Him. He therefore went on board the boat and sat there, a little way from the land; and all the people were on the shore close to the water.
2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,
Then He proceeded to teach them many lessons in figurative language; and in His teaching He said,
3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
"Listen: the sower goes out to sow.
4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up.
5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
Some falls on the rocky ground where it finds but little earth, and it shoots up quickly because it has no depth of soil;
6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
but when the sun is risen, it is scorched, and through having no root it withers away.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
Some, again, falls among the thorns; and the thorns spring up and stifle it, so that it yields no crop.
8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
But some of the seed falls into good ground, and gives a return: it comes up and increases, and yields thirty, sixty, or a hundred-fold."
9 And he said unto them, He that has ears to hear, let him hear.
"Listen," He added, "every one who has ears to listen with!"
10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
When He was alone, the Twelve and the others who were about Him requested Him to explain His figurative language.
11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
"To you," He replied, "has been entrusted the secret truth concerning the Kingdom of God; but to those others outside your number all this is spoken in figurative language;
12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
that "'They may look and look but not see, and listen and listen but not understand, lest perchance they should return and be pardoned.'"
13 And he said unto them, Know all of you not this parable? and how then will all of you know all parables?
"Do you all miss the meaning of this parable?" He added; "how then will you understand the rest of my parables?"
14 The sower sows the word. (logos)
"What the sower sows is the Message.
15 And these are they by the way side, where the word (logos) is sown; but when they have heard, Satan comes immediately, and takes away the word (logos) that was sown in their hearts.
Those who receive the seed by the way-side are those in whom the Message is sown, but, when they have heard it, Satan comes at once and carries away the Message sown in them.
16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, (logos) immediately receive it with gladness;
In the same way those who receive the seed on the rocky places are those who, when they have heard the Message, at once accept it joyfully,
17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution arises for the word's sake, (logos) immediately they are offended.
but they have no root within them. They last for a time; then, when suffering or persecution comes because of the Message, they are immediately overthrown.
18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, (logos)
Others there are who receive the seed among the thorns: these are they who have heard the Message,
19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, (logos) and it becomes unfruitful. (aiōn g165)
but worldly cares and the deceitfulness of wealth and the excessive pursuit of other objects come in and stifle the Message, and it becomes unfruitful. (aiōn g165)
20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, (logos) and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
Those, on the other hand, who have received the seed on the good ground, are all who hear the Message and welcome it, and yield a return of thirty, sixty, or a hundred fold."
21 And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
He went on to say, "Is the lamp brought in in order to be put under the bushel or under the bed? Is it not rather in order that it may be placed on the lampstand?
22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
Why, there is nothing hidden except with a view to its being ultimately disclosed, nor has anything been made a secret but that it may at last come to light.
23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!"
24 And he said unto them, Take heed what all of you hear: with what measure all of you mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
He also said to them, "Take care what you hear. With what measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and that with interest.
25 For he that has, to him shall be given: and he that has not, from him shall be taken even that which he has.
For those who have will have more given them; and from those who have not, even what they have will be taken away."
26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
Another saying of His was this: "The Kingdom of God is as if a man scattered seed over the ground:
27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knows not how.
he spends days and nights, now awake, now asleep, while the seed sprouts and grows tall, he knows not how.
28 For the earth brings forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
Of itself the land produces the crop-- first the blade, then the ear; afterwards the perfect grain is seen in the ear.
29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.
But no sooner is the crop ripe, than he sends the reapers, because the time of harvest has come."
30 And he said, Unto which shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
Another saying of His was this: "How are we to picture the Kingdom of God? or by what figure of speech shall we represent it?
31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
It is like a mustard-seed, which, when sown in the earth, is the smallest of all the seeds in the world;
32 But when it is sown, it grows up, and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
yet when sown it springs up and becomes larger than all the herbs, and throws out great branches, so that the birds build under its shadow."
33 And with many such parables spoke he the word (logos) unto them, as they were able to hear it.
With many such parables He used to speak the Message to them according to their capacity for receiving it.
34 But without a parable spoke he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
But except in figurative language He spoke nothing to them; while to His own disciples He expounded everything, in private.
35 And the same day, when the even was come, he says unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
The same day, in the evening, He said to them, "Let us cross to the other side."
36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
So they got away from the crowd, and took Him--as He was--in the boat; and other boats accompanied Him.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
But a heavy squall came on, and the waves were now dashing into the boat, so that it was fast filling.
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, care you not that we perish?
But He Himself was in the stern asleep, with His head on the cushion: so they woke Him. "Rabbi," they cried, "is it nothing to you that we are drowning?"
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
So He roused Himself and rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still!" The wind sank, and a perfect calm set in.
40 And he said unto them, Why are all of you so fearful? how is it that all of you have no faith?
"Why are you so timid?" He asked; "have you still no faith?"
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Then they were filled with terror, and began to say to one another, "Who is this, then? For even wind and sea obey Him."
