Mark 4
1 And again he began to teach by the shore of the lake; and there was gathered to him a very great multitude, so that he went into a boat, and sat down in it upon the lake; and all the multitude was by the lake on the land.
Once again Jesus began to teach beside the sea, and such a large crowd gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people crowded along the shore.
2 And he taught them many things in parables, and said to them in his teaching,
And He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said,
3 Hearken: Behold, a sower went forth to sow.
“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.
4 And it came to pass, as he sowed some seeds fell by the way-side; and the birds came and devoured them.
And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
5 And others fell on rocky ground, where they had not much earth; and they sprung up immediately, because they had no depth of earth.
Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow.
6 But when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
7 And others fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up, and choked them, and they yielded no fruit.
Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings, and they yielded no crop.
8 And others fell on good ground, and shooting up and growing yielded fruit; and bore as much as thirty, and sixty, and a hundred fold.
Still other seed fell on good soil, where it sprouted, grew up, and produced a crop—one bearing thirtyfold, another sixtyfold, and another a hundredfold.”
9 And he said, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10 And when he was in private, they who were about him, with the twelve, asked him about the parables.
As soon as Jesus was alone with the Twelve and those around Him, they asked Him about the parable.
11 And he said to them, To you hath been given the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to them, who are without, all things are done in parables; t
He replied, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those on the outside everything is expressed in parables,
12 hat seeing they may see, and not perceive, and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest they should turn, and be forgiven.
so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.’”
13 And he saith to them, Know ye not this parable? and how will ye know all the parables?
Then Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?
14 The sower soweth the word.
The farmer sows the word.
15 And these are they by the wayside, those where the word is sown, and when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in them.
Some are like the seeds along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
16 And these in like manner are they that are sown on the rocky places, those, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy,
Some are like the seeds sown on rocky ground. They hear the word and at once receive it with joy.
17 and have no root in themselves, but endure only for a time; then, when affliction or persecution ariseth on account of the word, they immediately fall away.
But they themselves have no root, and they remain for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
18 And others are they that are sown among the thorns; these are they who hear the word,
Others are like the seeds sown among the thorns. They hear the word,
19 but the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (aiōn g165)
but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. (aiōn g165)
20 And these are they who are sown on the good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it; and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundred fold.
Still others are like the seeds sown on good soil. They hear the word, receive it, and produce a crop—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold.”
21 And he said to them, Is a lamp brought to be put under the bushel, or under the bed, and not to be set on the lamp-stand?
Jesus also said to them, “Does anyone bring in a lamp to put it under a basket or under a bed? Doesn’t he set it on a stand?
22 For there is nothing secret, unless to be made known; nor was any thing hidden, but that it should come to light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light.
23 If any one hath ears to hear, let him hear.
If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24 And he said to them, Take heed what ye hear. With what measure ye mete, it will be measured to you, and more will be added to you.
He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.
25 For he that hath, to him will be given; and he that hath not, from him will be taken away even what he hath.
For whoever has will be given more. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
26 And he said, Thus is the kingdom of God, as when a man has cast seed upon the ground,
Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground.
27 and sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed springs and grows up, he knows not how.
Night and day he sleeps and wakes, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he knows not how.
28 For the earth brings forth fruit of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
All by itself the earth produces a crop—first the stalk, then the head, then grain that ripens within.
29 But when the fruit puts itself forth, immediately he sends out the sickle, because the harvest is come.
And as soon as the grain is ripe, he swings the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
30 And he said, To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? or under what comparison shall we set it forth?
Then He asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God? With what parable shall we present it?
31 It is like a grain of mustard, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that are in the earth;
It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds sown upon the earth.
32 and when it is sown, it grows up, and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts forth great branches, so that the birds of the air can lodge under its shade.
But after it is planted, it grows to be the largest of all garden plants and puts forth great branches, so that the birds of the air nest in its shade.”
33 And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear.
With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them, to the extent that they could understand.
34 But without a parable he did not speak to them; but in private he explained all things to his own disciples.
He did not tell them anything without using a parable. But privately He explained everything to His own disciples.
35 And on the same day, when the evening was come, he saith to them, Let us pass over to the other side.
When that evening came, He said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side.”
36 And leaving the multitude, they take him with them, as he was, in the boat; and there were also other boats with him.
After they had dismissed the crowd, they took Jesus with them, since He was already in the boat. And there were other boats with Him.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves heat into the boat, so that it was already filling.
Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped.
38 And he was in the stern, asleep on the pillow; and they awake him, and say to him, Teacher, carest thou not that we are perishing?
But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?”
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, Peace! be still! And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.
40 And he said to them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have not faith?
“Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?”
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the waves obey him?
Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”
