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 by the sea, and a large crowd was gathered around him. So he got into the boat and sat in it on the sea, while the entire crowd was beside the sea on the shore.
2 And he taught them many things in parables, and said to them in his teaching,
Then he taught them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them,
3 Hearken: Behold, a sower went forth to sow.
“Listen! A sower went out to sow.
4 And it came to pass, as he sowed some seeds fell by the way-side; and the birds came and devoured them.
As he sowed, 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.
Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up immediately because it had no depth of soil.
6 But when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.
But when the sun rose, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 And others fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up, and choked them, and they yielded no fruit.
Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it produced no fruit.
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.
But other seed fell into good soil and produced fruit that grew and increased; some bore thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred times more than what was sown.”
9 And he said, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Then he 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.
When he was alone with the twelve and the others who were 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
So 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 spoken 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 see but not perceive, and hear but not understand, lest they should turn back and be forgiven of their sins.’”
13 And he saith to them, Know ye not this parable? and how will ye know all the parables?
Then he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the other parables?
14 The sower soweth the word.
The sower 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.
Now some people are like the seed along the path, where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in their hearts.
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,
Likewise, some people are like the seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, they immediately 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.
Yet they have no root in themselves, but are only temporary. When tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, they immediately fall away.
18 And others are they that are sown among the thorns; these are they who hear the word,
Others are like the seed 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 cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desire for other things enter 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.
But others are like the seed sown on the good soil. They hear the word, receive it, and bear fruit—some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred times more than what was sown.”
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?
He also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed? Is it not brought in to be set on a lampstand?
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 made manifest, nor has anything been made secret except to come 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.
Then he said to them, “Consider what you hear. With the measure you use it will be measured to you, and more will be added to you who hear.
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,
He 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.
He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he does not know how.
28 For the earth brings forth fruit of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
For the earth produces a crop by itself: first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.
29 But when the fruit puts itself forth, immediately he sends out the sickle, because the harvest is come.
When the crop is ready, the man immediately sends in the sickle, for 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 Jesus said, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God? Or what parable can we use to describe 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 grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on 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.
Yet when it is sown, it grows and becomes larger than all the garden plants and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky can nest in its shade.”
33 And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear.
With many similar parables he spoke the word to them, to the extent that they were able to understand it.
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 speak to them without using a parable, but privately he explained everything to his disciples.
35 And on the same day, when the evening was come, he saith to them, Let us pass over to the other side.
On that day, when evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us cross over to the other side of the sea.”
36 And leaving the multitude, they take him with them, as he was, in the boat; and there were also other boats with him.
So they left the crowd and took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other little boats were also with him.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves heat into the boat, so that it was already filling.
Now a great windstorm arose, and the waves were beating against the boat, so that it was nearly 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, asleep on a cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do yoʋ not 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 he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” So the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And he said to them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have not faith?
Then he said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you 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?
And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
