< Mark 4 >
1 And he began again to teach by the sea-side: and there was gathered to him a great multitude, so that he entered into a boat, and sat on the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea, on the land.
耶稣又在海边教导众人,很多人赶来聆听。他走上海中的一条船,坐下来,民众则都站在岸上聆听。
2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said to them in his doctrine,
他用了很多比喻故事进行讲授:
3 Hearken; Behold, a sower went out to sow:
他说:“听着!有一个农夫要出去撒种,
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.
有的种子落在路旁,被过来的小鸟吃掉了。
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.
有的落在泥土稀薄、石头众多的土地上,在浅薄的土层上,种子很快发芽。
6 But when the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
但太阳一出来,就把它晒干了,因为没有实根而枯萎。
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
有的种子落在荆棘丛,荆棘长出来后,把它挤住,它无法结出果实。
8 And other fell on good ground, and yielded fruit that sprang up, and increased, and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some a hundred.
那些落在肥沃土壤中的种子,就会繁茂成长,结出果实,是原来的 30 倍、 60 倍甚至 100 倍之多。
9 And he said to them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
你若有耳可聆听,就听听我所说的讲述。”
10 And when he was alone, they that were about him, with the twelve, asked of him the parable.
耶稣独自一人的时候,始终跟随他的十二门徒和其他人走过来,询问这些比喻的意义。
11 And he said to them, To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but to them that are without, all [these] things are done in parables:
耶稣对他们说:“上帝之国的奥秘,只给你们知道,但对于外人只会讲述比喻。因为
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.
他们纵使看见了也不会领悟,听见了也不会明白。不然他们就会找到我,获得原谅。”
13 And he said to them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
耶稣问他们:“你们理解这个故事吗?如果不理解,又如何明白其他故事呢?
14 The sower soweth the word.
农夫所撒的种子就是福音。
15 And these are they by the way-side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
落在路旁的种子,就是人们在听福音,撒旦立刻出现,把撒在其心里的福音夺走。
16 And these are they likewise who are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
撒在石地上的种子,代表人听了福音后立刻欢喜接受,
17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they relapse.
但道并未在他们心中落根,只是暂时停留,一旦遇到患难和迫害,他们很快就会沦陷。
18 And these are they who are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
撒在荆棘中的种子则指另一些人,他们虽然听了福音,
19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. (aiōn )
但现世的忧虑、对财富的迷恋和种种的欲望不断滋生,把福音挤出去,结不出果实。 (aiōn )
20 And these are they who are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive [it], and bring forth fruit, some thirty-fold, some sixty, and some a hundred.
落在肥沃土壤里的种子,就是人在听到福音后真正接受它,就会结出比原来多 30 倍、 60 倍、甚至 100 倍之多的果实。”
21 And he said to them, Is a candle brought to be put under a close vessel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
耶稣又对他们说:“人们在点灯之后,不会将其放在水桶或床下,而是会将其放在灯台上。
22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither hath any thing been kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
所有隐藏之事最终都会显现,所有秘密都会被公开。
23 If any man hath ears to hear, let him hear.
有耳朵可以倾听之人,就要听我所说的讲述!”
24 And he said to them, Take heed what ye hear: With the measure which ye give, it shall be measured to you: and to you that hear shall more be given.
耶稣又对他们说:“要留心你们听到的,因为你们用什么标准衡量别人,上帝就会用什么标准衡量你们,完全相同。
25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
如果你已经理解,就会得到更多,如果无法理解,现在拥有的也会失去。”
26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
耶稣说:“上帝的王国就像一个人在地里撒种,
27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
他夜里睡觉,白天醒来,日复一日,但并不知道种子如何发芽生长。
28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of itself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
大地生长作物是自然而为,先长苗,后吐穗,然后穗上结满了谷粒。
29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
谷粒成熟后就到了收获时节,农夫用镰刀将其割下。
30 And he said, To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
我们可以将上帝的王国比做什么?可以用什么比喻来形容它呢?
31 [It is] like a grain of mustard-seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that are in the earth.
它好像一粒芥菜种,比所有种子都小,
32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under its shade.
种子在种下后开始生长,长成的样子却比其他作物都大,它的大枝叶甚至吸引天空的飞鸟在它的树荫下栖息。”
33 And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear [it].
耶稣用了许多这样的比喻,按照人们能够理解的方式讲述故事。
34 But without a parable he spoke not to them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
事实上,他在公开讲道的时候仅使用比喻。只有单独和门徒在一起时,他才会把一切解释给他们听。
35 And the same day, when the evening was come, he saith to them, Let us pass over to the other side.
当天黄昏,耶稣对门徒说:“我们到海那边去吧。”
36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the boat. And there were also with him other small boats.
门徒们离开民众,跟着耶稣走上船,还有其他的船跟随他们。
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was now full.
忽然海上刮起狂风,波浪不断拍打船身,船上积满了水。
38 And he was in the hinder part of the boat, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say to him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
耶稣却在船尾靠着垫子睡着了。门徒把他叫醒说:“老师,我们就要淹死了,你不担心吗?”
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Peace, be still: and the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
耶稣醒来,命令风停止;又对海浪说:“不要出声!安静吧!”风立刻停止,世界平静下来。。
40 And he said to them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
然后耶稣问他们:“你们为什么如此害怕?怎么对我这么没有信心?”
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?
门徒心生敬畏,彼此问到:“他到底是谁?连风和海浪都听他的!”