Mark 4
1 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.
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.
2 Then He proceeded to teach them many lessons in figurative language; and in His teaching He said,
And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,
3 "Listen: the sower goes out to sow.
Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
4 As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up.
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.
5 Some falls on the rocky ground where it finds but little earth, and it shoots up quickly because it has no depth of soil;
And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
6 but when the sun is risen, it is scorched, and through having no root it withers away.
But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 Some, again, falls among the thorns; and the thorns spring up and stifle it, so that it yields no crop.
And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 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."
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.
9 "Listen," He added, "every one who has ears to listen with!"
And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 When He was alone, the Twelve and the others who were about Him requested Him to explain His figurative language.
And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
11 "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;
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:
12 that "'They may look and look but not see, and listen and listen but not understand, lest perchance they should return and be pardoned.'"
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.
13 "Do you all miss the meaning of this parable?" He added; "how then will you understand the rest of my parables?"
And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
14 "What the sower sows is the Message.
The sower soweth the word.
15 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.
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.
16 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,
And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17 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.
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 are offended.
18 Others there are who receive the seed among the thorns: these are they who have heard the Message,
And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
19 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)
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 g165)
20 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."
And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive [it], and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
21 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?
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?
22 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.
For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
23 Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!"
If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
24 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.
And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
25 For those who have will have more given them; and from those who have not, even what they have will be taken away."
For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
26 Another saying of His was this: "The Kingdom of God is as if a man scattered seed over the ground:
And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
27 he spends days and nights, now awake, now asleep, while the seed sprouts and grows tall, he knows not how.
And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
28 Of itself the land produces the crop-- first the blade, then the ear; afterwards the perfect grain is seen in the ear.
For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
29 But no sooner is the crop ripe, than he sends the reapers, because the time of harvest has come."
But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
30 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?
And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
31 It is like a mustard-seed, which, when sown in the earth, is the smallest of all the seeds in the world;
[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:
32 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."
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 the shadow of it.
33 With many such parables He used to speak the Message to them according to their capacity for receiving it.
And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear [it].
34 But except in figurative language He spoke nothing to them; while to His own disciples He expounded everything, in private.
But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
35 The same day, in the evening, He said to them, "Let us cross to the other side."
And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
36 So they got away from the crowd, and took Him--as He was--in the boat; and other boats accompanied Him.
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.
37 But a heavy squall came on, and the waves were now dashing into the boat, so that it was fast filling.
And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 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?"
And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39 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.
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.
40 "Why are you so timid?" He asked; "have you still no faith?"
And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
41 Then they were filled with terror, and began to say to one another, "Who is this, then? For even wind and sea obey Him."
And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
