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.
Jesus again began to teach by the sea; and, as an immense crowd was gathering around him, he got into a boat, and sat in it on the sea, while all the people were on the shore at the water’s edge.
2 Then He proceeded to teach them many lessons in figurative language; and in His teaching He said,
Then he taught them many truths in parables; and in the course of his teaching he said to them:
3 "Listen: the sower goes out to sow.
“Listen! The sower went out to sow;
4 As he sows, some of the seed falls by the way-side, and the birds come and peck it up.
and presently, as he was sowing, some of the seed fell along the path; and the birds came, and ate 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;
Some fell on rocky ground, where it had not much soil, and, because the soil wasn’t deep, sprang up at once;
6 but when the sun is risen, it is scorched, and through having no root it withers away.
but, when the sun rose, it was scorched, and, because their roots were not deep enough, withered away.
7 Some, again, falls among the thorns; and the thorns spring up and stifle it, so that it yields no crop.
Some of the seed fell among brambles; but the brambles shot up and completely choked it, and it yielded no return.
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."
Some fell into good soil, and, shooting up and growing, yielded a return, amounting to thirty, sixty, and even a hundred fold.”
9 "Listen," He added, "every one who has ears to listen with!"
And Jesus said, “Let anyone who has ears to hear with hear.”
10 When He was alone, the Twelve and the others who were about Him requested Him to explain His figurative language.
Afterward, when he was alone, his followers and the Twelve asked him about his parables;
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, “To you the hidden truth of the kingdom of God has been imparted; but to those who are outside it all teaching takes the form of parables so that –
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.'"
‘Though they have eyes, they may see without perceiving; and though they have ears, they may hear without understanding; otherwise some day they might turn and be forgiven.’”
13 "Do you all miss the meaning of this parable?" He added; "how then will you understand the rest of my parables?"
“You do not know the meaning of this parable?” he went on, “Then how will you understand all the other parables?
14 "What the sower sows is the Message.
The sower sows the message.
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.
The people meant by the seed that falls along the path are these – where the message is sown, but, as soon as they have heard it, Satan immediately comes and carries away the message that has been sown in them.
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,
So, too, those meant by the seed sown on the rocky places are the people who, when they have heard the message, at once accept it joyfully;
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.
but, as they have no root, they stand only for a short time; and so, when trouble or persecution arises because of the message, they fall away at once.
18 Others there are who receive the seed among the thorns: these are they who have heard the Message,
Those meant by the seed sown among the brambles are different; they are the people who hear the message,
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)
but the cares of life, and the glamour of wealth, and cravings for many other things come in and completely choke the message, so that it gives no return. (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."
But the people meant by the seed sown on the good ground are those who hear the message, and welcome it, and yield a return, thirty, sixty, and even a hundred fold.”
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?
Jesus said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under the couch, instead of being put on the lamp-stand?
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.
There is nothing hidden that will not come to light and nothing is concealed that will not be brought into the open.
23 Listen, every one who has ears to listen with!"
Let all who have ears to hear with 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.
“Take care what you listen to,” said Jesus. “The standard you use will be used for you, and more will be added for you.
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, to those who have, more will be given; while, from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.”
26 Another saying of His was this: "The Kingdom of God is as if a man scattered seed over the ground:
Jesus also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like – like a man who has scattered seed on the ground,
27 he spends days and nights, now awake, now asleep, while the seed sprouts and grows tall, he knows not how.
and then sleeps by night and rises by day, while the seed is shooting up and growing – he knows 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.
The ground bears the crop of itself – first the blade, then the ear, and then the full grain in the ear;
29 But no sooner is the crop ripe, than he sends the reapers, because the time of harvest has come."
but, as soon as the crop is ready, immediately he puts in the sickle because harvest has 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?
Jesus also said, “To what can we liken the kingdom of God?
31 It is like a mustard-seed, which, when sown in the earth, is the smallest of all the seeds in the world;
By what can we illustrate it? Perhaps by the growth of a mustard seed. This seed, when sown in the ground, though it is smaller than all other seeds,
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."
yet, when sown, shoots up, and becomes larger than any other herb, and puts out great branches, so that even the wild birds can roost in its shelter.”
33 With many such parables He used to speak the Message to them according to their capacity for receiving it.
With many such parables Jesus used to speak to the people of his message, as far as they were able to receive it;
34 But except in figurative language He spoke nothing to them; while to His own disciples He expounded everything, in private.
and to them he never used to speak except in parables; but in private to his own disciples he explained everything.
35 The same day, in the evening, He said to them, "Let us cross to the other side."
In the evening of the same day, Jesus said to them, “Let us go across.”
36 So they got away from the crowd, and took Him--as He was--in the boat; and other boats accompanied Him.
So, leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him.
37 But a heavy squall came on, and the waves were now dashing into the boat, so that it was fast filling.
A violent squall came on, and the waves kept dashing into the boat, so that the boat was actually filling.
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?"
Jesus was in the stern asleep on the cushion; and the disciples roused him and cried, “Teacher! Is it nothing to you that we are lost?”
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.
Jesus rose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Hush! Be still!” Then the wind dropped, and a great calm followed.
40 "Why are you so timid?" He asked; "have you still no faith?"
“Why are you so timid?” he exclaimed. “Have you no faith yet?”
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."
But they were struck with great awe, and said to one another, “Who can this be that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
