Mark 4
1 Again he began to teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea.
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 He taught them many things in parables, and told them in his teaching,
Then he taught them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them,
3 “Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow.
“Listen! A sower went out to sow.
4 As he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and devoured it.
As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
5 Others fell on the rocky ground, where it had little soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil.
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 When the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
But when the sun rose, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it produced no fruit.
8 Others fell into the good ground and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some produced thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times as much.”
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 He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Then he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10 When he was alone, those who were around 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 He said to them, “To you is given the mystery of God’s Kingdom, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables,
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 that ‘seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.’”
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 He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables?
Then he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the other parables?
14 The farmer sows the word.
The sower sows the word.
15 The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been 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 These in the same way are those who are sown on the rocky places, 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 They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble.
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 Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word,
Others are like the seed sown among the thorns. They hear the word,
19 and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes 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 Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times.”
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 He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it put on a 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 hidden except that it should be made known, neither was anything made secret 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 man has ears to hear, let him hear.”
If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24 He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you; and more will be given to you who hear.
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 whoever has, to him more will be given; and he who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away from him.”
For whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
26 He said, “God’s Kingdom is as if a man should cast seed on the earth,
He also said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground.
27 and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, though he doesn’t know how.
He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he does not know how.
28 For the earth bears fruit by 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 is ripe, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
When the crop is ready, the man immediately sends in the sickle, for the harvest has come.”
30 He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it?
Then Jesus said, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God? Or what parable can we use to describe it?
31 It’s like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on 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 yet when it is sown, grows up and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.”
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 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.
With many similar parables he spoke the word to them, to the extent that they were able to understand it.
34 Without a parable he didn’t speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
He did not speak to them without using a parable, but privately he explained everything to his disciples.
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let’s go 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 Leaving the multitude, they took him with them, even as he was, in the boat. Other small boats were also 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 A big wind storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so much that the boat was already filled.
Now a great windstorm arose, and the waves were beating against the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.
38 He himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and asked him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are dying?”
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 He awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” 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 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?”
Then he said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?”
41 They were greatly afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea 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?”
