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.
Another time Jesus began to teach [people] alongside Lake [Galilee. As he was doing that, a very large crowd gathered around him. Because people were jostling him], he got into a boat in the lake [so that he could speak to the crowd better. Then he sat in it and began to teach the crowd from the boat]. At the same time, the crowd was on the shore close to the lake.
2 He taught them many things in parables, and told them in his teaching,
Then he taught them many parables. While he was teaching them, he told them [this]:
3 “Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow.
“Consider [well the meaning of this illustration]: A man/farmer went out [to his field] to sow [some seeds].
4 As he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and devoured it.
As he was scattering them [over the soil], some [of the] seeds fell on the path. Then some birds came and ate those seeds.
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 [seeds] fell on ground where there was not much soil [on top of] rock. Very soon the [seeds] sprouted because [the sun warmed] the moist soil quickly where it was not deep.
6 When the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
But after the sun shone [on those young plants], they became scorched. Then they withered because they did not have [deep] roots.
7 Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
As the farmer sowed, other [seeds] fell on [ground that contained roots of] thorny plants. [The] seeds [grew, but] the thorny plants also grew up and crowded out [the] good [plants. So the plants] produced no grain.
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 as the farmer sowed, other [seeds] fell on good soil. As a result, they sprouted, they grew well, and then they produced [plenty of] grain. [Some] plants bore 30 [grains]. [Some] bore 60 [grains]. [Some] bore 100 [grains].”
9 He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
Then Jesus said, “If you want to understand this [MTY], you should consider [carefully what I have just said].”
10 When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.
[Later], when only the twelve [disciples] and a few [other] people were with him, they asked him about the parables.
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,
He said to them, “People have not understood before [the new message] about how God wants to rule people’s lives. It is to you that this is being made known {that I am making this known}. But I tell about this [only] (in parables/figuratively) to those who have not [yet invited God to rule their lives].
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.’”
As a result [it is true what a prophet has written], Although they see [what I do], they do not perceive [what it means] [DOU]. Although they hear [what I say], they do not understand [what it means] [DOU]. So they do not (repent/turn away from their sinful behavior) in order that they would be forgiven {[God] would forgive them}.”
13 He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables?
He also said to them, “([I am disappointed that] you do not understand this illustration!/Can you not understand this illustration?) [RHQ] [If you do not understand] this, (you will certainly not understand any of the [other] illustrations!/how will you understand any of the [other] illustrations?) [RHQ] [Nevertheless, I will explain it to you].
14 The farmer sows the word.
[In the illustration that I told you], the man who sows [seeds represents someone who] declares God’s message [DOU].
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.
[Some people are like] the path on which [some of] the seeds fell. When they hear [the message], Satan comes at once and causes them to forget what they have heard.
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.
[Some people are like the ground where the soil was not very deep over] rock. When they hear [God’s] message, they immediately accept 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.
But, because [the message does not penetrate deeply] [MET] [into their hearts/inner beings, they] believe it for [only a short time. They are like the plants that] did not have deep roots. When others treat such people badly or cause them to suffer because [they believe], those people [who are suffering] soon stop believing God’s message.
18 Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word,
[Some people are like] the [soil that had roots of] thorny weeds in it. [Although] those people hear [God’s] message,
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)
they desire to be rich, and they desire to own many other things. So they worry [only] about material things. The result is that they forget [God’s] message and they do not do [the things that God wants them to do]. (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 some people] are like the good soil. They hear [God’s] message and they accept it [and they believe] it. [Then they do the things that God wants them to do. They are like the good plants that produced] 30, 60 or 100 [grains].”
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 told them [another parable], saying, “(People certainly do not [light] an oil lamp and then bring it [in the house] in order that it may be put {someone may put it} under a container or under a bed./Would anyone [light] an oil lamp and then bring it [in the house] in order that it may be put {someone may put it} under a container or under a bed?) [RHQ] (No, [they light it] in order that it may be put {someone may put it} in a place [where it lights the house].[/Wouldn’t they light it] in order that it may be put {someone may put it} in a place [where it lights the house]?) [RHQ]
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.
[Similarly], there are some [parts of God’s message] that people do not know. [But he intends that] people will understand all the things that they do not know [now].
23 If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.”
If you want to understand this, you should consider [carefully] what you [have just heard].”
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 carefully what you hear [me say to you], for [God] will let you [understand] to the same degree that you [consider what I say]. [He] will let you [understand] even more than that.
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.”
Those who [consider what I say] and understand it, [God] will enable them to understand more. But those who do not [consider carefully what I say], they will forget even what they already know.”
26 He said, “God’s Kingdom is as if a man should cast seed on the earth,
Jesus also said, “God [has the power to change] people who let him rule their lives. I [will illustrate how that can happen] [MET]. A man planted seeds in 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.
Afterwards he slept each night and rose each day [without worrying about the seeds]. [During that time] the seeds sprouted and grew in a way that he did not understand, because by itself the soil [caused the plants to grow and produce grain].
28 For the earth bears fruit by itself: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
First the stalks [appeared]. Then the heads [appeared]. Then the full kernels in the heads [appeared].
29 But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
As soon as the grain was ripe he sent [people] [MTY] to harvest it because it was time to harvest [the grain].”
30 He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it?
[Jesus told them] another [parable. He] said, “I will tell you [RHQ] how the [number of people] whose lives God rules in a new way [will continue to grow] (OR, each continue to have more and more influence in this world). I hope [RHQ] that this illustration will show this [to you].
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,
[You know what happens to] mustard seeds when we plant them. Though mustard seeds are among the smallest of seeds, [here in Israel] they become large plants.
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.”
After they are planted, they grow up and become larger than the other garden plants. They put out big branches so that birds are able to make nests in their shade.”
33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.
Jesus used many such illustrations when he talked to the people about God. If they were able to understand [some, he kept telling them more].
34 Without a parable he didn’t speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
He always used parables when he spoke to them. But he explained all [the illustrations] to his own disciples when he was alone with them.
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side.”
On that same day, when the sun was setting, Jesus said to [his disciples], “Let’s cross over to the opposite side of [Lake Galilee in the boat].”
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, [got in] the boat where Jesus [already] was, and left. [Other people] went with them in other boats.
37 A big wind storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so much that the boat was already filled.
A strong wind came up and the waves started coming into the boat! The boat was soon nearly full [of water]!
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?”
Jesus was in the back part of the boat. He was sleeping, [with his head] on a cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher! (You ought to be concerned that we are about to die!/Are you not concerned that we are about to die?) [RHQ]”
39 He awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was a great calm.
So Jesus got up and rebuked the wind. Then he said to the lake, “Be quiet! Be still! [DOU]” The wind [immediately] blowing and then [the lake] became very calm.
40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?”
He said to the disciples, “([I am disappointed that] you are afraid [like that]!/Why are you afraid [like that]?) [RHQ] Do you not yet believe [that I can protect you]?”
41 They were greatly afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
They were very awestruck. They said to one another, “[Not only do the demons obey this man, but] even the wind and the waves obey him! “(What kind of man is he?/This man is [not like ordinary] people!) [RHQ]”
