Mark 4

1 And again he began to teach by the sea side. And there is gathered unto him a very great multitude, so that he entered into a boat, and sat in the sea; and all the multitude were by the sea on the land.2 And he taught them many things in parables, and said unto them in his teaching,3 Hearken: Behold, the sower went forth to sow:4 and it came to pass, as he sowed, some seed fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured it.5 And other fell on the rocky ground, where it had not much earth; and straightway it sprang up, because it had no deepness of earth:6 and when the sun was risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.7 And other fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.8 And others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing; and brought forth, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.9 And he said, Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parables.11 And he said unto them, Unto you is given the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all things are done in parables:12 that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest haply they should turn again, and it should be forgiven them.13 And he saith unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how shall ye know all the parables?14 The sower soweth the word.15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; and when they have heard, straightway cometh Satan, and taketh away the word which hath been sown in them.16 And these in like manner are they that are sown upon the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, straightway receive it with joy;17 and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway they stumble.18 And others are they that are sown among the thorns; these are they that have heard the word,19 and the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.20 And those are they that were sown upon the good ground; such as hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.21 And he said unto them, Is the lamp brought to be put under the bushel, or under the bed, and not to be put on the stand?22 For there is nothing hid, save that it should be manifested; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light.23 If any man hath ears to hear, let him hear.24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete it shall be measured unto you; and more shall be given unto you.25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath.26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed upon the earth;27 and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he knoweth not how.28 The earth beareth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.29 But when the fruit is ripe, straightway he putteth forth the sickle, because the harvest is come.30 And he said, How shall we liken the kingdom of God? or in what parable shall we set it forth?31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown upon the earth, though it be less than all the seeds that are upon the earth,32 yet when it is sown, groweth up, and becometh greater than all the herbs, and putteth out great branches; so that the birds of the heaven can lodge under the shadow thereof.33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it;34 and without a parable spake he not unto them: but privately to his own disciples he expounded all things.35 And on that day, when even was come, he saith unto them, Let us go over unto the other side.36 And leaving the multitude, they take him with them, even as he was, in the boat. And other boats were with him.37 And there ariseth a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the boat, insomuch that the boat was now filling.38 And he himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion: and they awake him, and say unto him, Teacher, carest thou not that we perish?39 And he awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.40 And he said unto them, Why are ye fearful? have ye not yet faith?41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

Mark 4

The Parable of the Sower

1 Again he began to teach by the lake. Such a large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there whilet the whole crowd was on the shore by the lake.2 He taught them many things in parables,s and in his teaching said to them:3 “Listen! A sower went out to sow.s4 And as he sowed, some seedt fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.5 Other seed fell on rocky grounds where it did not have much soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep.t6 When the sun came up it was scorched, and because it did not have sufficient root,t it withered.7 Other seed fell among the thorns,s and they grew up and choked it,s and it did not produce grain.8 Butt other seed fell on good soil and produced grain, sprouting and growing; some yielded thirty times as much, some sixty, and some a hundred times.”

9 And he said, “Whoever has ears to hear had better listen!”t

The Purpose of Parables

10 When he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.

11 He said to them, “The secretts of the kingdom of God has been givent to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables,

12 so that although they look they may look but not see,
and although they hear they may hear but not understand,
so they may not repent and be forgiven.”s
13 He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? Thent how will you understand any parable?14 The sower sows the word.15 These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: Whenever they hear, immediately Satans comes and snatches the words that was sown in them.16 These are the ones sown on rocky ground: As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy.17 Butt they have no root in themselves and do not endure.t Then, when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away.18 Others are the ones sown among thorns: They are those who hear the word,19 butt worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth,t and the desire for other things come in and choke the word,s and it produces nothing.

20 Butt these are the ones sown on good soil: They hear the word and receive it and bear fruit, one thirty times as much, one sixty, and one a hundred.”

The Parable of the Lamp

21 He also said to them, “A lamps isn’t brought to be put under a baskett or under a bed, is it? Isn’t it to be placed on a lampstand?22 For nothing is hidden except to be revealed,t and nothing concealed except to be brought to light.23 If anyone has ears to hear, he had better listen!”t24 And he said to them, “Take care about what you hear. The measure you use will be the measure you receive,t and more will be added to you.

25 For whoever has will be given more, butt whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”s

The Parable of the Growing Seed

26 He also said, “The kingdom of God is like someone who spreads seed on the ground.27 He goes to sleep and gets up, night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.28 By itself the soil produces a crop, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.

29 And when the grain is ripe, he sends in the sicklet because the harvest has come.”s

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 He also asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to present it?31 It is like a mustard seeds that when sown in the ground, even though it is the smallest of all the seeds in the ground –

32 when it is sown, it grows up,t becomes the greatest of all garden plants, and grows large branches so that the wild birdst can nest in its shade.”s

The Use of Parables

33 Sot with many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear.

34 He did not speak to them without a parable. But privately he explained everything to his own disciples.

Stilling of a Storm

35 On that day, when evening came, Jesust said to his disciples, “Let’s go across to the other side of the lake.”t36 Sot after leaving the crowd, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat,ts and other boats were with him.37 Nowt a great windstormts developed and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was nearly swamped.38 Butt he was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. They woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are about to die?”39 Sot he got up and rebukedt the wind, and said to the sea,s “Be quiet! Calm down!” Thent the wind stopped, and it was dead calm.40 And he said to them, “Why are you cowardly? Do you still not have faith?”

41 They were overwhelmed by fear and said to one another, “Who then is this?s Even the wind and sea obey him!”s