Mark 4
1 And again, he began to teach by the sea. And a great crowd was gathered to him, so much so that, climbing into a boat, he was seated on the sea. And the entire crowd was on the land along the sea.2 And he taught them many things in parables, and he said to them, in his doctrine:3 Listen. Behold, the sower went out to sow.4 And while he was sowing, some fell along the way, and the birds of the air came and ate it.5 Yet truly, others fell upon stony ground, where it did not have much soil. And it rose up quickly, because it had no depth of soil.6 And when the sun was risen, it was scorched. And because it had no root, it withered away.7 And some fell among thorns. And the thorns grew up and suffocated it, and it did not produce fruit.8 And some fell on good soil. And it brought forth fruit that grew up, and increased, and yielded: some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred.9 And he said, Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.10 And when he was alone, the twelve, who were with him, questioned him about the parable.11 And 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 presented in parables:12 so that, seeing, they may see, and not perceive; and hearing, they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they may be converted, and their sins would be forgiven them. 13 And he said to them: Do you not understand this parable? And so, how will you understand all the parables?14 He who sows, sows the word.15 Now there are those who are along the way, where the word is sown. And when they have heard it, Satan quickly comes and takes away the word, which was sown in their hearts.16 And similarly, there are those who were sown upon stony ground. These, when they have heard the word, immediately accept it with gladness.17 But they have no root in themselves, and so they are for a limited time. And when next tribulation and persecution arises because of the word, they quickly fall away.18 And there are others who are sown among thorns. These are those who hear the word,19 but worldly tasks, and the deception of riches, and desires about other things enter in and suffocate the word, and it is effectively without fruit.20 And there are those who are sown upon good soil, who hear the word and accept it; and these bear fruit: some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred.21 And he said to them: Would someone enter with a lamp in order to place it under a basket or under a bed? Would it not be placed upon a lampstand?22 For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. Neither was anything done in secret, except that it may be made public.23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.24 And he said to them: Consider what you hear. With whatever measure you have measured out, it shall be measured back to you, and more shall be added to you.25 For whoever has, to him it shall be given. And whoever has not, from him even what he has shall be taken away.26 And he said: The kingdom of God is like this: it is as if a man were to cast seed on the land.27 And he sleeps and he arises, night and day. And the seed germinates and grows, though he does not know it.28 For the earth bears fruit readily: first the plant, then the ear, next the full grain in the ear.29 And when the fruit has been produced, immediately he sends out the sickle, because the harvest has arrived.30 And he said: To what should we compare the kingdom of God? Or to what parable should we compare it?31 It is like a grain of mustard seed which, when it has been sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds which are in the earth.32 And when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all the plants, and it produces great branches, so much so that the birds of the air are able to live under its shadow.33 And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as much as they were able to hear.34 But he did not speak to them without a parable. Yet separately, he explained all things to his disciples.35 And on that day, when evening had arrived, he said to them, Let us cross over.36 And dismissing the crowd, they brought him, so that he was in one boat, and other boats were with him.37 And a great wind storm occurred, and the waves broke over the boat, so that the boat was being filled.38 And he was in the stern of the boat, sleeping on a pillow. And they woke him and said to him, Teacher, does it not concern you that we are perishing?39 And rising up, he rebuked the wind, and he said to the sea: Silence. Be stilled. And the wind ceased. And a great tranquility occurred.40 And he said to them: Why are you afraid? Do you still lack faith? And they were struck with a great fear. And they said to one another, Who do you think this is, that both wind and 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