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Mark 4

Parable of the Sower and Soils

1 He began to teach again by the sea. And such a very large crowd gathered to Him that He got into a boat in the sea and sat down; and the whole crowd was by the sea on the land.2 And He was teaching them many things in parables, and was saying to them in His teaching,3 "Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow;4 as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up.5 Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil.6 And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.7 Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.8 Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."9 And He was saying, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

10 As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables.11 And He was saying to them, "To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables,12 so that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND, OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN."

Explanation

13 And He *said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables?14 The sower sows the word.15 These are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them.16 In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy;17 and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.18 And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word,19 but the worries of the tworld, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.20 And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."

21 And He was saying to them, "A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand?22 For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light.23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."24 And He was saying to them, "Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides.25 For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him."

Parable of the Seed

26 And He was saying, "The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil;27 and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows-how, he himself does not know.28 The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head.29 But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."

Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 And He said, "How shall we tpicture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it?31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil,32 yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that THE BIRDS OF THE tAIR can NEST UNDER ITS SHADE."

33 With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it;34 and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples.

Jesus Stills the Sea

35 On that day, when evening came, He *said to them, "Let us go over to the other side."36 Leaving the crowd, they *took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him.37 And there *arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up.38 Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they *woke Him and *said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"39 And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.40 And He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"41 They became very much afraid and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"

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?