Mark 4
1 Jesus began teaching beside the Sea again. So many people came to listen to him that he climbed into a boat and sat in it on the water while the crowd listened from the shore.
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 He illustrated his teachings using many stories.
And he taught them many things in parables, and said unto them in his teaching,
3 “Listen,” he said. “A sower went out to sow.
Hearken: Behold, the sower went forth to sow:
4 Now as he was scattering the seeds, some fell on the path, and birds came and ate them up.
and it came to pass, as he sowed, some [seed] fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured it.
5 Other seeds fell on stony ground where there wasn't much earth. In the shallow soil the plants started growing quickly, but because the soil wasn't deep
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 they were scorched when the sun came up. Since they didn't have any real roots, they soon withered.
and when the sun was risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 Other seeds fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and choked the sprouting seeds, so they produced nothing.
And other fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 Other seeds fell on good soil where they sprouted and grew. They produced a harvest of some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred times what was planted.
And others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing; and brought forth, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.
9 If you have ears to hear, listen to what I'm saying.”
And he said, Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10 When he was by himself, his twelve disciples and the others who were with him asked him what the illustrations meant.
And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parables.
11 He told them, “The mystery of God's kingdom has been given to you to understand. But outsiders only have the stories,
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 so that even though they see, they don't really ‘see,’ and even though they hear, they don't understand, otherwise they might turn to me and be forgiven.”
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 “Don't you understand this story?” Jesus asked them. “If you can't, how are you going to understand all the other stories?
And he saith unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how shall ye know all the parables?
14 The sower sows the word.
The sower soweth the word.
15 The seeds on the path where the word is sown illustrate those who hear the message, but then Satan immediately comes along and takes away the word that's been sown in them.
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 Likewise the seeds on the rocky ground illustrate those who hear the word, and happily accept it right away.
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 But since they have no real roots, they only last for a while until trouble or persecution comes, and then they quickly fall away.
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 Those sown among the thorns illustrate those who hear the word,
And others are they that are sown among the thorns; these are they that have heard the word,
19 but worries of this world, the temptation of wealth, and other distractions choke the growth of the word, and it becomes unproductive. (aiōn g165)
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. (aiōn g165)
20 But the seeds sown on good soil illustrate those who hear the word, accept it, and are productive—producing thirty, sixty, and hundred times what was originally sown.
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 Who puts a lamp under a bucket, or beneath a bed?” Jesus asked them. “No, you put a lamp up on a lamp-stand.
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 Everything that is hidden will be revealed, and everything that is secret will be brought out into the open.
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 you have ears to hear, listen to what I'm saying!
If any man hath ears to hear, let him hear.
24 Pay attention to what you're hearing,” he told them, “for you will be given according to how much you want to receive, measure for measure.
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 More will be given to those who already have understanding, but those who don't want to know will have what little understanding they have taken from them.
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 God's kingdom is like a man sowing seed in the ground,” Jesus said.
And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed upon the earth;
27 “He goes to bed and gets up, day after day, but the man has no knowledge of how the seeds sprout and grow.
and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he knoweth not how.
28 The earth produces a harvest by itself. First a shoot appears, then the heads of grain, and then the heads of grain ripen.
The earth beareth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear.
29 When the grain is ripe, the farmer reaps it with a sickle, because the harvest is ready.
But when the fruit is ripe, straightway he putteth forth the sickle, because the harvest is come.
30 What can we compare God's kingdom to? What illustration shall we use?” he asked.
And he said, How shall we liken the kingdom of God? or in what parable shall we set it forth?
31 “It's like a mustard seed, the tiniest seed of all.
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 But when it's sown it grows into a plant that's larger than other plants. It has branches big enough that birds can roost in its shade.”
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 Jesus used many of these illustrated stories when he spoke to the people so they would understand as much as they could.
And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it:
34 In fact, when he spoke publicly, he only used stories; however in private he explained everything to his disciples.
and without a parable spake he not unto them: but privately to his own disciples he expounded all things.
35 Later that day, in the evening, he said to his disciples, “Let's go across to the other side of the Sea.”
And on that day, when even was come, he saith unto them, Let us go over unto the other side.
36 Leaving the crowd behind, the disciples went with Jesus and got into a boat. Other boats went with them.
And leaving the multitude, they take him with them, even as he was, in the boat. And other boats were with him.
37 Soon a terrible storm started blowing, and waves crashed against the boat, filling it with water.
And there ariseth a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the boat, insomuch that the boat was now filling.
38 Jesus was asleep in the stern, resting his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting at him, “Teacher, don't you care that we're about to drown?”
And he himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39 Jesus woke up. He told the wind to die down and told the waves, “Be quiet! Be still.” The wind stopped, and the water became completely calm.
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 “Why are you so frightened? Haven't you learned to trust me?” he asked them.
And he said unto them, Why are ye fearful? have ye not yet faith?
41 They were stunned and terrified. They asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
