Mark 4
4
A Story About Planting Seed
1Again Jesus began teaching by the lake. A great crowd gathered around him, so he sat down in a boat near the shore. All the people stayed on the shore close to the water. 2Jesus taught them many things, using stories. He said, 3“Listen! A farmer went out to plant his seed. 4While he was planting, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some seed fell on rocky ground where there wasn’t much dirt. That seed grew very fast, because the ground was not deep. 6But when the sun rose, the plants dried up because they did not have deep roots. 7Some other seed fell among thorny weeds, which grew and choked the good plants. So those plants did not produce a crop. 8Some other seed fell on good ground and began to grow. It got taller and produced a crop. Some plants made thirty times more, some made sixty times more, and some made a hundred times more.”
9Then Jesus said, “Let those with ears use them and listen!”
Jesus Tells Why He Used Stories
10Later, when Jesus was alone, the twelve apostles and others around him asked him about the stories.
11Jesus said, “You can know the secret about the kingdom of God. But to other people I tell everything by using stories 12so that:
‘They will look and look, but they will not learn.
They will listen and listen, but they will not understand.
If they did learn and understand,
they would come back to me and be forgiven.’ ”#Isaiah 6:9–10
Jesus Explains the Seed Story
13Then Jesus said to his followers, “Don’t you understand this story? If you don’t, how will you understand any story? 14The farmer is like a person who plants God’s message in people. 15Sometimes the teaching falls on the road. This is like the people who hear the teaching of God, but Satan quickly comes and takes away the teaching that was planted in them. 16Others are like the seed planted on rocky ground. They hear the teaching and quickly accept it with joy. 17But since they don’t allow the teaching to go deep into their lives, they keep it only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching they accepted, they quickly give up. 18Others are like the seed planted among the thorny weeds. They hear the teaching, 19but the worries of this life, the temptation of wealth, and many other evil desires keep the teaching from growing and producing fruit in their lives. 20Others are like the seed planted in the good ground. They hear the teaching and accept it. Then they grow and produce fruit—sometimes thirty times more, sometimes sixty times more, and sometimes a hundred times more.”
Use What You Have
21Then Jesus said to them, “Do you hide a lamp under a bowl or under a bed? No! You put the lamp on a lampstand. 22Everything that is hidden will be made clear and every secret thing will be made known. 23Let those with ears use them and listen!
24“Think carefully about what you hear. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you, but God will give you even more. 25Those who have understanding will be given more. But those who do not have understanding, even what they have will be taken away from them.”
Jesus Uses a Story About Seed
26Then Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is like someone who plants seed in the ground. 27Night and day, whether the person is asleep or awake, the seed still grows, but the person does not know how it grows. 28By itself the earth produces grain. First the plant grows, then the head, and then all the grain in the head. 29When the grain is ready, the farmer cuts it, because this is the harvest time.”
A Story About Mustard Seed
30Then Jesus said, “How can I show you what the kingdom of God is like? What story can I use to explain it? 31The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, the smallest seed you plant in the ground. 32But when planted, this seed grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants. It produces large branches, and the wild birds can make nests in its shade.”
33Jesus used many stories like these to teach the crowd God’s message—as much as they could understand. 34He always used stories to teach them. But when he and his followers were alone, Jesus explained everything to them.
Jesus Calms a Storm
35That evening, Jesus said to his followers, “Let’s go across the lake.” 36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him in the boat just as he was. There were also other boats with them. 37A very strong wind came up on the lake. The waves came over the sides and into the boat so that it was already full of water. 38Jesus was at the back of the boat, sleeping with his head on a cushion. His followers woke him and said, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are drowning!”
39Jesus stood up and commanded the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind stopped, and it became completely calm.
40Jesus said to his followers, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41The followers were very afraid and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
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Mark 4: NCV
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
St Mark 4
4
1AND again he began to teach by the sea side; and a great multitude was gathered together unto him, so that he went up into a ship, and sat in the sea; and all the multitude was upon the land by the sea side.
2And he taught them many things in parables, and said unto them in his doctrine:
3Hear ye: Behold, the sower went out to sow.
4And whilst he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the birds of the air came and ate it up.
5And other some fell upon stony ground, where it had not much earth; and it shot up immediately, because it had no depth of earth.
6And when the sun was risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8And some fell upon good ground; and brought forth fruit that grew up, and increased and yielded, one thirty, another sixty, and another a hundred.
9And he said: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10And when he was alone, the twelve that were with him asked him the parable.
11And he said to them: To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but to them that are without, all things are done in parables:
12That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand: lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
13And he saith to them: Are you ignorant of this parable? and how shall you know all parables?
14He that soweth, soweth the word.
15And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown, and as soon as they have heard, immediately Satan cometh and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
16And these likewise are they that are sown on the stony ground: who when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy.
17And they have no root in themselves, but are only for a time: and then when tribulation and persecution ariseth for the word they are presently scandalized.
18And others there are who are sown among thorns: these are they that hear the word,
19And the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts after other things entering in choke the word, and it is made fruitless.
20And these are they who are sown upon the good ground, who hear the word, and receive it, and yield fruit, the one thirty, another sixty, and another a hundred.
21And he said to them: Doth a candle come in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
22For there is nothing hid, which shall not be made manifest: neither was it made secret, but that it may come abroad.
23If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
24And he said to them: Take heed what you hear. In what measure you shall mete, it shall be measured to you again, and more shall be given to you.
25For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, that also which he hath shall be taken away from him.
26And he said: So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the earth,
27And should sleep, and rise, night and day, and the seed should spring, and grow up whilst he knoweth not.
28For the earth of itself bringeth forth fruit, first the blade, then the ear, afterwards the full corn in the ear.
29And when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
30And he said: To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? or to what parable shall we compare it?
31It is as a grain of mustard seed: which when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that are in the earth:
32And when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches, so that the birds of the air may dwell under the shadow thereof.
33And with many such parables, he spoke to them the word, according as they were able to hear.
34And without parable he did not speak unto them; but apart, he explained all things to his disciples.
35And he saith to them that day, when evening was come: Let us pass over to the other side.
36And sending away the multitude, they take him even as he was in the ship: and there were other ships with him.
37And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that the ship was filled.
38And he was in the hinder part of the ship, sleeping upon a pillow; and they awake him, and say to him: Master, doth it not concern thee that we perish?
39And rising up, he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea: Peace, be still. And the wind ceased: and there was made a great calm.
40And he said to them: Why are you fearful? have you not faith yet? And they feared exceedingly: and they said one to another: Who is this (thinkest thou) that both wind and sea obey him?
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An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.