Mark 4
4
The Parable of the Sower
1Again#Mt 13:1–15; Lk 8:4–10 he began to teach#Mt 28:20; Ac 4:2; 2Tm 4:11 by the sea, and a very large crowd gathered around him. So he got into a boat on the sea and sat down, while the whole crowd was by the sea on the shore. 2He taught them many things in parables,#Mk 12:1 and in his teaching#Mk 11:18; Ac 2:42; 17:19 he said to them, 3“Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.#Gl 6:7 4As he sowed, some seed fell along the path,#Mk 8:27 and the birds came and devoured#Gl 5:15 it. 5Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly,#Mk 10:52 since the soil wasn’t deep. 6When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.#Mk 3:1 7Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce fruit. 8Still other seed fell on good ground and it grew up, producing fruit that increased#1Pt 2:2 thirty, sixty, and a hundred times.”#Jn 15:5; Col 1:6 9Then he said, “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”#Is 6:9; Jr 5:21; Ezk 12:2; Mk 8:18; Lk 14:35
Why Jesus Used Parables
10When he was alone, those around him with the Twelve#Mk 11:11 asked him about the parables.#Mk 12:1 11He answered them, “The secret#1Co 2:7 of the kingdom of God#Mk 1:15 has been given to you, but to those outside,#Rm 9:27 everything comes in parables 12so that
they may indeed look,
and yet not perceive;
they may indeed listen,
and yet not understand; #
Mk 7:18
otherwise, they might turn back
and be forgiven.” # 4:12 Other mss read and their sins be forgiven them # 4:12 Is 6:9–10 #
Is 6:9–10
The Parable of the Sower Explained
13Then#Mt 13:18–23; Lk 8:9–15 he said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable?#Mk 12:1 How then will you understand all of the parables? 14The sower sows#Gl 6:7 the word.#Mk 16:20 15Some are like the word sown on the path.#Mk 8:27 When they hear, immediately Satan#Mt 4:10 comes and takes away the word#Lk 6:47 sown in them.#4:15 Other mss read in their hearts 16And others are like seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy.#Jn 5:43; 15:11 17But they have no root; they are short-lived. When distress#2Co 1:4 or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately fall away.#Jn 16:1 18Others are like seed sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, 19but the worries#1Pt 5:7 of this age,#Lk 16:8; Eph 1:21 the deceitfulness#4:19 Or seduction#Mt 13:22 of wealth,#Mt 13:22; Lk 8:14 and the desires#2Pt 1:4; 2:10 for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.#Rm 1:13; Ti 3:14; Jd 12 20And those like seed sown on good ground hear the word,#Lk 6:47 welcome it, and produce fruit#Col 1:10 thirty, sixty, and a hundred times what was sown.”
Using Your Light
21He#Lk 8:16–18 also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed?#Lk 5:18 Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand?#Rv 1:12 22For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed,#2Co 4:11 and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light. 23If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen.”#Mk 4:9 24And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure#2Co 10:13 you use,#Mt 7:2; Lk 6:38 it will be measured to you — and more will be added#Lk 17:5 to you. 25For whoever has, more will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”#Mt 25:29; Lk 19:26
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26 “The kingdom of God #
Mk 1:15
is like this,” he said. “A man scatters seed on the ground. 27He sleeps#Mt 9:24 and rises#Mk 5:41 night#Jn 9:4 and day; the seed sprouts and grows, although he doesn’t know how. 28The soil produces a crop#Col 1:10 by itself — first the blade, then the head, and then the full grain#Lk 16:7 on the head. 29As soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle,#Jl 3:13; Rv 14:14–19 because the harvest#Rv 14:15 has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30And#Mt 13:31–35; Lk 13:18–21 he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God,#Mk 1:15 or what parable#Mk 12:1 can we use to describe it? 31It’s like a mustard seed#Mt 17:20; Lk 17:6 that, when sown upon the soil, is the smallest of all the seeds on the ground. 32And when sown,#Gl 6:7 it comes up and grows taller than all the garden plants,#Lk 11:42 and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky#Mt 24:35; Lk 12:33; Ac 17:24; Eph 6:9; Rv 21:10 can nest in its shade.”
Using Parables
33He was speaking the word#Lk 6:47; Jn 18:32 to them with many parables#Mk 12:1 like these, as they were able to understand.#Jn 16:12 34He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, he explained everything to his own disciples.#Mt 9:10; Mk 10:10; Lk 6:1; Jn 6:3; Ac 6:1
Wind and Waves Obey Jesus
35On#Mt 8:23–27; Lk 8:22–25 that day, when evening had come, he told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” 36So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him. 37A great windstorm#Ps 107:25; Jnh 1:5–6 arose, and the waves#Jd 13 were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38He was in the stern, sleeping#Mt 9:24 on the cushion. So they woke him up#Mk 5:41 and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?” #Jn 6:27
39He got up, rebuked#2Tm 4:2 the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence!#Mt 22:12; Mk 3:4 Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid?#Mt 8:26; Rv 21:8 Do you still have no faith?”
41And they were terrified#4:41 Or were filled with awe#Rv 11:11 and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey#Mk 1:27 him!” #Jnh 1:10,16; Mk 6:50–51
Currently Selected:
Mark 4: CSB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Mark 4
4
The Parable of the Sower
1Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”
9Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
10When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12so that,
“ ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’ # 4:12
Isaiah 6:9,10 ”
13Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14The farmer sows the word. 15Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”
A Lamp on a Stand
21He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? 22For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”
24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
33With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand. 34He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
Jesus Calms the Storm
35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®
Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.