Mark 4
4
The Story of the Farmer
1Jesus began to teach again by the Sea of Galilee. A very large crowd gathered around him, so he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake while all the people stayed along the shore at the water’s edge. 2He taught them many things by telling them stories. In his teaching he said, 3“Listen! A farmer went out to plant his seed. 4As he scattered the seed, some fell on a path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some seed fell on rocky places, where there wasn’t much soil. The plants came up quickly because the soil wasn’t deep. 6But when the sun came up, it burned the plants and they dried up, because they had no roots. 7Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and crowded out the plants, so they didn’t bear any grain. 8But still other seed fell on good soil. There it grew up and produced a crop that was 30, 60, or even 100 times more than the farmer planted.”
9Then Jesus said, “Whoever understands should take this to heart.”
10Later, when Jesus was alone, the 12 disciples and others around him asked about the stories. 11He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but for outsiders, everything is told in stories. 12That way,
“ ‘They’ll see but never know what they’re seeing,
They’ll hear but never understand.
Otherwise, they might turn and be forgiven!’ ”
13Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this story? Then how will you understand any of the stories? 14The seed that the farmer plants is God’s message. 15Some of the seed that was scattered fell on a path. It stands for what happens when people hear the message but then Satan comes immediately and takes away what was planted in them. 16The seed that was scattered on rocky places represents other people who hear the message and right away receive it with joy. 17But because they have no roots, they last only a short time. When trouble or suffering comes because of the message, they quickly fall away from the faith. 18Still others, like the seed that was scattered among thorns, hear the message, 19but then the worries of this life, the false promises of wealth, and the desire for other things crowd out the message and keep it from producing fruit. 20And some people, like the seed that was scattered on good soil, hear the message, accept it, and produce a good crop that’s 30, 60, or even 100 times more than what was planted.”
A Lamp Belongs on a Stand
21Jesus said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp and then put it under a large bowl or a bed? Don’t you put it on its stand? 22There’s nothing hidden that won’t be seen, and there’s nothing that has been put out of sight that won’t be brought out into the open. 23Whoever understands should take this to heart.
24“Think carefully about what you hear,” he said. “The more you do so, the more you will receive—even more than you put into it. 25Whoever has something will be given more, but if anyone lacks something, even what they have will be taken away from them.”
The Story of the Growing Seed
26Jesus also said, “Here’s what the kingdom of God is like. A farmer scatters seed on the ground. 27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows. The farmer doesn’t know how that happens. 28All by itself the soil produces grain. First the stalk comes up, then the head forms, and finally the full grain appears in the head. 29As soon as the grain ripens, the farmer brings it in, because the harvest is ready.”
The Story of the Mustard Seed
30Then Jesus asked, “What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What story can we use to explain it? 31It’s like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32But when it’s planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants. Its branches are so big that birds can rest in its shade.”
33Jesus spoke the message to them using many stories like these, telling them as much as they could understand. 34He didn’t teach them anything without using a story. But when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.
Jesus Calms the Storm
35When evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” 36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along in the boat just as he was. Other boats came along as well. 37The wind got very strong and waves started crashing over the boat, so that it was about to sink. 38Jesus was in the back, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him up and said, “Teacher! Don’t you care if we drown?”
39He got up and ordered the wind to stop, and he said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” The wind died down and everything became completely calm.
40Jesus asked his disciples, “Why were you so afraid? Don’t you have any faith yet?”
41They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
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Radiate™ New Testament
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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. In 1955 the Douay-Rheims Challoner Bible received the Imprimatur ✠ of the English Catholic Church from the Archbishop of Westminster.