Mark 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!”

Currently Selected:

Mark 4: RAD

Highlight

Copy

Compare

Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in

Radiate™ New Testament

Learn More About Radiate New Testament

Mark 4

A Story about a Farmer

(Matthew 13:1–23; Luke 8:4–15)

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. The boat was in the water while the entire crowd lined the shore. 2He used stories as illustrations to teach them many things.

While he was teaching them, he said, 3“Listen! A farmer went to plant seed. 4Some seeds were planted along the road, and birds came and devoured them. 5Other seeds were planted on rocky ground, where there wasn’t much soil. The plants sprouted quickly because the soil wasn’t deep. 6When the sun came up, they were scorched. They didn’t have any roots, so they withered. 7Other seeds were planted among thornbushes. The thornbushes grew up and choked them, and they didn’t produce anything. 8But other seeds were planted on good ground, sprouted, and produced thirty, sixty, or one hundred times as much as was planted.” 9He added, “Let the person who has ears listen!”

10When he was alone with his followers and the twelve apostles, they asked him about the stories.

11Jesus replied to them, “The mystery about God’s kingdom has been given ⌞directly⌟ to you. To those on the outside, it is given in stories:

12‘They see clearly but don’t perceive.

They hear clearly but don’t understand.

They never return to me

and are never forgiven.’ ”

13Jesus asked them, “Don’t you understand this story? How, then, will you understand any of the stories I use as illustrations?

14“The farmer plants the word. 15Some people are like seeds that were planted along the road. Whenever they hear the word, Satan comes at once and takes away the word that was planted in them. 16Other people are like seeds that were planted on rocky ground. Whenever they hear the word, they accept it at once with joy. 17But they don’t develop any roots. They last for a short time. When suffering or persecution comes along because of the word, they immediately fall ⌞from faith⌟. 18Other people are like seeds planted among thornbushes. They hear the word, 19but the worries of life, the deceitful pleasures of riches, and the desires for other things take over. They choke the word so that it can’t produce anything. 20Others are like seeds planted on good ground. They hear the word, accept it, and produce crops—thirty, sixty, or one hundred times as much as was planted.”

A Story about a Lamp

21Jesus said to them, “Does anyone bring a lamp into a room to put it under a basket or under a bed? Isn’t it put on a lamp stand? 22There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. There is nothing kept secret that will not come to light. 23Let the person who has ears listen!”

24He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you’re listening to! ⌞Knowledge⌟ will be measured out to you by the measure ⌞of attention⌟ you give. This is the way knowledge increases. 25Those who understand ⌞these mysteries⌟ will be given ⌞more knowledge⌟. However, some people don’t understand ⌞these mysteries⌟. Even what they understand will be taken away from them.”

A Story about Seeds That Grow

26Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seeds on the ground. 27He sleeps at night and is awake during the day. The seeds sprout and grow, although the man doesn’t know how. 28The ground produces grain by itself. First the green blade appears, then the head, then the head full of grain. 29As soon as the grain is ready, he cuts it with a sickle, because harvest time has come.”

A Story about a Mustard Seed

(Matthew 13:31–32; Luke 13:18–19)

30Jesus asked, “How can we show what God’s kingdom is like? To what can we compare it? 31It’s like a mustard seed planted in the ground. The mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds on earth. 32However, when planted, it comes up and becomes taller than all the garden plants. It grows such large branches that birds can nest in its shade.”

33Jesus spoke ⌞God’s⌟ word to them using many illustrations like these. In this way people could understand what he taught. 34He did not speak to them without using an illustration. But when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.

Jesus Calms the Sea

(Matthew 8:23–27; Luke 8:22–25)

35That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side.”

36Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus along in a boat just as he was. Other boats were with him.

37A violent windstorm came up. The waves were breaking into the boat so that it was quickly filling up. 38But he was sleeping on a cushion in the back of the boat.

So they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to die?”

39Then he got up, ordered the wind to stop, and said to the sea, “Be still, absolutely still!” The wind stopped blowing, and the sea became very calm.

40He asked them, “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith yet?”

41They were overcome with fear and asked each other, “Who is this man? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”

Currently Selected:

Highlight

Copy

Compare

Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in

Learn More About GOD'S WORD