Mark 4
4
A Story About a Farmer Sowing Seed
(Mt. 13:1–9; Lk. 8:4–8)
1Another time Jesus began teaching by the lake, and a large crowd gathered around him. He got into a boat so that he could sit and teach from the lake. All the people stayed on the shore near the water. 2Jesus used stories to teach them many things. One of his lessons included this story:
3“Listen! A farmer went out to sow seed. 4While he was scattering the seed, some of it fell by the road. The birds came and ate all that seed. 5Other seed fell on rocky ground, where there was not enough dirt. It grew quickly there because the soil was not deep. 6But then the sun rose and the plants were burned. They died because they did not have deep roots. 7Some other seed fell among thorny weeds. The weeds grew and stopped the good plants from growing. So they did not make grain. 8But some of the seed fell on good ground. There it began to grow, and it made grain. Some plants made 30 times more grain, some 60 times more, and some 100 times more.”
9Then Jesus said, “You people who hear me, listen!”
Why Jesus Used Stories to Teach
(Mt. 13:10–17; Lk. 8:9–10)
10Later, Jesus was away from the people. The twelve apostles and his other followers asked him about the stories.
11Jesus said, “Only you can know the secret truth about God’s kingdom. But to those other people I tell everything by using stories. 12I do this so that
‘They will look and look but never really see;
they will listen and listen but never understand.
If they saw and understood,
they might change and be forgiven.’” Isaiah 6:9-10
Jesus Explains the Story About Seed
(Mt. 13:18–23; Lk. 8:11–15)
13Then Jesus said to the followers, “Do you understand this story? If you don’t, how will you understand any story? 14The farmer is like someone who plants God’s teaching in people. 15Sometimes the teaching falls on the path. That is like some people who hear the teaching of God. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the teaching that was planted in them.
16“Other people are like the seed planted on rocky ground. They hear the teaching, and they quickly and gladly accept it. 17But they don’t allow it to go deep into their lives. They keep it only a short time. As soon as trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching they accepted, they give up.
18“Others are like the seed planted among the thorny weeds. They hear the teaching, 19but their lives become full of other things: the worries of this life, the love of money, and everything else they want. This keeps the teaching from growing, and it does not produce a crop#4:19 produce a crop Meaning to do the good things God wants his people to do. in their lives.
20“And others are like the seed planted on the good ground. They hear the teaching and accept it. Then they grow and produce a good crop—sometimes 30 times more, sometimes 60 times more, and sometimes 100 times more.”
Use the Understanding You Have
(Lk. 8:16–18)
21Then Jesus said to them, “You don’t take a lamp and hide it under a bowl or a bed, do you? Of course not. You put it on a lampstand. 22Everything that is hidden will be made clear. Every secret thing will be made known. 23You people who hear me, listen! 24Think carefully about what you are hearing. God will know how much to give you by how much you understand now. But he will give you more than you deserve. 25The people who have some understanding will receive more. But those who do not have much will lose even the small amount they have.”
Jesus Uses a Story About Seed
26Then Jesus said, “God’s kingdom is like a man who plants seed in the ground. 27The seed begins to grow. It grows night and day. It doesn’t matter whether the man is sleeping or awake, the seed still grows. He doesn’t know how it happens. 28Without any help the ground produces grain. First the plant grows, then the head, and then all the grain in the head. 29When the grain is ready, the man cuts it. This is the harvest time.”
What Is God’s Kingdom Like?
(Mt. 13:31–32, 34–35; Lk. 13:18–19)
30Then Jesus said, “What can I use to show you what God’s kingdom is like? What story can I use to explain it? 31God’s kingdom is like a mustard seed, which is smaller than any other seed on earth that you can plant. 32But when you plant it, it grows and becomes the largest of all the plants in your garden. It has branches that are very big. The wild birds can come and make nests there and be protected from the sun.”
33Jesus used many stories like these to teach the people. He taught them all they could understand. 34He always used stories to teach them. But when he was alone with his followers, Jesus explained everything to them.
Jesus’ Followers See His Power
(Mt. 8:23–27; Lk. 8:22–25)
35That day, at evening, Jesus said to his followers, “Come with me across the lake.” 36So they left the crowd behind and went with Jesus in the boat he was already in. There were also other boats that went with them. 37A very bad wind came up on the lake. The waves were coming over the sides and into the boat, and it was almost full of water. 38Jesus was inside the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. The followers went and woke him. They said, “Teacher, don’t you care about us? We are going to drown!”
39Jesus stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. He said, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind stopped, and the lake became calm.
40He said to his followers, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41They were very afraid and asked each other, “What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the water obey him!”
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© 1987, 2004 Bible League International
Mark 4
4
The Parable of the Sower
(Matthew 13.1-23; Luke 8.4-15)
1 #
Luke 5.1-3. And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. 2And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, 3Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: 4and it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the wayside, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 5And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: 6but when the sun was up, 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 other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased, and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some a hundred. 9And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable. 11And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
12 #
Isa 6.9,10. that 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 said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? 14The sower soweth the word. 15And these are they by the wayside, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. 18And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. 20And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.
A Candle under a Bushel
(Luke 8.16-18)
21 #
Matt 5.15; Luke 11.33. And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick? 22#Matt 10.26; Luke 12.2. For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. 23If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. 24#Matt 7.2; Luke 6.38. And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear. With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you; and unto you that hear shall more be given. 25#Matt 13.12; 25.29; Luke 19.26. For he that hath, to him shall be given; and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; 27and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. 28For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. 29But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
(Matthew 13.31,32; Luke 13.18,19)
30And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? 31It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth: 32but when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
Jesus' Use of Parables
(Matthew 13.34,35)
33And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it. 34But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
Jesus Calms a Storm
(Matthew 8.23-27; Luke 8.22-25)
35And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side. 36And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
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King James Version 1611, spelling, punctuation and text formatting modernized by ABS in 1962; typesetting © 2010 American Bible Society.