Mark 4
4
The Parable of the Sower
(Mt 13.1–9; Lk 8.4–8)
1 #
Lk 5.1–3
Again Jesus began to teach beside Lake Galilee. The crowd that gathered round him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it. The boat was out in the water, and the crowd stood on the shore at the water's edge. 2He used parables to teach them many things, saying to them:
3 “Listen! Once there was a man who went out to sow corn. 4As he scattered the seed in the field, some of it fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some of it fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil. The seeds soon sprouted, because the soil wasn't deep. 6Then, when the sun came up, it burnt the young plants; and because the roots had not grown deep enough, the plants soon dried up. 7Some of the seed fell among thorn bushes, which grew up and choked the plants, and they didn't produce any corn. 8But some seeds fell in good soil, and the plants sprouted, grew, and produced corn: some had thirty grains, others sixty, and others 100.”
9And Jesus concluded, “Listen, then, if you have ears!”
The Purpose of the Parables
(Mt 13.10–17; Lk 8.9–10)
10When Jesus was alone, some of those who had heard him came to him with the twelve disciples and asked him to explain the parables. 11“You have been given the secret of the Kingdom of God,” Jesus answered. “But the others, who are on the outside, hear all things by means of parables, 12#Is 6.9–10 (LXX)so that,
‘They may look and look,
yet not see;
they may listen and listen,
yet not understand.
For if they did, they would turn to God,
and he would forgive them.’ ”
Jesus Explains the Parable of the Sower
(Mt 13.18–23; Lk 8.11–15)
13Then Jesus asked them, “Don't you understand this parable? How, then, will you ever understand any parable? 14The sower sows God's message. 15Some people are like the seeds that fall along the path; as soon as they hear the message, Satan comes and takes it away. 16Other people are like the seeds that fall on rocky ground. As soon as they hear the message, they receive it gladly. 17But it does not sink deep into them, and they don't last long. So when trouble or persecution comes because of the message, they give up at once. 18Other people are like the seeds sown among the thorn bushes. These are the ones who hear the message, 19but the worries about this life, the love for riches, and all other kinds of desires crowd in and choke the message, and they don't bear fruit. 20But other people are like the seeds sown in good soil. They hear the message, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirty, some sixty, and some 100.”
A Lamp under a Bowl
(Lk 8.16–18)
21 #
Mt 5.15; Lk 11.33 Jesus continued, “Does anyone ever bring in a lamp and put it under a bowl or under the bed? Doesn't he put it on the lampstand? 22#Mt 10.26; Lk 12.2Whatever is hidden away will be brought out into the open, and whatever is covered up will be uncovered. 23Listen, then, if you have ears!”
24 #
Mt 7.2; Lk 6.38 He also said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear! The same rules you use to judge others will be used by God to judge you — but with even greater severity. 25#Mt 13.12; 25.29; Lk 19.26Those who have something will be given more, and those who have nothing will have taken away from them even the little they have.”
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26Jesus went on to say, “The Kingdom of God is like this. A man scatters seed in his field. 27He sleeps at night, is up and about during the day, and all the while the seeds are sprouting and growing. Yet he does not know how it happens. 28The soil itself makes the plants grow and bear fruit; first the tender stalk appears, then the ear, and finally the ear full of corn. 29#Joel 3.13When the corn is ripe, the man starts cutting it with his sickle, because harvest time has come.
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
(Mt 13.31–32, 34; Lk 13.18–19)
30 “What shall we say the Kingdom of God is like?” asked Jesus. “What parable shall we use to explain it? 31It is like this. A man takes a mustard seed, the smallest seed in the world, and plants it in the ground. 32After a while it grows up and becomes the biggest of all plants. It puts out such large branches that the birds come and make their nests in its shade.”
33Jesus preached his message to the people, using many other parables like these; he told them as much as they could understand. 34He would not speak to them without using parables, but when he was alone with his disciples, he would explain everything to them.
Jesus Calms a Storm
(Mt 8.23–27; Lk 8.22–25)
35On the evening of that same day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” 36So they left the crowd; the disciples got into the boat in which Jesus was already sitting, and they took him with them. Other boats were there too. 37Suddenly a strong wind blew up, and the waves began to spill over into the boat, so that it was about to fill with water. 38Jesus was in the back of the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. The disciples woke him up and said, “Teacher, don't you care that we are about to die?”
39Jesus stood up and commanded the wind, “Be quiet!” and he said to the waves, “Be still!” The wind died down, and there was a great calm. 40Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Why are you frightened? Have you still no faith?”
41But they were terribly afraid and said to one another, “Who is this man? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
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Mark 4: GNBDC
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Good News Bible. Scripture taken from the Good News Bible (r) (Today's English Version Second Edition, UK/British Edition). Copyright © 1992 British & Foreign Bible Society. Used by permission.
Mark 4
4
1 And again, he began to teach by the sea. And a great crowd was gathered to him, so much so that, climbing into a boat, he was seated on the sea. And the entire crowd was on the land along the sea.
2 And he taught them many things in parables, and he said to them, in his doctrine:
3 "Listen. Behold, the sower went out to sow.
4 And while he was sowing, some fell along the way, and the birds of the air came and ate it.
5 Yet truly, others fell upon stony ground, where it did not have much soil. And it rose up quickly, because it had no depth of soil.
6 And when the sun was risen, it was scorched. And because it had no root, it withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns. And the thorns grew up and suffocated it, and it did not produce fruit.
8 And some fell on good soil. And it brought forth fruit that grew up, and increased, and yielded: some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred."
9 And he said, "Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear."
10 And when he was alone, the twelve, who were with him, questioned him about the parable.
11 And he said to them: "To you, it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to those who are outside, everything is presented in parables:
12 'so that, seeing, they may see, and not perceive; and hearing, they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they may be converted, and their sins would be forgiven them.' "
13 And he said to them: "Do you not understand this parable? And so, how will you understand all the parables?
14 He who sows, sows the word.
15 Now there are those who are along the way, where the word is sown. And when they have heard it, Satan quickly comes and takes away the word, which was sown in their hearts.
16 And similarly, there are those who were sown upon stony ground. These, when they have heard the word, immediately accept it with gladness.
17 But they have no root in themselves, and so they are for a limited time. And when next tribulation and persecution arises because of the word, they quickly fall away.
18 And there are others who are sown among thorns. These are those who hear the word,
19 but worldly tasks, and the deception of riches, and desires about other things enter in and suffocate the word, and it is effectively without fruit.
20 And there are those who are sown upon good soil, who hear the word and accept it; and these bear fruit: some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred."
21 And he said to them: "Would someone enter with a lamp in order to place it under a basket or under a bed? Would it not be placed upon a lampstand?
22 For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. Neither was anything done in secret, except that it may be made public.
23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."
24 And he said to them: "Consider what you hear. With whatever measure you have measured out, it shall be measured back to you, and more shall be added to you.
25 For whoever has, to him it shall be given. And whoever has not, from him even what he has shall be taken away."
26 And he said: "The kingdom of God is like this: it is as if a man were to cast seed on the land.
27 And he sleeps and he arises, night and day. And the seed germinates and grows, though he does not know it.
28 For the earth bears fruit readily: first the plant, then the ear, next the full grain in the ear.
29 And when the fruit has been produced, immediately he sends out the sickle, because the harvest has arrived."
30 And he said: "To what should we compare the kingdom of God? Or to what parable should we compare it?
31 It is like a grain of mustard seed which, when it has been sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds which are in the earth.
32 And when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all the plants, and it produces great branches, so much so that the birds of the air are able to live under its shadow."
33 And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as much as they were able to hear.
34 But he did not speak to them without a parable. Yet separately, he explained all things to his disciples.
35 And on that day, when evening had arrived, he said to them, "Let us cross over."
36 And dismissing the crowd, they brought him, so that he was in one boat, and other boats were with him.
37 And a great wind storm occurred, and the waves broke over the boat, so that the boat was being filled.
38 And he was in the stern of the boat, sleeping on a pillow. And they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, does it not concern you that we are perishing?"
39 And rising up, he rebuked the wind, and he said to the sea: "Silence. Be stilled." And the wind ceased. And a great tranquility occurred.
40 And he said to them: "Why are you afraid? Do you still lack faith?" And they were struck with a great fear. And they said to one another, "Who do you think this is, that both wind and sea obey him?"
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