Mark 4
4
The Parable of the Sower
1Again #For ver. 1-12, see Matt. 13:1-15; Luke 8:4-10 he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, #[ch. 3:9; Luke 5:1-3]so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2And #ver. 33he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3“Listen! Behold, #[Isa. 55:10; Amos 9:13]a sower went out to sow. 4And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6And #James 1:11 when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, #John 15:6it withered away. 7Other seed fell among #Jer. 4:3thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and #ver. 20; Gen. 26:12a hundredfold.” 9And he said, #See Matt. 11:15“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The Purpose of the Parables
10And #ver. 34when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11And he said to them, #Matt. 19:11; Col. 1:27; [1 Cor. 2:6-10; 1 John 2:20, 27]; See Matt. 11:25 “To you has been given #See Rom. 16:25 the secret of the kingdom of God, but for #1 Cor. 5:12, 13; Col. 4:5; 1 Thess. 4:12; 1 Tim. 3:7those outside everything is in parables, 12#Isa. 6:9, 10 so that
“‘they #
Deut. 29:4; Jer. 5:21; Ezek. 12:2; Rom. 11:8; 2 Cor. 3:14; 4:4; [Isa. 42:19, 20] may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they # See Luke 22:32 should turn and be forgiven.’”
13 # For ver. 13-20, see Matt. 13:18-23; Luke 8:11-15 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14#[Matt. 13:37; John 4:36, 37] The sower sows #ver. 33; ch. 2:2; Luke 1:2; Acts 8:4; James 1:21the word. 15And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it #[ch. 6:20; Isa. 58:2; Ezek. 33:31, 32; John 5:35]with joy. 17And they have no root in themselves, but #Gal. 1:6; [Hos. 6:4; Gal. 5:7] endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately #See Matt. 11:6they fall away.#4:17 Or stumble 18And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19but #See Matt. 6:25 the cares of #2 Tim. 4:10 the world and #1 Tim. 6:9, 10, 17; [ch. 10:23; Matt. 19:23; Acts 5:1-11; Heb. 3:13]the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and #Hos. 14:8; John 15:5, 16; Phil. 1:11; Col. 1:6 bear fruit, #ver. 8thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
A Lamp Under a Basket
21 # For ver. 21-25, see Luke 8:16-18 And he said to them, #Matt. 5:15; Luke 11:33“Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22#Matt. 10:26; Luke 12:2; [1 Tim. 5:25]For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23#ver. 9If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: #Matt. 7:2; Luke 6:38with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25#See Matt. 13:12For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
The Parable of the Seed Growing
26And he said, #[Matt. 13:24-30]“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; #[Eccles. 11:5, 6]he knows not how. 28The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29But when the grain is ripe, at once #Joel 3:13; Rev. 14:15he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30 # For ver. 30-32, see Matt. 13:31, 32; Luke 13:18, 19 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31It is like #Matt. 17:20; Luke 17:6a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
33 #
Matt. 13:34 With many such parables he spoke #See ver. 14 the word to them, #John 16:12; 1 Cor. 3:2; Heb. 5:12as they were able to hear it. 34He did not speak to them #[John 16:25] without a parable, but #ver. 10; [ch. 13:3] privately to his own disciples he #[2 Pet. 1:20]explained everything.
Jesus Calms a Storm
35 # For ver. 35-41, see Matt. 8:18, 23-27; Luke 8:22-25; [John 6:16-21] On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37And a great windstorm arose, and the waves #[Acts 27:14]were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39And he awoke and #Ps. 104:7; [Luke 4:39] rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and #Job 38:11; Ps. 65:7; [ch. 6:51; Matt. 14:32]there was a great calm. 40He said to them, “Why are you #John 14:27so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, #[ch. 1:27] “Who then is this, that even #[Luke 5:9]the wind and the sea obey him?”
Currently Selected:
Mark 4: ESV
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Sign up to receive news and updates about the ESV:
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?
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.