Mark 4
4
The Story of the Scattered Seed
1-2He went back to teaching by the sea. A crowd built up to such a great size that he had to get into an offshore boat, using the boat as a pulpit as the people pushed to the water’s edge. He taught by using stories, many stories.
3-8“Listen. What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn’t put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled among the weeds and nothing came of it. Some fell on good earth and came up with a flourish, producing a harvest exceeding his wildest dreams.
9“Are you listening to this? Really listening?”
10-12When they were off by themselves, those who were close to him, along with the Twelve, asked about the stories. He told them, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom—you know how it works. But to those who can’t see it yet, everything comes in stories, creating readiness, nudging them toward a welcome awakening. These are people—
Whose eyes are open but don’t see a thing,
Whose ears are open but don’t understand a word,
Who avoid making an about-face and getting forgiven.”
13He continued, “Do you see how this story works? All my stories work this way.
14-15“The farmer plants the Word. Some people are like the seed that falls on the hardened soil of the road. No sooner do they hear the Word than Satan snatches away what has been planted in them.
16-17“And some are like the seed that lands in the gravel. When they first hear the Word, they respond with great enthusiasm. But there is such shallow soil of character that when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it.
18-19“The seed cast in the weeds represents the ones who hear the kingdom news but are overwhelmed with worries about all the things they have to do and all the things they want to get. The stress strangles what they heard, and nothing comes of it.
20“But the seed planted in the good earth represents those who hear the Word, embrace it, and produce a harvest beyond their wildest dreams.”
Giving, Not Getting
21-22Jesus went on: “Does anyone bring a lamp home and put it under a bucket or beneath the bed? Don’t you put it up on a table or on the mantel? We’re not keeping secrets, we’re telling them; we’re not hiding things, we’re bringing them out into the open.
23“Are you listening to this? Really listening?
24-25“Listen carefully to what I am saying—and be wary of the shrewd advice that tells you how to get ahead in the world on your own. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess impoverishes.”
Never Without a Story
26-29Then Jesus said, “God’s kingdom is like seed thrown on a field by a man who then goes to bed and forgets about it. The seed sprouts and grows—he has no idea how it happens. The earth does it all without his help: first a green stem of grass, then a bud, then the ripened grain. When the grain is fully formed, he reaps—harvest time!
30-32“How can we picture God’s kingdom? What kind of story can we use? It’s like an acorn. When it lands on the ground it is quite small as seeds go, yet once it is planted it grows into a huge oak tree with thick branches. Eagles nest in it.”
33-34With many stories like these, he presented his message to them, fitting the stories to their experience and maturity. He was never without a story when he spoke. When he was alone with his disciples, he went over everything, sorting out the tangles, untying the knots.
The Wind Ran Out of Breath
35-38Late that day he said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side.” They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, “Teacher, is it nothing to you that we’re going down?”
39-40Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, “Quiet! Settle down!” The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith at all?”
41They were in absolute awe, staggered. “Who is this, anyway?” they asked. “Wind and sea at his beck and call!”
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.
Mark 4
4
1And again he began to teach by the sea. And a great crowd was gathered together to him, so that going on board ship he sat in the sea, and all the crowd were close to the sea on the land. 2And he taught them many things in parables. And he said to them in his doctrine, 3Hearken: Behold, the sower went forth to sow. 4And it came to pass as he sowed, one fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured it. 5And another fell on the rocky ground, where it had not much earth, and immediately it sprung up out of the ground because it had no depth of earth; 6and when the sun arose it was burnt up, and because of its not having any root, it withered. 7And another fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8And another fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing; and bore, one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred. 9And he said, He that has ears to hear, let him hear. 10And when he was alone, those about him with the twelve asked him as to the parables. 11And he said to them, To you is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to them who are without, all things are done in parables, 12that beholding they may behold and not see, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest it may be, they should be converted and they should be forgiven. 13And he says to them, Do ye not know this parable? and how will ye be acquainted with all the parables? 14The sower sows the word: 15and these are they by the wayside where the word is sown, and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16And these are they in like manner who are sown upon the rocky places, who when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy, 17and they have no root in themselves, but are for a time: then, tribulation arising, or persecution on account of the word, immediately they are offended. 18And others are they who are sown among the thorns: these are they who have heard the word, 19and the cares of life, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things, entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20And these are they who have been sown on the good ground, such as hear the word and receive it, and bear fruit; one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred fold.
21And he said to them, Does the lamp come that it should be put under the bushel or under the couch? Is it not that it should be set upon the lamp-stand? 22For there is nothing hidden which shall not be made manifest; nor does any secret thing take place, but that it should come to light. 23If any one have ears to hear, let him hear. 24And he said to them, Take heed what ye hear; with what measure ye mete, it shall be meted to you; and there shall be more added to you. 25For whosoever has, to him shall be given; and he who has not, even what he has shall be taken from him. 26And he said, Thus is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast the seed upon the earth, 27and should sleep and rise up night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he does not know how. 28The earth bears fruit of itself, first the blade, then an ear, then full corn in the ear. 29But when the fruit is produced, immediately he sends the sickle, for the harvest is come. 30And he said, How should we liken the kingdom of God, or with what comparison should we compare it? 31As to a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown upon the earth, is less than all seeds which are upon the earth, 32and when it has been sown, mounts up and becomes greater than all herbs, and produces great branches, so that the birds of heaven can roost under its shadow. 33And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear, 34but without a parable spoke he not to them; and in private he explained all things to his disciples.
35And on that day, when evening was come, he says to them, Let us go over to the other side: 36and having sent away the crowd, they take him with them, as he was, in the ship. But other ships also were with him. 37And there comes a violent gust of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it already filled. 38And he was in the stern sleeping on the cushion. And they awake him up and say to him, Teacher, dost thou not care that we are perishing? 39And awaking up he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Silence; be mute. And the wind fell, and there was a great calm. 40And he said to them, Why are ye thus fearful? how is it ye have not faith? 41And they feared with great fear, and said one to another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
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First published in 1890. This edition is maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.