Mark 4
4
Chapter 4
Jesus tells a story about a farmer's seeds
1Again, Jesus began to teach people near the edge of Lake Galilee. A large crowd came together to listen to him. So he went and sat in a boat that was on the water. The crowd of people stayed on the shore. 2Jesus used stories to teach them many things. He said to them, 3‘Listen to me! A farmer went out to plant seeds in his field. #4:3 When a farmer planted seeds, he threw them onto the ground around him. 4While he was throwing the seeds, some of them fell on the path. The birds came and they ate those seeds. 5Other seeds fell on ground which had many rocks. There was not much soil in that place. The seeds quickly began to grow, because the soil was not deep. 6But when the sun rose, it burned the young plants. They soon died because they had not grown down well into the soil. 7Other seeds fell among thorn bushes. Those bushes grew up with the young plants. They stopped the seeds from growing into strong plants. So the plants could not make any new seeds. 8But some seeds fell on good soil. Good strong plants grew from these seeds. Some plants made 30 new seeds. Some plants made 60 new seeds. And some plants made 100 new seeds.’
9Then Jesus said, ‘You have ears, so listen well to what I say!’
Jesus explains to his disciples why he uses stories
10When Jesus was alone, the 12 apostles and other people who were there asked him about the stories. 11Jesus replied, ‘God has let you understand how he rules in the lives of his people. But these other people only listen to stories. 12This is so that:
“They are always looking but they do not see clearly.
They are always listening but they do not understand.”
If they did understand, they would turn to God. Then God would forgive them.’
Jesus explains the story about the seeds
13Then Jesus answered the people who had asked him about the story. ‘You should understand this story. If you do not understand it, you will not understand any of my stories. 14The seeds are like the message from God. The farmer is like a person who tells people about that message. 15Some seeds fell on the path. That is like some people who listen to the message. But then Satan comes and he quickly takes the message away from their minds. 16Some of the seeds fell on soil with rocks in it. This is also like some people who hear God's message. These people are happy to believe it for a time. 17But they are like plants that have not grown down well into the soil. So they only believe for a short time. They may have problems. Or because they obey God's message, other people may do bad things to them. When that happens, these people soon stop believing. 18Some seeds fell among thorn bushes. This is like some other people who hear God's message. 19But they have many troubles in their minds. They think that more money and other valuable things will make them happy. So they do not let God's message change them. They are like plants that do not grow well and make new seeds. 20But some seeds fell on good soil. This is like other people who listen to the message from God. They understand the message and they believe it. These people are like good plants that grow well. From one seed, some good plants make 30 new seeds. Other good plants make 60 new seeds, and some good plants make 100 new seeds.’
People put a light in a high place
21Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Nobody brings a lamp into a house and puts it under a pot or under a bed. You do not do that. You put it up on a high place. #4:21 At that time, people burned oil in a small bowl which they called a lamp. They put the lamp up on a high place so that people could see. God's good news is like the light from a lamp. We should not hide it. 22God hides some things now. But there will be a time when people will see them. God keeps some things secret now. But there will be a time when people will understand those things.’ 23Then Jesus said, ‘You have ears, so listen well to what I say.’
24Jesus then said, ‘Think carefully about the things that you hear. God will give to you in the same way that you give to other people. And you will receive even more. 25A person who has received some things will receive more things. Some other people have nothing. They will lose even the little bit that they do have.’ #4:25 Jesus is telling his disciples about how to listen to him. They should listen carefully so that they will be able to understand his message more and more. Then God can teach them even more things. Some people think that they know God. But they do not really understand and they do not obey him. So God will take away those things from their minds.
Jesus tells a story about seeds
26Then Jesus said, ‘I will tell you a story about the kingdom of God. It is like this: A man throws seeds in his field. 27Then he sleeps each night and he wakes up each day. The seeds start to grow into plants. They continue to grow. The man does not know how this happens. 28The soil causes the plants to grow. The leaves of the plant grow first. Then the flowers appear. Then the plant makes new seeds. 29When the new seeds have completely grown, the man will cut down the plants. It is time for him to take the seeds to use for food.’
Jesus tells a story about a very small seed
30Jesus said, ‘I will tell you another story about the kingdom of God. This story shows what the kingdom of God is like. 31It is like this: A man takes a seed of the plant called mustard. He plants it in the soil. It is smaller than any other seed that people plant in the soil. 32But when it starts to grow, it becomes bigger than the largest bush. It will have big branches. Then the birds will come and they will live there. They will build their nests in the shade of the branches.’
33Jesus taught God's message to the people. He used many stories like these. He told the people as much as they could understand. 34He always used stories to teach the people. Then he explained everything to his own disciples when he was alone with them.
Jesus stops a storm
35On that same day, in the evening, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘We should go across the lake to the other side.’ 36So they went and left the crowd behind. Jesus was already in the boat. So the disciples took him across the lake. Some other boats also went with them. 37Then a strong wind began to blow across the lake. Water began to go into the boat and fill it. Soon the boat was almost going under the water. 38Jesus was in a comfortable place at the back of the boat. He was sleeping. The disciples woke him. They said to him, ‘Teacher, we will die here in the water! Please do something!’
39Jesus woke up and he spoke strongly to the wind and to the water. ‘Be quiet!’ he said. ‘Stop!’ Then the wind stopped and the water became quiet again.
40Jesus said to his disciples, ‘You should not be afraid like that. You should trust me.’
41But the disciples became very afraid. They said to each other, ‘Who is this man? Even the wind and the water obey him.’
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Mark 4: EASY
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