Mark 4:21-34

Holman Christian Standard Bible

Using Your Light

²¹He^(A) also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed?^(B) Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand?^(C) ²²For nothing is concealed except to be revealed,^(D) and nothing hidden except to come to light. ²³If anyone has ears to hear, he should listen!”^(E) ²⁴Then He said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure^(F) you use,^[a]^(G) it will be measured and added^(H) to you. ²⁵For to the one who has, it will be given, and from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.”^(I)

The Parable of the Growing Seed

²⁶“The kingdom of God^(J) is like this,” He said. “A man scatters seed on the ground; ²⁷he sleeps^(K) and rises^(L)—night^(M) and day, and the seed sprouts and grows—he doesn’t know how. ²⁸The soil produces a crop^(N) by itself—first the blade, then the head, and then the ripe grain^(O) on the head. ²⁹But as soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle,^(P) because the harvest^(Q) has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

³⁰And^(R) He said: “How can we illustrate the kingdom of God,^(S) or what parable^(T) can we use to describe it? ³¹It’s like a mustard seed^(U) that, when sown in the soil, is smaller than all the seeds on the ground. ³²And when sown,^(V) it comes up and grows taller than all the vegetables,^(W) and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky^(X) can nest in its shade.”

Using Parables

³³He would speak the word^(Y) to them with many parables^(Z) like these, as they were able to understand.^(AA) ³⁴And He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, He would explain everything to His own disciples.^(AB)