Mark 4:14-26

English Standard Version

^14 (A)The sower sows ^(B)the word. ¹⁵ And 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. ¹⁶ And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it ^(C)with joy. ¹⁷ And they have no root in themselves, but ^(D)endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately ^(E)they fall away.^{[a] 18} And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, ¹⁹ but ^(F)the cares of ^(G)the world and ^(H)the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. ²⁰ But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and ^(I)bear fruit, ^(J)thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

A Lamp Under a Basket

^21 (K)And he said to them, ^(L)“Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? ^22 (M)For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. ^23 (N)If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” ²⁴ And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: ^(O)with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. ^25 (P)For 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

²⁶ And he said, ^(Q)“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.