Mark 4
Christian Standard Bible
The Parable of the Sower
4 Again(A) he began to teach(B) by the sea, and a very large crowd gathered around him. So he got into a boat on the sea and sat down, while the whole crowd was by the sea on the shore. 2 He taught them many things in parables,(C) and in his teaching(D) he said to them, 3 “Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.(E) 4 As he sowed, some seed fell along the path,(F) and the birds came and devoured(G) it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly,(H) since the soil wasn’t deep. 6 When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.(I) 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce fruit. 8 Still other seed fell on good ground and it grew up, producing fruit that increased(J) thirty, sixty, and a hundred times.”(K) 9 Then he said, “Let anyone who has ears to hear listen.”(L)
Why Jesus Used Parables
10 When he was alone, those around him with the Twelve(M) asked him about the parables.(N) 11 He answered them, “The secret(O) of the kingdom of God(P) has been given to you, but to those outside,(Q) everything comes in parables 12 so that
they may indeed look,
and yet not perceive;
they may indeed listen,
and yet not understand;(R)
otherwise, they might turn back
and be forgiven.”[a][b] (S)
The Parable of the Sower Explained
13 Then(T) he said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable?(U) How then will you understand all of the parables? 14 The sower sows(V) the word.(W) 15 Some are like the word sown on the path.(X) When they hear, immediately Satan(Y) comes and takes away the word(Z) sown in them.[c] 16 And others are like seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy.(AA) 17 But they have no root; they are short-lived. When distress(AB) or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately fall away.(AC) 18 Others are like seed sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, 19 but the worries(AD) of this age,(AE) the deceitfulness[d](AF) of wealth,(AG) and the desires(AH) for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.(AI) 20 And those like seed sown on good ground hear the word,(AJ) welcome it, and produce fruit(AK) thirty, sixty, and a hundred times what was sown.”
Using Your Light
21 He(AL) also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed?(AM) Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand?(AN) 22 For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed,(AO) and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen.”(AP) 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure(AQ) you use,(AR) it will be measured to you—and more will be added(AS) to you. 25 For whoever has, more will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”(AT)
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26 “The kingdom of God(AU) is like this,” he said. “A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps(AV) and rises(AW) night(AX) and day; the seed sprouts and grows, although he doesn’t know how. 28 The soil produces a crop(AY) by itself—first the blade, then the head, and then the full grain(AZ) on the head. 29 As soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle,(BA) because the harvest(BB) has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30 And(BC) he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God,(BD) or what parable(BE) can we use to describe it? 31 It’s like a mustard seed(BF) that, when sown upon the soil, is the smallest of all the seeds on the ground. 32 And when sown,(BG) it comes up and grows taller than all the garden plants,(BH) and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky(BI) can nest in its shade.”
Using Parables
33 He was speaking the word(BJ) to them with many parables(BK) like these, as they were able to understand.(BL) 34 He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, he explained everything to his own disciples.(BM)
Wind and Waves Obey Jesus
35 On(BN) that day, when evening had come, he told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” 36 So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm(BO) arose, and the waves(BP) were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 He was in the stern, sleeping(BQ) on the cushion. So they woke him up(BR) and said to him, “Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die?” (BS)
39 He got up, rebuked(BT) the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence!(BU) Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he said to them, “Why are you afraid?(BV) Do you still have no faith?”
41 And they were terrified[e](BW) and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey(BX) him!” (BY)
Mark 4
Wycliffe Bible
4 And again Jesus began to teach at the sea; and much people [and much company of people] was gathered to him, so that he went into a boat, and sat in the sea, and all the people [and all the company of people] was about the sea on the land.
2 And he taught them in parables many things. And he said to them in his teaching,
3 Hear ye. Lo! a man sowing goeth out to sow. [Hear ye. Lo! a sower went out to sow.]
4 And while he soweth, some seed felled about the way, and birds of heaven came, and ate it.[a]
5 Other [Forsooth another] felled down on stony places, where it had not much earth; and at once it sprang up, for it had not deepness of earth [and anon it sprang up, for it had no deepness of earth].
6 And when the sun rose up, it withered for heat, and it dried up, for it had no root.
7 And other felled down into thorns [And another felled down among thorns], and [the] thorns sprang up, and strangled it, and it gave no fruit.
8 And other felled down into good land, and gave fruit, springing up, and waxing; and one brought thirtyfold, and one sixtyfold, and one an hundredfold.
9 And he said, He that hath ears of hearing, hear he. [And he said, He that hath ears to hear, hear.]
10 And when he was by himself, the twelve that were with him asked him to expound the parable.
11 And he said to them, To you it is given to know the private of the kingdom of God [To you it is given to know the mystery, or private, of the kingdom of God]. But to them that be withoutforth, all things be made in parables,
12 that they seeing see, and see not, and they hearing hear, and understand not; lest [that] sometime they be converted, and sins be forgiven to them.
13 And he said to them, Know not ye this parable? and how ye shall know all parables?
14 He that soweth, soweth a word.
15 But these it be that be about the way, where the word is sown; and when they have heard, at once cometh Satan [anon cometh Satan], and taketh away the word that is sown in their hearts.
16 And in like manner be these [these it be] that be sown on stony places, which when they have heard the word, at once they take it with joy [anon take it with joy];
17 and they have not root in themselves, but they be lasting [but] a little time; afterward when tribulation riseth, and persecution for the word, at once they be caused to stumble. [and they have not root in themselves, but they be temporal, that is, lasting a little time; afterward when tribulation and persecution riseth for the word, anon they be offended.]
18 And there be others that be sown in thorns; these it be that hear the word,
19 and dis-ease of the world, and deceit of riches, and other charge of covetousness entereth, and strangleth the word, and it is made without fruit. [and mis-eases of the world, and deceit of riches, and other charge of covetousness entering in, strangle the word, and it is made without fruit.]
20 And these it be that be sown on good land, which hear the word, and take, and make fruit, one thirtyfold, and one sixtyfold, and one an hundredfold.
21 And he said to them, Where a lantern cometh, that it be put under a bushel, or under a bed? nay, but that it be put on a candlestick?[b]
22 [Forsooth] There is nothing hid, that shall not be made open [that shall not be showed]; neither any thing is privy, that shall not come into open [which shall not come into apert].
23 If any man have ears of hearing, hear he.
24 And he said to them, See ye what ye hear. In what measure ye mete, it shall be meted to you again [it shall be meted to you], and it shall be cast to you.
25 For it shall be given to him that hath, and it shall be taken away from him that hath not, also that that he hath. [Forsooth it shall be given to him that hath, and if man hath not, yea this that he hath shall be taken away from him.]
26 And he said, So the kingdom of God is, as if a man cast seed into the earth,
27 and he sleep, and it rise up night and day [and it sleep, and rise up in night and day], and bring forth seed, and wax fast, while he knoweth not.
28 For the earth [by his own working/by his own will] maketh fruit, first the grass, afterward the ear, and after full fruit in the ear [afterward full fruit in the ear].
29 And when of itself it hath brought forth fruit, at once [anon] he sendeth a sickle, for reaping time is come.
30 And he said, To what thing shall we liken the kingdom of God? or to what parable shall we comparison it?
31 As a corn of mustard seed, which when it is sown in the earth, is less than all seeds that be in the earth;
32 and when it is sprung up, it waxeth into a tree, and is made greater than all herbs [and when it is sown, it waxeth into a tree, and is made more than all worts, or herbs]; and it maketh great branches, so that [the] birds of heaven may dwell [be able to dwell] under the shadow thereof.
33 And in many such parables he spake to them the word, as they might hear;
34 and he spake not to them without parable. But he expounded to his disciples all things by themselves[c].
35 And he said to them in that day, when evening was come, Pass we over to the other side. [And he saith to them in that day, when evening was made, Pass we again-ward.]
36 And they let go the people, and took him, so that he was in a boat [And they leaving the company of people, took him, so that he was in the boat]; and other boats were with him.
37 And a great storm of wind was made, and cast waves into the boat, so that the boat was full. [And there was made a great tempest of wind, and sent floods into the ship, so that the ship was full-filled.]
38 And he was in the hinder part of the boat, and slept on a pillow[d]. And they raise him, and say to him, Master, pertaineth it not to thee, that we perish?
39 And he rose up, and menaced the wind, and said to the sea, Be still, wax dumb. And the wind ceased, and great peaceableness was made.
40 And he said to them, What dread ye? Yet ye have no faith? [And he said to them, What be ye dread-full? Not yet have ye faith?]
41 And they dreaded with great dread, and said to each other [and said each to other], Who, guessest thou, is this? for the wind and the sea obey to him.
Footnotes
- Mark 4:4 And the while he soweth, some seed felled beside the way, and birds of heaven, or of the air, came, and ate it.
- Mark 4:21 And he said to them, Whether a lantern come, that it be put under a bushel, or under a bed? whether not, that it be put upon a candlestick?
- Mark 4:34 Forsooth he expounded to his disciples all things on sides hand/on sides half, or by themselves
- Mark 4:38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, sleeping on a pillow
Mark 4
New King James Version
The Parable of the Sower(A)
4 And (B)again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2 Then He taught them many things by parables, (C)and said to them in His teaching:
3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds [a]of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no [b]crop. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
9 And He said [c]to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
The Purpose of Parables(D)
10 (E)But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11 And He said to them, “To you it has been given to (F)know the [d]mystery of the kingdom of God; but to (G)those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12 so that
(H)‘Seeing they may see and not perceive,
And hearing they may hear and not understand;
Lest they should turn,
And their sins be forgiven them.’ ”
The Parable of the Sower Explained(I)
13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 (J)The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. 18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the (K)cares of this world, (L)the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, [e]accept it, and bear (M)fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
Light Under a Basket(N)
21 (O)Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? 22 (P)For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. 23 (Q)If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. (R)With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25 (S)For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26 And He said, (T)“The kingdom of God is as if a man should [f]scatter seed on the ground, 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and (U)grow, he himself does not know how. 28 For the earth (V)yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain ripens, immediately (W)he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed(X)
30 Then He said, (Y)“To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? 31 It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; 32 but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”
Jesus’ Use of Parables
33 (Z)And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. 34 But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, (AA)He explained all things to His disciples.
Wind and Wave Obey Jesus(AB)
35 (AC)On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, (AD)“Teacher, (AE)do You not care that we are perishing?”
39 Then He arose and (AF)rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, (AG)“Peace,[g] be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? (AH)How[h] is it that you have no faith?” 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.
2001 by Terence P. Noble
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
