1 Again  * 4:1–12 Mt 13:1–15; Lk 8:4–10 he began to teach  * 4:1 Mt 28:20; Ac 4:2; 2Tm 4:11 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,  * 4:2 Mk 12:1 and in his teaching  * 4:2 Mk 11:18; Ac 2:42; 17:19 he said to them, 3 "Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.* 4:3 Gl 6:74 As he sowed, some seed fell along the path,* 4:4 Mk 8:27and the birds came and devoured* 4:4 Gl 5:15it.5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it grew up quickly,* 4:5 Mk 10:52since the soil wasn’t deep.6 When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.* 4:6 Mk 3:17 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* 4:8 1Pt 2:2thirty, sixty, and a hundred times."* 4:8 Jn 15:5; Col 1:69 Then he said, "Let anyone who has ears to hear listen."* 4:9 Is 6:9; Jr 5:21; Ezk 12:2; Mk 8:18; Lk 14:35

10 When he was alone, those around him with the Twelve  * 4:10 Mk 11:11 asked him about the parables.  * 4:10 Mk 12:111 He answered them, "The secret* 4:11 1Co 2:7of the kingdom of God* 4:11 Mk 1:15has been given to you, but to those outside,* 4:11 Rm 9:27everything comes in parables 12 so that

they may indeed look,

and yet not perceive;

they may indeed listen,

and yet not understand;* 4:12 Mk 7:18

otherwise, they might turn back

and be forgiven."* 4:12 Other mss read and their sins be forgiven them,* 4:12 Is 6:9–10,* 4:12 Is 6:9–10

13 Then  * 4:13–20 Mt 13:18–23; Lk 8:9–15 he said to them, "Don’t you understand this parable?* 4:13 Mk 12:1How then will you understand all of the parables?14 The sower sows* 4:14 Gl 6:7the word.* 4:14 Mk 16:2015 Some are like the word sown on the path.* 4:15 Mk 8:27When they hear, immediately Satan* 4:15 Mt 4:10comes and takes away the word* 4:15 Lk 6:47sown in them.* 4:15 Other mss read in their hearts16 And others are like seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy.* 4:16 Jn 5:43; 15:1117 But they have no root; they are short-lived. When distress* 4:17 2Co 1:4or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately fall away.* 4:17 Jn 16:118 Others are like seed sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word,19 but the worries* 4:19 1Pt 5:7of this age,* 4:19 Lk 16:8; Eph 1:21the deceitfulness* 4:19 Or seduction,* 4:19 Mt 13:22of wealth,* 4:19 Mt 13:22; Lk 8:14and the desires* 4:19 2Pt 1:4; 2:10for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.* 4:19 Rm 1:13; Ti 3:14; Jd 1220 And those like seed sown on good ground hear the word,* 4:20 Lk 6:47welcome it, and produce fruit* 4:20 Col 1:10thirty, sixty, and a hundred times what was sown."

21 He  * 4:21–25 Lk 8:16–18 also said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed?* 4:21 Lk 5:18Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand?* 4:21 Rv 1:1222 For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed,* 4:22 2Co 4:11and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light.23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen."* 4:23 Mk 4:924 And he said to them, "Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure* 4:24 2Co 10:13you use,* 4:24 Mt 7:2; Lk 6:38it will be measured to you — and more will be added* 4:24 Lk 17:5to 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."* 4:25 Mt 25:29; Lk 19:26

26 "The kingdom of God* 4:26 Mk 1:15is like this," he said. "A man scatters seed on the ground.27 He sleeps* 4:27 Mt 9:24and rises* 4:27 Mk 5:41night* 4:27 Jn 9:4and day; the seed sprouts and grows, although he doesn’t know how.28 The soil produces a crop* 4:28 Col 1:10by itself — first the blade, then the head, and then the full grain* 4:28 Lk 16:7on the head.29 As soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle,* 4:29 Jl 3:13; Rv 14:14–19because the harvest* 4:29 Rv 14:15has come."

30 And  * 4:30–34 Mt 13:31–35; Lk 13:18–21 he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God,* 4:30 Mk 1:15or what parable* 4:30 Mk 12:1can we use to describe it?31 It’s like a mustard seed* 4:31 Mt 17:20; Lk 17:6that, when sown upon the soil, is the smallest of all the seeds on the ground.32 And when sown,* 4:32 Gl 6:7it comes up and grows taller than all the garden plants,* 4:32 Lk 11:42and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky* 4:32 Mt 24:35; Lk 12:33; Ac 17:24; Eph 6:9; Rv 21:10can nest in its shade."

33 He was speaking the word  * 4:33 Lk 6:47; Jn 18:32 to them with many parables  * 4:33 Mk 12:1 like these, as they were able to understand.  * 4:33 Jn 16:1234 He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, he explained everything to his own disciples.  * 4:34 Mt 9:10; Mk 10:10; Lk 6:1; Jn 6:3; Ac 6:1

35 On  * 4:35–41 Mt 8:23–27; Lk 8:22–25 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  * 4:37 Ps 107:25; Jnh 1:5–6 arose, and the waves  * 4:37 Jd 13 were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 He was in the stern, sleeping  * 4:38 Mt 9:24 on the cushion. So they woke him up  * 4:38 Mk 5:41 and said to him, "Teacher! Don’t you care that we’re going to die? "  * 4:38 Jn 6:27

39 He got up, rebuked  * 4:39 2Tm 4:2 the wind, and said to the sea, "Silence!* 4:39 Mt 22:12; Mk 3:4Be still! " The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he said to them, "Why are you afraid?* 4:40 Mt 8:26; Rv 21:8Do you still have no faith? "

41 And they were terrified  * 4:41 Or were filled with awe,* 4:41 Rv 11:11 and asked one another, "Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey  * 4:41 Mk 1:27 him! "  * 4:41 Jnh 1:10,16; Mk 6:50–51