Marcos 4

The Parable of the Sower

1 Once again Jesus began to teach by the sea, and a *4:1 large ¦ very large CTlarge crowd was gathered around him. So he got into *4:1 the ¦ a CTthe boat and sat in it on the sea, while the entire crowd was beside the sea on the shore. 2 Then he taught them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them, 3 "Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 As he sowed, some seed fell *4:4 along ¦ on ANTalong the path, and the *4:4 birds ¦ birds of the sky TRbirds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up immediately because it had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun rose, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it produced no fruit. 8 But *4:8 other seed ¦ other seeds CTother seed fell into good soil and produced *4:8 fruit that grew and increased; ¦ fruit, and as they grew and increased, CTfruit that grew and increased; some bore thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred times more than what was sown." 9 Then he *4:9 said ¦ said to them ANT TRsaid, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

The Purpose of Speaking in Parables

10 When he was alone with the twelve and the others who were around him, they asked him about the *4:10 parable ¦ parables CTparable. 11 So he said to them, "To you *4:11 it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God ¦ it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God ANT ¦ the mystery of the kingdom of God has been given CTit has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to those who are outside everything is spoken in parables, 12 so that

‘they may see but not perceive,

and hear but not understand,

lest they should turn back and be forgiven *4:12 of their sins ¦ CTof their sins.’ "

The Parable of the Sower Explained

13 Then he said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the other parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 Now some people are like the seed along the path, where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in *4:15 their hearts ¦ them CTtheir hearts. 16 *4:16 Likewise, some 95.5% • ANT 1.5% ¦ Some NA 2.1%Likewise, some people are like the seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy. 17 Yet they have no root in themselves, but are only temporary. When tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, they immediately fall away. 18 Others are like the seed sown among the thorns. *4:18 They ¦ These are the ones who CT STThey hear the word, 19 but the cares of *4:19 this ¦ the CTthis world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desire for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But others are like the seed sown on the good soil. They hear the word, receive it, and bear fruit—some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred times more than what was sown."

A Lamp Under a Basket

21 He also said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed? Is it not brought in to be set on a lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden *4:22 that will not ¦ except to CTthat will not be made manifest, nor has anything been made secret except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."

24 Then he said to them, "Consider what you hear. With the measure you use it will be measured to *4:24 you ¦ you again PCKyou, *4:24 and more will be added to you who hear 88.8% ¦ who hear MSS 6.4% ¦ and more will be added to you CT 0.6% {Note: The reading of MSS would require that the preceding comma be removed.}and more will be added to you who hear. 25 For whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."

The Parable of the Growing Seed

26 He also said, "The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he does not know how. 28 *4:28 For the ¦ The CTFor the earth produces a crop by itself: first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 29 When the crop is ready, the man immediately sends in the sickle, for the harvest has come."

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 Then Jesus said, "To what *4:30 shall KX(96) ¦ can KX(58) ANT CT RP TRshall we compare the kingdom of God? Or what parable can we use to *4:30 describe ¦ present CTdescribe it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth. 32 Yet when it is sown, it grows and becomes larger than all the garden plants and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky can nest in its shade."

The Use of Parables

33 With many similar parables he spoke the word to them, to the extent that they were able to understand it. 34 He did not *4:34 speak ¦ speak the word ANTspeak to them without using a parable, but privately he explained everything to his disciples.

Jesus Calms a Storm

35 On that day, when evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let us cross over to the other side of the sea." 36 So they left the crowd and took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other *4:36 little ¦ --- ANT CTlittle boats were also with him. 37 Now a great windstorm arose, and the waves were beating against the boat, so that *4:37 it was nearly swamped ¦ it was already beginning to sink ANT ¦ the boat was nearly swamped CTit was nearly swamped. 38 But Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do yoʋ not care that we are perishing?" 39 Then he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" So the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 Then he said to them, "Why are you *4:40 so 96.7% ¦ --- CT 1%so afraid? *4:40 How is it that you 97.4% ¦ Do you still CT 1.9%How is it that you have no faith?" 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"