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Mark 4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Mark 4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Parable of the Sower
4 Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.(A) 2 He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them:(B) 3 “Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell on a path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”(C) 9 And he said, “If you have ears to hear, then hear!”(D)
The Purpose of the Parables
10 When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret[a] of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything comes in parables,(E) 12 in order that
‘they may indeed look but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand;
so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.’ ”(F)
13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them.(G) 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy. 17 But they have no root and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.[b] 18 And others are those sown among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the age and the lure of wealth and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing. 20 And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”
A Lamp under a Bushel Basket
21 He said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket or under the bed and not on the lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light.(H) 23 If you have ears to hear, then hear!”(I) 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and it will be added to you.(J) 25 For to those who have, more will be given, and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.”(K)
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26 He also said, “The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground(L) 27 and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. 28 The earth produces of itself first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle because the harvest has come.”(M)
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30 He also said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it?(N) 31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
The Use of Parables
33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it;(O) 34 he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.(P)
Jesus Stills a Storm
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him.(Q) 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion, and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And waking up, he rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Be silent! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”(R) 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?”
Mark 4
Revised Geneva Translation
Mark 4
Revised Geneva Translation
4 And He began again to teach by the seaside. And there gathered to Him a great multitude. So that He entered into a ship and sat in the sea. And all the people were by the seaside, on the land.
2 And He taught them many things in parables, and said to them in His doctrine,
3 “Hear now. Behold, there went out a sower to sow.
4 “And it happened that, as he sowed, some fell by the wayside. And the birds of the heaven came and devoured it up.
5 “And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth. And it quickly sprang up, because it had not depth of earth.
6 “But as soon as the Sun was up, it was burnt up. And because it had no root, it withered away.
7 “And some fell among the thorns. And the thorns grew up and choked it, so that it gave no fruit.
8 “Some again fell in good ground, and did yield fruit, that sprang up and grew. And it brought forth - some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, and some a hundredfold.”
9 Then He said to them, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10 And when He was alone, those who were around Him, with the twelve, asked Him of the parable.
11 And He said to them, “To you it is given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of God. But to those who are outside, all things are done in parables,
12 “So that those seeing may see, and not discern. And those hearing may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should turn, and their sins should be forgiven them.”
13 Again He said to them, “Do you not perceive this parable? How then shall you understand all other parables?
14 “The sower sows the Word.
15 “And these are those who receive the seed by the wayside, in whom the Word is sown. But when they have heard it, Satan comes immediately and takes away the Word that was sown in their hearts.
16 “And likewise, those who receive the seed in stony ground are those who (when they have heard the Word) immediately receive it with gladness.
17 “Yet they have no root in themselves and endure but a time. For when trouble and persecution arise for the word, they fall away immediately.
18 “Also those who receive the seed among the thorns, are those who hear the Word,
19 “but the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches and the lusts of other things enter in and choke the Word. And it is unfruitful.
20 “But those who have received seed in good ground, are those who hear the Word and receive it and bring forth fruit - one corn thirty, another sixty, and some a hundred.”
21 Also He said to them, “Does the candle come in to be put under a bushel, or under the bed, and not to be put in a candlestick?
22 “For there is nothing hidden that shall not be opened. Nor is there a secret that shall not come to light.
23 “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24 And He said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. With whatever measure you use, it shall be measured to you. And to you who hear shall more be given.
25 “For to him who has shall it be given. And from him that has not shall be taken away even that he has.”
26 Also He said, “So is the Kingdom of God: as if a man should cast seed in the ground
27 “and should sleep and rise up night and day. And the seed should spring and grow up, he not knowing how.
28 “For the Earth brings forth fruit from itself; first the blade, then the ears; after that, full corn in the ears.
29 “And as soon as the fruit shows itself, he puts in the sickle to it. Because the harvest has come.”
30 He said moreover, “To what shall we liken the Kingdom of God? Or, with what shall we compare it?
31 “It is like a grain of mustard seed; which, when it is sown in the earth, is the least of all seeds on the Earth.
32 “But after it is sown, it grows up and is greatest of all herbs and bears great branches. So that the birds of the heaven may build under the shadow of it.”
33 And with many such parables He preached the Word to them, as they were able to hear it.
34 And He spoke nothing to them without parables. But He expounded all things to His disciples separately.
35 Now the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us pass over to the other side.”
36 And they left the multitude and entered into a ship. And there were also other little ships with Him.
37 And a great storm of wind arose. And the waves dashed into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Master, don’t you care that we perish!?”
39 And He arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace, and be still!” So, the wind ceased. And there was a great calm.
40 Then He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”
41 And they feared exceedingly and said one to another, “Who is this, that both the wind and the sea obey Him?”
Mark 4
New International Version
Mark 4
New International Version
The Parable of the Sower(A)(B)
4 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake.(C) The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things by parables,(D) and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.(E) 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”(F)
9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”(G)
10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God(H) has been given to you. But to those on the outside(I) everything is said in parables 12 so that,
“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’[a]”(J)
13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word.(K) 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan(L) comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth(M) and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”
A Lamp on a Stand
21 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?(N) 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.(O) 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”(P)
24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more.(Q) 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”(R)
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like.(S) A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”(T)
The Parable of the Mustard Seed(U)
30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like,(V) or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”
33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.(W) 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable.(X) But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
Jesus Calms the Storm(Y)
35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat.(Z) There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”(AA)
41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Footnotes
- Mark 4:12 Isaiah 6:9,10
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Revised Geneva Translation (RGT)
© 2019, 2024 by Five Talents Audio. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.