撒種的比喻

耶穌又到湖邊講道,周圍聚集了許多人,耶穌只好上到湖邊的船上坐下,眾人都站在岸上。 耶穌用比喻教導他們許多事,在教導中祂說: 「聽著!有一個農夫出去撒種。 撒種的時候,有些種子落在路旁,被飛鳥吃掉了; 有些落在石頭地上,因為泥土不深,種子很快就發芽了, 然而因為沒有根,被太陽一曬就枯萎了; 有些落在荊棘叢中,荊棘長起來便把嫩苗擠住了,以致不能結實; 有些落在沃土裡,就發芽生長,結出果實,收成多達三十倍、六十倍、一百倍!」 然後祂說:「有耳可聽的,都應當聽。」

10 當耶穌獨自一人的時候,十二使徒和追隨祂的人來請教比喻的意思。 11 耶穌說:「上帝國的奧祕只讓你們知道,對於外人,我只用比喻, 12 使他們『看了又看,卻不領悟;聽了又聽,卻不明白,免得他們回心轉意,得到赦免。』」

13 耶穌又對他們說:「你們不明白這個比喻,又怎能明白其他比喻呢? 14 農夫撒的是上帝的道。 15 種子落在路旁,是指人聽了道,撒旦立刻過來奪去了撒在他們心裡的道。 16 種子落在石頭地上,是指人聽了道後,立刻歡喜地接受了, 17 但他們心裡沒有根基,不過是暫時接受,一旦為道遭受患難和迫害,就立刻放棄了。 18 種子落在荊棘叢中,是指人雖然聽過道, 19 但生活的憂慮、錢財的迷惑和其他慾望把道擠住了,以致不能結出果實。 20 種子落在沃土裡,是指人聽了道,領受了,又結出果實,收成多達三十倍、六十倍、甚至一百倍。」

燈的比喻

21 耶穌繼續說:「人會把燈拿來放在籃子底下或床底下嗎?當然不會,他一定會把它放在燈臺上。 22 隱藏的事是不能掩蓋的,終會顯露出來。 23 有耳可聽的,就應當聽。」 24 耶穌又說:「要好好思想你們所聽到的,你們用什麼量器量給人,就用什麼量器量給你們,甚至要多給你們。 25 因為凡有的,還要給他更多;凡沒有的,連他僅有的也要奪去!」

種子生長的比喻

26 祂又說:「上帝的國就像一個人在地上撒種。 27 他天天日出而作,日落而息。種子就在他不知不覺中漸漸發芽長大。 28 大地會使種子生長,先發苗後吐穗,最終結出飽滿的籽粒。 29 莊稼成熟後,他就拿起鐮刀來收割,因為收成的時候到了。」

芥菜種的比喻

30 耶穌說:「我們拿什麼比作上帝的國呢?用什麼比喻來解釋呢? 31 上帝的國就像一粒芥菜種。它是種子中最小的, 32 但種在地裡,卻能長得比各樣蔬菜都大,有粗大的枝條,可以讓飛鳥在它的樹蔭中築巢。」

33 耶穌用了許多類似的比喻,按照眾人所能領悟的,把上帝的道講給他們聽。 34 祂總是用比喻對他們講論,只有單獨和門徒在一起的時候,才把一切解釋清楚。

平息風浪

35 那天晚上,耶穌對門徒說:「我們渡到對面去吧。」 36 他們就離開眾人,上了耶穌乘坐的船,一起渡到湖的對岸,還有其他船隻跟著去。 37 忽然,湖面上狂風大作,波浪撞擊船身,船內幾乎灌滿了水。 38 耶穌卻還在船尾枕著枕頭睡覺。門徒叫醒了祂,說:「老師,我們快淹死了,你怎麼不管呢?」

39 耶穌起來斥責狂風,對著湖面說:「靜下來!停下來!」於是就風平浪靜了。 40 祂對門徒說:「你們為什麼這樣害怕呢?你們還是沒有信心嗎?」

41 他們極其害怕,彼此議論說:「祂到底是誰?連風浪都聽祂的!」

Ngụ Ngôn Người Gieo Giống(A)

Một lần khác, Đức Giê-su khởi sự giảng dạy nơi bờ biển. Một đoàn dân rất đông tụ tập quanh Ngài nên Ngài phải xuống ngồi trên một chiếc thuyền đậu dưới nước, còn cả đám đông ở trên bờ. Ngài dùng ngụ ngôn dạy họ nhiều điều; trong lúc dạy, Ngài bảo họ rằng: “Hãy nghe đây! Một nông dân đi ra gieo giống. Khi gieo, có hạt rơi trên đường mòn, chim đến ăn hết. Hạt khác rơi vào nơi có đá, chỉ có ít đất nên liền mọc ngay. Vì đất không được dày, lúc mặt trời mọc lên, thì bị sém nắng và không có rễ nên phải khô héo. Hạt khác nữa rơi nhằm chỗ gai góc, gai mọc rậm lên làm nghẹt ngòi không kết hạt được. Còn hạt rơi vào nơi đất tốt thì lớn lên, nẩy nở ra và kết quả, một hạt ra ba chục, hạt khác sáu chục, và hạt khác một trăm.”

Rồi Ngài bảo: “Ai có tai để nghe, hãy lắng nghe!”

Mục Đích Của Ngụ Ngôn(B)

10 Khi còn lại một mình Đức Giê-su, mười hai sứ đồ và những người khác hỏi Ngài về ngụ ngôn ấy. 11 Ngài đáp: “Sự huyền nhiệm Nước Đức Chúa Trời đã được ban cho các con. Nhưng đối với người ngoài thì dùng ngụ ngôn mà dạy mọi sự. 12 Để:

‘Họ xem thì vẫn xem mà không thấy,
    Nghe thì vẫn nghe mà không hiểu,
E họ hối cải và được tha tội chăng.’ ”

Ý Nghĩa Ngụ Ngôn(C)

13 Rồi Ngài bảo họ: “Các con không hiểu nổi ngụ ngôn này thì làm sao có thể hiểu được tất cả các ngụ ngôn khác? 14 Người gieo giống là người gieo Đạo. 15 Một số người như hạt giống trên con đường mòn, là nơi Đạo được gieo, họ vừa nghe xong liền bị Sa-tan đến cướp lấy Đạo đã gieo trong lòng. 16 Một số người khác như hạt giống nơi có đá, vừa nghe Đạo họ liền vui mừng tiếp nhận. 17 Nhưng trong lòng không có rễ, chỉ tạm bợ, khi gặp hoạn nạn, bắt bớ vì Đạo, họ liền vấp ngã. 18 Một số người khác nữa như hạt giống nơi gai góc, họ nghe Đạo 19 nhưng nỗi lo lắng về đời này, sự quyến rũ của giàu sang, và những dục vọng khác nữa nhập vào lòng khiến Đạo nghẹt ngòi không kết quả được. 20 Còn số người khác như hạt giống nơi đất tốt, nghe Đạo thì nhận lấy và kết quả, một hạt ra ba chục, hạt khác sáu chục và hạt khác nữa một trăm.”

Ngụ Ngôn Về Cây Đèn(D)

21 Ngài cũng phán dạy: “Có ai thắp đèn lại để dưới cái thùng hoặc dưới gầm giường không? Chẳng phải cái đèn được đặt trên giá đèn sao? 22 Vì chẳng việc gì giấu kín mà lại không để tiết lộ ra, cũng chẳng việc gì giữ bí mật mà không để phơi bày. 23 Nếu ai có tai để nghe, hãy lắng nghe.”

24 Ngài tiếp lời: “Hãy chú tâm đến những điều mình nghe, hễ các con đong đấu nào, thì được đong lại đấu ấy, và còn thêm nữa. 25 Vì ai có sẽ được cho thêm, còn ai không có, sẽ mất luôn cả phần đang có.”

Ngụ Ngôn Về Hạt Giống

26 Ngài lại bảo: “Nước Đức Chúa Trời cũng ví như một người kia gieo hạt giống xuống đất. 27 Dù ngủ hay thức, dù ngày hay đêm, hạt giống cứ mọc lên, đâm chồi nẩy lộc thể nào người ấy cũng không hay biết. 28 Vì đất tự nó sinh hoa màu, trước hết là cây non, lớn lên trổ hoa, rồi kết hạt. 29 Khi lúa chín, người cho[a] gặt hái ngay vì đã đến mùa thu hoạch.”

Ngụ Ngôn Về Hạt Cải(E)

30 Ngài lại bảo: “Chúng ta nên ví Nước Đức Chúa Trời với gì, hay nên dùng ngụ ngôn nào để trình bày? 31 Nước Đức Chúa Trời ví như trường hợp hạt cải, lúc gieo xuống đất thì nhỏ hơn hết thảy các loại hạt trên đất. 32 Nhưng khi gieo rồi, hạt mọc thành cây, lớn hơn mọi thứ rau, cành lá sum sê đến nỗi chim trời có thể làm tổ dưới tàn cây.”

33 Ngài dùng nhiều ngụ ngôn như thế để dạy Đạo tùy theo khả năng tiếp nhận của họ. 34 Ngài chẳng dạy họ điều gì mà không dùng ngụ ngôn, nhưng khi ở riêng Ngài giải thích tất cả cho các môn đệ.

Dẹp Yên Bão Tố(F)

35 Chiều hôm ấy, Ngài bảo các môn đệ: “Chúng ta hãy qua bờ bên kia.” 36 Ngài vẫn còn ở dưới thuyền, các môn đệ đưa Ngài đi, tách khỏi đoàn dân, cũng có các thuyền khác cùng theo. 37 Bỗng một cơn bão lớn nổi lên, sóng ập vào thuyền, đến nỗi thuyền ngập nước, 38 nhưng Ngài đang ở phía sau lái, dựa gối mà ngủ. Môn đệ đánh thức Ngài dậy: “Thầy ơi, Thầy không lo chúng ta chết cả sao?”

39 Ngài thức dậy, quở gió và bảo biển: “Hãy êm đi, lặng đi!” Gió liền yên, và biển lặng như tờ.

40 Rồi Ngài bảo các môn đệ: “Sao các con sợ đến thế? Không có đức tin sao?”

41 Họ khiếp sợ bảo nhau: “Người là ai mà đến gió và biển cũng vâng lệnh?”

Footnotes

  1. 4:29 Nt: đem liềm

And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.

And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:

But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.

And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.

11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

14 The sower soweth the word.

15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.

18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

21 And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?

22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.

23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.

25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;

27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?

31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:

32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.

34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

The Parable of the Sower(A)(B)

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. He taught them many things by parables,(D) and in his teaching said: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.(E) As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 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)

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

  1. Mark 4:12 Isaiah 6:9,10