撒種的比喻

又一次,耶穌開始在湖邊[a]教導人。有一大群人聚集到他那裡,所以他上了湖中的一條船坐下來。眾人都在岸邊,面對湖站著。 耶穌用比喻教導他們很多事,在教導時對他們說: 「你們當聽好:看哪,有一個撒種的出去撒種。 他撒的時候,有的種子落在路邊,[b]飛鳥來了,就把它吃掉了。 另有落在岩石地上的,那裡沒有多少泥土,它立刻就發芽了,因為土不深; 當太陽升起,它被暴曬,就枯萎了,因為沒有根。 另有落進荊棘叢裡的,荊棘長起來把它擠住,它就結不出果實了。 可是另有落進好土壤裡的,就發芽、生長,不斷地結出果實,結出的有三十倍的、有六十倍的、有一百倍的。」 耶穌說:「凡是有耳可聽的,就應當聽!」

用比喻的原因

10 耶穌獨自一人的時候,跟隨他的人與十二使徒[c]一起問他這些比喻的意思。 11 耶穌對他們說:「神國的奧祕已經賜給你們了[d],但是對外人,一切都是用比喻的。 12 這是為要使

『他們看了又看,卻不明白,
聽了又聽,卻不領悟,
免得他們回轉過來,
[e]被赦免。』[f]

解明撒種的比喻

13 耶穌對他們說:「你們不明白這個比喻,又怎麼能領會所有的比喻呢? 14 撒種的人所撒的是話語。 15 那被撒上話語的『路邊之地』是這樣一些人:他們聽了話語以後,撒旦就立刻來把那撒在他們心裡[g]的話語奪走。 16 [h]那被撒上話語的『岩石地』是這樣一些人:他們一旦聽了這話語,就立刻懷著喜樂的心接受了它; 17 可是他們裡面沒有根而不能持久,一旦為這話語受患難或逼迫,他們立刻就放棄[i]了。 18 那被撒進話語的『荊棘叢』是另外一些人,那些人是這樣的:他們聽了這話語, 19 但今世的各種憂慮、財富的迷惑,以及其他各種欲望紛紛進來把這話語擠住了,他就成了不結果實的。 20 而那被撒上話語的『好土壤』是這樣的人:他們聽了這話語就接受,並且結出果實來,有三十倍的,有六十倍的,也有一百倍的。」

油燈的比喻

21 耶穌又對他們說:「油燈拿進來,難道是為了放在斗[j]底下,或床底下嗎?不是為了放在燈臺上嗎? 22 這樣,就算是隱祕的事,也沒有不顯明出來的;即使是隱藏的事,也沒有不顯露出來的。 23 凡是有耳可聽的,就應當聽!」 24 耶穌又說:「你們要留心所聽到的。你們用什麼量器[k]來衡量,也會同樣地被衡量,而且還將加添給你們[l] 25 因為凡是有的,還要賜給他;凡是沒有的,連他有的也將從他那裡被拿走。」

種子生長的比喻

26 耶穌又說:「神的國就像這樣:有人在地上撒了種子, 27 黑夜白晝,或睡或起,他卻不知道那種子怎樣發芽和長大。 28 大地自然長出五穀[m]——先長苗,再吐穗,然後穗上結出飽滿的子粒。 29 當果實成熟的時候,他立刻伸出鐮刀,因為收割的季節到了。」

芥菜種的比喻

30 耶穌又說:「我們把神的國比做什麼呢?用什麼比喻來表明[n]它呢? 31 它好像一粒芥菜種子,被種入地裡的時候,比地上所有的種子更小, 32 可是被種下去以後,它就長起來,長得比所有蔬菜更大,並且長出大枝子,以致天空的飛鳥能在它的蔭下搭窩。」

使用比喻

33 耶穌照著他們所能聽的,用許多這樣的比喻,向他們講道。 34 他向眾人講話,沒有不用比喻的。可是,他卻單獨給自己的門徒們解釋一切。

平靜風浪

35 那天晚上,耶穌對門徒們說:「我們渡到對岸去吧。」 36 門徒離開眾人,耶穌仍然在船上,他們就把他一同帶去;也有別的船[o]與他同行。 37 這時候,起了大風暴,以致波浪打進船裡,船幾乎灌滿了水。 38 耶穌卻在船尾靠著枕頭睡著了。門徒們叫醒他,說:「老師!我們沒命了,你不管嗎?」

39 耶穌就起來,斥責了風,對浪[p]說:「不許做聲!平靜下來!」於是風就停了,湖面就變得一片平靜。 40 耶穌對門徒們說:「為什麼膽怯呢?你們還沒有信嗎?」

41 門徒們就大為驚恐,彼此說:「這個人究竟是誰?連風和浪也聽從他!」

Footnotes

  1. 馬可福音 4:1 湖——原文直譯「海」;指「加利利湖(海)」。
  2. 馬可福音 4:4 有古抄本附「天空的」。
  3. 馬可福音 4:10 使徒——輔助詞語。
  4. 馬可福音 4:11 賜給你們了——有古抄本作「賜下來讓你們知道」。
  5. 馬可福音 4:12 有古抄本附「罪」。
  6. 馬可福音 4:12 《以賽亞書》6:9-10。
  7. 馬可福音 4:15 在他們心裡——有古抄本作「在他們裡面」。
  8. 馬可福音 4:16 有古抄本附「同樣,」。
  9. 馬可福音 4:17 放棄——原文直譯「絆倒」。
  10. 馬可福音 4:21 斗——指「一種度量穀物的量器」;容量約為9升。
  11. 馬可福音 4:24 量器——或譯作「尺度」或「標準」。
  12. 馬可福音 4:24 你們——有古抄本作「你們這些正在聽的人」。
  13. 馬可福音 4:28 長出五穀——原文直譯「結出果實」。
  14. 馬可福音 4:30 表明——或譯作「描述」;有古抄本作「比做」。
  15. 馬可福音 4:36 船——有古抄本作「小船」。
  16. 馬可福音 4:39 浪——或譯作「湖」;原文直譯「海」。

撒種的比喻(A)

耶穌又在海邊教導人。有一大群人聚集到他那裡,因此他上船坐下來。船在海中,群眾都朝著海站在岸上。 他用比喻教訓他們許多事,在教訓中他說: “你們聽著!有一個撒種的出去撒種, 撒的時候,有的落在路旁,小鳥飛來就吃掉了。 有的落在泥土不多的石地上,因為泥土不深,很快就長起來。 但太陽一出來,就把它曬乾,又因為沒有根就枯萎了。 有的落在荊棘裡,荊棘長起來,把它擠住,它就結不出果實來。 有的落在好土裡,就生長繁茂,結出果實,有三十倍的、有六十倍的、有一百倍的。” 耶穌又說:“有耳可聽的,就應當聽。”

用比喻的目的(B)

10 耶穌獨自一人的時候,那些經常跟著他的人和十二門徒,來問這些比喻的意義。 11 耶穌對他們說:“ 神的國的奧祕,只給你們知道,但對於外人,一切都用比喻, 12 叫他們

‘看是看見了,卻不領悟,

聽是聽見了,卻不明白,

免得他們回轉過來,得到赦免。’”

解釋撒種的比喻(C)

13 耶穌又對他們說:“你們不明白這個比喻,怎能明白一切比喻呢? 14 撒種的人所撒的就是道。 15 那撒在路旁的,就是人聽了道,撒但立刻來,把撒在他心裡的道奪去。 16 照樣,那撒在石地上的,就是人聽了道,立刻歡歡喜喜地接受了; 17 可是他們裡面沒有根,只是暫時的;一旦為道遭遇患難,受到迫害,就立刻跌倒了。 18 那撒在荊棘裡的,是指另一些人;他們聽了道, 19 然而今世的憂慮、財富的迷惑,以及種種的慾望,接連進來,把道擠住,就結不出果實來。 20 那撒在好土裡的,就是人聽了道,接受了,並且結出果實,有三十倍的、有六十倍的、有一百倍的。”

隱藏的事終必顯露(D)

21 耶穌又對他們說:“燈難道是拿來放在量器底下或床底下的嗎?它不是該放在燈臺上嗎? 22 因為沒有甚麼隱藏的事不被顯明出來,沒有甚麼掩蓋的事不被揭露的。 23 有耳可聽的,就應當聽。”

24 耶穌又對他們說:“要留心你們所聽到的,你們用甚麼尺度量給人, 神也要用甚麼尺度量給你們,並且要超過尺度給你們。 25 因為那有的,還要給他;那沒有的,就算他有甚麼也要拿去。”

種子發芽生長的比喻

26 耶穌說:“ 神的國好像人在地裡撒種, 27 他夜裡睡覺,白天起來,種子發芽生長,自己也不知道怎麼會這樣的。 28 地生五穀是自然的,先長苗,後吐穗,最後穗上結滿了子粒。 29 莊稼熟了,就派人用鐮刀割下,因為收成的時候到了。”

芥菜種的比喻(E)

30 又說:“我們要把 神的國比作甚麼呢?我們可以用甚麼比喻來形容它呢? 31 它好像一粒芥菜種,剛種下去的時候,比地上的一切種子都小, 32 種下以後,生長起來,卻比一切蔬菜都大,長出大枝子,甚至天空的飛鳥都可以在它的蔭下搭窩。”

33 耶穌用許多這樣的比喻,照著他們所能聽懂的,向他們講道; 34 不用比喻,就不對他們講。只有單獨和自己的門徒在一起的時候,才把一切解釋給他們聽。

平靜風浪(F)

35 當天黃昏,耶穌對門徒說:“我們渡到海那邊去吧。” 36 門徒離開群眾,耶穌已經在船上,他們就載他過去,也有別的船和他同去。 37 忽然起了狂風,波浪不斷地打進船來,艙裡積滿了水。 38 耶穌卻在船尾靠著枕頭睡著了。門徒把他叫醒,對他說:“老師,我們要死了,你不管嗎?” 39 耶穌起來,斥責了風,又對海說:“不要作聲!安靜吧!”風就停止,大大地平靜了。 40 然後對他們說:“為甚麼這樣膽怯呢?你們怎麼沒有信心呢?” 41 門徒非常懼怕,彼此說:“這到底是誰,連風和海都聽從他?”

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

The Parable of the Sower

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. He taught them many things in parables,(C) and in his teaching(D) he said to them, ‘Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.(E) As he sowed, some seed fell along the path,(F) and the birds came and devoured(G) it. 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. When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.(I) Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce fruit. Still other seed fell on good ground and it grew up, producing fruit that increased(J) thirty, sixty, and a hundred times.’(K) 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](S)[b]

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 ear, and then the full grain(AZ) on the ear. 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)

Footnotes

  1. 4:12 Other mss read and their sins be forgiven them
  2. 4:12 Is 6:9–10
  3. 4:15 Other mss read in their hearts
  4. 4:19 Or seduction
  5. 4:41 Or were filled with awe