马可福音 4
Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified)
撒种的比喻
4 耶稣又在海边教训人。有许多人到他那里聚集，他只得上船坐下。船在海里，众人都靠近海，站在岸上。 2 耶稣就用比喻教训他们许多道理。在教训之间，对他们说： 3 “你们听啊！有一个撒种的出去撒种。 4 撒的时候，有落在路旁的，飞鸟来吃尽了。 5 有落在土浅石头地上的，土既不深，发苗最快， 6 日头出来一晒，因为没有根，就枯干了。 7 有落在荆棘里的，荆棘长起来，把它挤住了，就不结实。 8 又有落在好土里的，就发生长大，结实有三十倍的，有六十倍的，有一百倍的。” 9 又说：“有耳可听的，就应当听！”
用比喻的因由
10 无人的时候，跟随耶稣的人和十二个门徒问他这比喻的意思。 11 耶稣对他们说：“神国的奥秘只叫你们知道，若是对外人讲，凡事就用比喻， 12 叫‘他们看是看见，却不晓得，听是听见，却不明白；恐怕他们回转过来，就得赦免’。”
解明撒种的比喻
13 又对他们说：“你们不明白这比喻吗？这样怎能明白一切的比喻呢？ 14 撒种之人所撒的就是道。 15 那撒在路旁的，就是人听了道，撒旦立刻来，把撒在他心里的道夺了去。 16 那撒在石头地上的，就是人听了道，立刻欢喜领受， 17 但他心里没有根，不过是暂时的，及至为道遭了患难，或是受了逼迫，立刻就跌倒了。 18 还有那撒在荆棘里的，就是人听了道， 19 后来有世上的思虑、钱财的迷惑和别样的私欲进来，把道挤住了，就不能结实。 20 那撒在好地上的，就是人听道又领受，并且结实，有三十倍的，有六十倍的，有一百倍的。”
21 耶稣又对他们说：“人拿灯来，岂是要放在斗底下、床底下，不放在灯台上吗？ 22 因为掩藏的事没有不显出来的，隐瞒的事没有不露出来的。 23 有耳可听的，就应当听！” 24 又说：“你们所听的要留心。你们用什么量器量给人，也必用什么量器量给你们，并且要多给你们。 25 因为有的，还要给他；没有的，连他所有的也要夺去。”
26 又说：“神的国如同人把种撒在地上， 27 黑夜睡觉，白日起来，这种就发芽渐长，那人却不晓得如何这样。 28 地生五谷是出于自然的，先发苗，后长穗，再后穗上结成饱满的子粒。 29 谷既熟了，就用镰刀去割，因为收成的时候到了。”
芥菜种的比喻
30 又说：“神的国，我们可用什么比较呢？可用什么比喻表明呢？ 31 好像一粒芥菜种，种在地里的时候，虽比地上的百种都小， 32 但种上以后，就长起来，比各样的菜都大，又长出大枝来，甚至天上的飞鸟可以宿在它的荫下。”
33 耶稣用许多这样的比喻，照他们所能听的，对他们讲道。 34 若不用比喻，就不对他们讲；没有人的时候，就把一切的道讲给门徒听。
平静风和海
35 当那天晚上，耶稣对门徒说：“我们渡到那边去吧。” 36 门徒离开众人，耶稣仍在船上，他们就把他一同带去；也有别的船和他同行。 37 忽然起了暴风，波浪打入船内，甚至船要满了水。 38 耶稣在船尾上枕着枕头睡觉。门徒叫醒了他，说：“夫子！我们丧命，你不顾吗？” 39 耶稣醒了，斥责风，向海说：“住了吧！静了吧！”风就止住，大大地平静了。 40 耶稣对他们说：“为什么胆怯？你们还没有信心吗？” 41 他们就大大地惧怕，彼此说：“这到底是谁？连风和海也听从他了！”
Mark 4
The Message
The Story of the Scattered Seed
4 1-2 He went back to teaching by the sea. A crowd built up to such a great size that he had to get into an offshore boat, using the boat as a pulpit as the people pushed to the water’s edge. He taught by using stories, many stories.
3-8 “Listen. What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn’t put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled among the weeds and nothing came of it. Some fell on good earth and came up with a flourish, producing a harvest exceeding his wildest dreams.
9 “Are you listening to this? Really listening?”
10-12 When they were off by themselves, those who were close to him, along with the Twelve, asked about the stories. He told them, “You’ve been given insight into God’s kingdom—you know how it works. But to those who can’t see it yet, everything comes in stories, creating readiness, nudging them toward a welcome awakening. These are people—
Whose eyes are open but don’t see a thing,
Whose ears are open but don’t understand a word,
Who avoid making an about-face and getting forgiven.”
13 He continued, “Do you see how this story works? All my stories work this way.
14-15 “The farmer plants the Word. Some people are like the seed that falls on the hardened soil of the road. No sooner do they hear the Word than Satan snatches away what has been planted in them.
16-17 “And some are like the seed that lands in the gravel. When they first hear the Word, they respond with great enthusiasm. But there is such shallow soil of character that when the emotions wear off and some difficulty arrives, there is nothing to show for it.
18-19 “The seed cast in the weeds represents the ones who hear the kingdom news but are overwhelmed with worries about all the things they have to do and all the things they want to get. The stress strangles what they heard, and nothing comes of it.
20 “But the seed planted in the good earth represents those who hear the Word, embrace it, and produce a harvest beyond their wildest dreams.”
Giving, Not Getting
21-22 Jesus went on: “Does anyone bring a lamp home and put it under a bucket or beneath the bed? Don’t you put it up on a table or on the mantel? We’re not keeping secrets, we’re telling them; we’re not hiding things, we’re bringing them out into the open.
23 “Are you listening to this? Really listening?
24-25 “Listen carefully to what I am saying—and be wary of the shrewd advice that tells you how to get ahead in the world on your own. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity. Stinginess impoverishes.”
Never Without a Story
26-29 Then Jesus said, “God’s kingdom is like seed thrown on a field by a man who then goes to bed and forgets about it. The seed sprouts and grows—he has no idea how it happens. The earth does it all without his help: first a green stem of grass, then a bud, then the ripened grain. When the grain is fully formed, he reaps—harvest time!
30-32 “How can we picture God’s kingdom? What kind of story can we use? It’s like an acorn. When it lands on the ground it is quite small as seeds go, yet once it is planted it grows into a huge oak tree with thick branches. Eagles nest in it.”
33-34 With many stories like these, he presented his message to them, fitting the stories to their experience and maturity. He was never without a story when he spoke. When he was alone with his disciples, he went over everything, sorting out the tangles, untying the knots.
The Wind Ran Out of Breath
35-38 Late that day he said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side.” They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, “Teacher, is it nothing to you that we’re going down?”
39-40 Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, “Quiet! Settle down!” The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith at all?”
41 They were in absolute awe, staggered. “Who is this, anyway?” they asked. “Wind and sea at his beck and call!”
Mark 4
King James Version
4 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.
2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,
3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
4 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.
5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 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.
9 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?
Copyright © 2011 by Global Bible Initiative
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson