Font Size
Mark 4:10-25
New International Version
Mark 4:10-25
New International Version
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(A) has been given to you. But to those on the outside(B) 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]”(C)
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.(D) 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan(E) 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(F) 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?(G) 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.(H) 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”(I)
24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more.(J) 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”(K)
Footnotes
- Mark 4:12 Isaiah 6:9,10
Mark 4:10-25
King James Version
Mark 4:10-25
King James Version
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.
Read full chapter
Mark 4:10-25
New King James Version
Mark 4:10-25
New King James Version
The Purpose of Parables(A)
10 (B)But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11 And He said to them, “To you it has been given to (C)know the [a]mystery of the kingdom of God; but to (D)those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12 so that
(E)‘Seeing they may see and not perceive,
And hearing they may hear and not understand;
Lest they should turn,
And their sins be forgiven them.’ ”
The Parable of the Sower Explained(F)
13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 (G)The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. 18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the (H)cares of this world, (I)the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, [b]accept it, and bear (J)fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
Light Under a Basket(K)
21 (L)Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? 22 (M)For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. 23 (N)If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. (O)With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25 (P)For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
Read full chapter
Mark 4:10-25
English Standard Version
Mark 4:10-25
English Standard Version
The Purpose of the Parables
10 And (A)when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, (B)“To you has been given (C)the secret of the kingdom of God, but for (D)those outside everything is in parables, 12 (E)so that
“‘they (F)may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they (G)should turn and be forgiven.’”
13 (H)And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 (I)The sower sows (J)the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it (K)with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but (L)endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately (M)they fall away.[a] 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but (N)the cares of (O)the world and (P)the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and (Q)bear fruit, (R)thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
A Lamp Under a Basket
21 (S)And he said to them, (T)“Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 (U)For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 (V)If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: (W)with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25 (X)For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Mark 4:17 Or stumble
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.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.