The Parable of the Sower(A)

And (B)again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. Then He taught them many things by parables, (C)and said to them in His teaching:

“Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds [a]of the air came and devoured it. Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have 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 seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no [b]crop. But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

And He said [c]to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

The Purpose of Parables(D)

10 (E)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 (F)know the [d]mystery of the kingdom of God; but to (G)those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12 so that

(H)‘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(I)

13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 (J)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 (K)cares of this world, (L)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, [e]accept it, and bear (M)fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”

Light Under a Basket(N)

21 (O)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 (P)For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. 23 (Q)If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. (R)With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25 (S)For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

The Parable of the Growing Seed

26 And He said, (T)“The kingdom of God is as if a man should [f]scatter seed on the ground, 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and (U)grow, he himself does not know how. 28 For the earth (V)yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain ripens, immediately (W)he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed(X)

30 Then He said, (Y)“To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? 31 It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; 32 but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”

Jesus’ Use of Parables

33 (Z)And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. 34 But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, (AA)He explained all things to His disciples.

Wind and Wave Obey Jesus(AB)

35 (AC)On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, (AD)“Teacher, (AE)do You not care that we are perishing?”

39 Then He arose and (AF)rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, (AG)“Peace,[g] be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? (AH)How[h] is it that you have no faith?” 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 4:4 NU, M omit of the air
  2. Mark 4:7 Lit. fruit
  3. Mark 4:9 NU, M omit to them
  4. Mark 4:11 secret or hidden truths
  5. Mark 4:20 receive
  6. Mark 4:26 sow
  7. Mark 4:39 Lit. Be quiet
  8. Mark 4:40 NU Have you still no faith?

· kai Again palin Jesus began archō to teach didaskō beside para the ho lake thalassa. And kai a very large polys crowd ochlos gathered synagō about pros him autos, so hōste that he autos got embainō into eis a boat ploion and sat kathēmai there out on en the ho lake thalassa while kai all pas the ho people ochlos were eimi on epi shore by pros the edge of the ho water thalassa. · ho And kai he taught didaskō them autos many things polys by en parables parabolē, and kai in en his autos teaching didachē said legō to them autos: · ho Listen akouō! A sower speirō went exerchomai out · ho to sow speirō. And kai as en he was sowing speirō, some hos seed fell piptō along para the ho path hodos, and kai birds peteinon came erchomai · ho and kai ate katesthiō it autos up. · kai Other allos seed fell piptō on epi · ho rocky ground petrōdēs where hopou it did not ou have echō much polys soil , and kai it sprang up exanatellō right away because dia · ho it had echō no depth bathos of soil . · kai When hote the ho sun hēlios came anatellō up , the plant was scorched kaumatizō, and kai because dia · ho it did not have echō a root rhiza, it withered xērainō away . · kai Other allos seed fell piptō among eis the ho thorns akantha, and kai the ho thorns akantha came anabainō up and kai choked sympnigō it autos, and kai it did didōmi not ou produce didōmi grain karpos. But kai other allos seed fell piptō into eis · ho good kalos soil · ho and kai produced didōmi grain karpos, sprouting anabainō, · kai growing auxanō, and kai bearing pherō thirty heis triakonta, · kai sixty heis hexēkonta, and kai even a hundredfold heis hekaton.” And kai he said legō, “ Whoever hos has echō ears ous to hear akouō, let him listen akouō!” 10 · kai When hote he was ginomai alone kata monos, those ho around peri him autos with syn the ho twelve dōdeka asked erōtaō him autos about erōtaō the ho parables parabolē. 11 And kai he said legō to them autos, “ To you hymeis has been given didōmi the ho mystery mystērion of the ho kingdom basileia of ho God theos, but de to those ekeinos · ho outside exō, everything pas is ginomai in en parables parabolē, · ho 12 so hina that when they look blepō, they may see blepō yet kai not perceive, and kai when they listen akouō, they may hear akouō yet kai not understand syniēmi; otherwise mēpote they might turn epistrephō and kai be forgiven aphiēmi.’”

13 And kai he said legō to them autos, “ Do you not ou understand oida · ho this houtos parable parabolē? Then kai how pōs will you understand ginōskō all pas the ho parables parabolē? 14 The ho sower speirō sows speirō the ho word logos. 15 These houtos · de are eimi the ho ones on para the ho path hodos where hopou the ho word logos is sown speirō: · kai whenever hotan they hear akouō, Satan Satanas immediately comes erchomai · ho and kai carries airō off the ho word logos that ho was sown speirō in eis them autos. 16 · kai These houtos are eimi the ho ones sown speirō on epi · ho rocky ground petrōdēs: whenever hotan they hear akouō the ho word logos, they lambanō immediately receive lambanō it autos with meta joy chara. 17 But kai they have echō no ou root rhiza in en themselves heautou and alla last for eimi only a limited time proskairos. Then eita, when tribulation thlipsis or ē persecution diōgmos comes ginomai because dia of the ho word logos, immediately they fall skandalizō away . 18 · kai Others allos are eimi the ho ones sown speirō among eis the ho thorns akantha: these houtos are eimi the ho ones who hear akouō the ho word logos, 19 but kai the ho cares merimna of the ho world aiōn, · kai the ho deceitfulness apatē of ho wealth ploutos, and kai the ho desires epithumia for peri · ho many other things loipos come eisporeuomai in and choke sympnigō the ho word logos, and kai it becomes ginomai barren akarpos. 20 · kai These ekeinos are eimi the ho ones sown speirō on epi · ho good kalos soil : · ho they hostis hear akouō the ho word logos, · kai accept paradechomai it, and kai bear karpophoreō fruit thirty heis triakonta, · kai sixty heis hexēkonta, and kai even a hundredfold heis hekaton.”

21 And kai he said legō to them autos, “A lamp lychnos is not mēti brought erchomai · ho to hina be put tithēmi under hypo a ho basket modios or ē under hypo a ho bed klinē, is it? Is it not ou to hina be put tithēmi on epi a ho lampstand lychnia? 22 For gar nothing ou is eimi hidden kryptos except ean mē to hina be disclosed phaneroō; nor oude is ginomai anything concealed apokryphos, except alla to hina come erchomai to eis light phaneros. 23 If ei anyone tis has echō ears ous to hear akouō, let him listen akouō!” 24 And kai he said legō to them autos, “ Pay attention blepō to what tis you hear akouō. By en what hos measure metron you measure metreō it will be measured metreō out to you hymeis, and kai more will be added prostithēmi to you hymeis. 25 For gar whoever hos has echō, more will be given didōmi to him autos; and kai whoever hos does not ou have echō, even kai what hos he does have echō will be taken airō away from apo him autos.” 26 And kai he said legō, “ The ho kingdom basileia of ho God theos is eimi like hōs a man anthrōpos who scatters ballō · ho seed sporos on epi the ho ground . 27 · kai He goes to bed katheudō and kai gets egeirō up , night nyx and kai day hēmera, and kai the ho seed sporos sprouts blastanō and kai grows mēkynō, although he autos does not ou know oida how hōs. 28 The ho soil produces a crop karpophoreō all by itself automatos: first prōton the stalk chortos, then eita the head stachus, then eita the full plērēs grain sitos in en the ho head stachus. 29 And de when hotan the ho grain karpos is ripe paradidōmi, immediately he sends apostellō in the ho sickle drepanon, because hoti the ho harvest therismos has come paristēmi.”

30 Then kai he said legō, “To what pōs can we compare homoioō the ho kingdom basileia of ho God theos, or ē what tis parable parabolē can we use tithēmi for en it autos? 31 It is like hōs a mustard sinapi seed kokkos that hos, when hotan it is sown speirō in epi the ho ground , is eimi smaller mikros than all pas of the ho seeds sperma · ho on epi · ho earth . 32 Yet kai when hotan it is sown speirō, it grows anabainō up and kai becomes ginomai larger megas than all pas the ho garden plants lachanon and kai puts poieō out large megas branches klados, so hōste that the ho birds peteinon of the ho air ouranos are able dynamai to nest kataskēnoō in hypo · ho its autos shade skia.”

33 So kai with parabolē many polys parables parabolē such as these toioutos he spoke laleō the ho word logos to them autos, as kathōs they were able dynamai to understand akouō. 34 And de without chōris a parable parabolē he did not ou speak laleō to them autos; but de privately kata idios to ho his idios own disciples mathētēs he would explain epilyō everything pas. 35 · kai On en that ekeinos same day hēmera, when ginomai evening opsia had come ginomai, he said legō to them autos, · ho Let us go dierchomai over to eis the ho other side peran.” 36 So kai after leaving aphiēmi the ho crowd ochlos, they took paralambanō him autos with them, just hōs as he was eimi, in en the ho boat ploion. And kai other allos boats ploion were eimi with meta him autos. 37 Now kai a fierce megas windstorm lailaps arose ginomai and kai the ho waves kyma began to break epiballō into eis the ho boat ploion, so hōste that the ho boat ploion was now ēdē filling gemizō. 38 But kai Jesus autos was eimi in en the ho stern prymna, sleeping katheudō on epi a ho cushion proskephalaion. · kai They woke egeirō him autos and kai said legō to him autos, “ Teacher didaskalos, do you sy not ou care melei that hoti we are perishing apollymi?” 39 So kai he got diegeirō up and rebuked epitimaō the ho wind anemos and kai said legō to the ho sea thalassa, “ Be still siōpaō! Settle phimoō down !” Then kai the ho wind anemos died kopazō down and kai there was ginomai a great megas calm galēnē. 40 And kai he said legō to them autos, “ Why tis are you eimi so fearful deilos? Have you echō still oupō no faith pistis?” 41 And kai they were filled phobeomai with great megas fear phobos and kai said legō to pros one another allēlōn, “ Who tis then ara is eimi this houtos, that hoti even kai the ho wind anemos and kai the ho sea thalassa obey hypakouō him autos?”