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ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:1-35
SBL Greek New Testament

4 Καὶ πάλιν ἤρξατο διδάσκειν παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν. καὶ [a]συνάγεται πρὸς αὐτὸν ὄχλος [b]πλεῖστος, ὥστε αὐτὸν [c]εἰς πλοῖον ἐμβάντα καθῆσθαι ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ, καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος πρὸς τὴν θάλασσαν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς [d]ἦσαν. 2 καὶ ἐδίδασκεν αὐτοὺς ἐν παραβολαῖς πολλά καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς ἐν τῇ διδαχῇ αὐτοῦ· 3 Ἀκούετε. ἰδοὺ ἐξῆλθεν ὁ [e]σπείρων σπεῖραι. 4 καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ σπείρειν ὃ μὲν ἔπεσεν παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν, καὶ ἦλθεν τὰ πετεινὰ καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτό. 5 [f]καὶ ἄλλο ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὸ πετρῶδες [g]ὅπου οὐκ εἶχεν γῆν πολλήν, καὶ [h]εὐθὺς ἐξανέτειλεν διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν βάθος γῆς· 6 [i]καὶ ὅτε ἀνέτειλεν ὁ ἥλιος [j]ἐκαυματίσθη καὶ διὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν ῥίζαν ἐξηράνθη. 7 καὶ ἄλλο ἔπεσεν εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας, καὶ ἀνέβησαν αἱ ἄκανθαι καὶ συνέπνιξαν αὐτό, καὶ καρπὸν οὐκ ἔδωκεν. 8 καὶ [k]ἄλλα ἔπεσεν εἰς τὴν γῆν τὴν καλήν, καὶ ἐδίδου καρπὸν ἀναβαίνοντα καὶ [l]αὐξανόμενα, καὶ ἔφερεν [m]ἓν τριάκοντα καὶ ἓν ἑξήκοντα καὶ ἓν ἑκατόν. 9 καὶ ἔλεγεν· [n]Ὃς ἔχει ὦτα ἀκούειν ἀκουέτω.

10 [o]Καὶ ὅτε ἐγένετο κατὰ μόνας, [p]ἠρώτων αὐτὸν οἱ περὶ αὐτὸν σὺν τοῖς δώδεκα [q]τὰς παραβολάς. 11 καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· Ὑμῖν [r]τὸ μυστήριον δέδοται τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ θεοῦ· ἐκείνοις δὲ τοῖς ἔξω ἐν παραβολαῖς τὰ πάντα γίνεται, 12 ἵνα βλέποντες βλέπωσι καὶ μὴ ἴδωσιν, καὶ ἀκούοντες ἀκούωσι καὶ μὴ συνιῶσιν, μήποτε ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἀφεθῇ [s]αὐτοῖς.

13 Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Οὐκ οἴδατε τὴν παραβολὴν ταύτην, καὶ πῶς πάσας τὰς παραβολὰς γνώσεσθε; 14 ὁ σπείρων τὸν λόγον σπείρει. 15 οὗτοι δέ εἰσιν οἱ παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ὅπου σπείρεται ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὅταν ἀκούσωσιν [t]εὐθὺς ἔρχεται ὁ Σατανᾶς καὶ αἴρει τὸν λόγον τὸν ἐσπαρμένον [u]εἰς αὐτούς. 16 καὶ οὗτοί εἰσιν [v]ὁμοίως οἱ ἐπὶ τὰ πετρώδη σπειρόμενοι, οἳ ὅταν ἀκούσωσιν τὸν λόγον [w]εὐθὺς μετὰ χαρᾶς λαμβάνουσιν αὐτόν, 17 καὶ οὐκ ἔχουσιν ῥίζαν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἀλλὰ πρόσκαιροί εἰσιν, εἶτα γενομένης θλίψεως ἢ διωγμοῦ διὰ τὸν λόγον [x]εὐθὺς σκανδαλίζονται. 18 καὶ [y]ἄλλοι εἰσὶν οἱ εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας σπειρόμενοι· [z]οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ τὸν λόγον [aa]ἀκούσαντες, 19 καὶ αἱ μέριμναι τοῦ [ab]αἰῶνος καὶ ἡ ἀπάτη τοῦ πλούτου καὶ αἱ περὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἐπιθυμίαι εἰσπορευόμεναι συμπνίγουσιν τὸν λόγον, καὶ ἄκαρπος γίνεται. 20 καὶ [ac]ἐκεῖνοί εἰσιν οἱ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τὴν καλὴν σπαρέντες, οἵτινες ἀκούουσιν τὸν λόγον καὶ παραδέχονται καὶ καρποφοροῦσιν [ad]ἓν τριάκοντα καὶ ἓν ἑξήκοντα καὶ ἓν ἑκατόν.

21 Καὶ ἔλεγεν [ae]αὐτοῖς· Μήτι [af]ἔρχεται ὁ λύχνος ἵνα ὑπὸ τὸν μόδιον τεθῇ ἢ ὑπὸ τὴν κλίνην, οὐχ ἵνα ἐπὶ τὴν λυχνίαν [ag]τεθῇ; 22 οὐ γάρ ἐστιν [ah]κρυπτὸν ἐὰν μὴ [ai]ἵνα φανερωθῇ, οὐδὲ ἐγένετο ἀπόκρυφον ἀλλ’ ἵνα [aj]ἔλθῃ εἰς φανερόν. 23 εἴ τις ἔχει ὦτα ἀκούειν ἀκουέτω. 24 καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· Βλέπετε τί ἀκούετε. ἐν ᾧ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε μετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν καὶ προστεθήσεται [ak]ὑμῖν. 25 ὃς γὰρ [al]ἔχει, δοθήσεται αὐτῷ· καὶ ὃς οὐκ ἔχει, καὶ [am]ὃ ἔχει ἀρθήσεται ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ.

26 Καὶ ἔλεγεν· Οὕτως ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ [an]ὡς ἄνθρωπος βάλῃ τὸν σπόρον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς 27 καὶ καθεύδῃ καὶ ἐγείρηται νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν, καὶ ὁ σπόρος [ao]βλαστᾷ καὶ μηκύνηται ὡς οὐκ οἶδεν αὐτός. 28 [ap]αὐτομάτη ἡ γῆ καρποφορεῖ, πρῶτον χόρτον, [aq]εἶτα στάχυν, εἶτα [ar]πλήρης σῖτον ἐν τῷ στάχυϊ. 29 ὅταν δὲ [as]παραδοῖ ὁ καρπός, [at]εὐθὺς ἀποστέλλει τὸ δρέπανον, ὅτι παρέστηκεν ὁ θερισμός.

30 Καὶ ἔλεγεν· [au]Πῶς ὁμοιώσωμεν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ, ἢ ἐν [av]τίνι [aw]αὐτὴν παραβολῇ θῶμεν; 31 ὡς [ax]κόκκῳ σινάπεως, ὃς ὅταν σπαρῇ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, [ay]μικρότερον ὂν πάντων τῶν [az]σπερμάτων τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς— 32 καὶ ὅταν σπαρῇ, ἀναβαίνει καὶ γίνεται [ba]μεῖζον πάντων τῶν λαχάνων καὶ ποιεῖ κλάδους μεγάλους, ὥστε δύνασθαι ὑπὸ τὴν σκιὰν αὐτοῦ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνοῦν.

33 Καὶ τοιαύταις παραβολαῖς πολλαῖς ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς τὸν λόγον, καθὼς ἠδύναντο ἀκούειν· 34 χωρὶς δὲ παραβολῆς οὐκ ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς, κατ’ ἰδίαν δὲ τοῖς [bb]ἰδίοις μαθηταῖς ἐπέλυεν πάντα.

35 Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὀψίας γενομένης· Διέλθωμεν εἰς τὸ πέραν.

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Footnotes

  1. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:1 συνάγεται WH Treg NIV ] συνήχθη RP
  2. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:1 πλεῖστος WH Treg NIV ] πολύς RP
  3. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:1 εἰς πλοῖον ἐμβάντα WH Treg NIV ] ἐμβάντα εἰς τὸ πλοῖον RP
  4. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:1 ἦσαν WH Treg NIV ] ἦν RP
  5. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:3 σπείρων WH NIV ] + τοῦ Treg RP
  6. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:5 καὶ ἄλλο WH Treg NIV ] Ἄλλο δὲ RP
  7. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:5 ὅπου NIV RP ] καὶ ὅπου WH Treg
  8. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:5 εὐθὺς WH Treg NIV ] εὐθέως RP
  9. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:6 καὶ ὅτε ἀνέτειλεν ὁ ἥλιος WH Treg NIV ] ἡλίου δὲ ἀνατείλαντος RP
  10. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:6 ἐκαυματίσθη WH RP NA ] ἐκαυματίσθησαν Treg NIV
  11. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:8 ἄλλα WH NIV ] ἄλλο Treg RP
  12. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:8 αὐξανόμενα WH NIV ] αὐξανόμενον Treg; αὐξάνοντα RP
  13. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:8 ἓν … ἓν … ἓν NIV ] εἰς … ἐν … ἐν WH; εἰς … εἰς … εἰς Treg; ἐν … ἐν … ἐν RP
  14. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:9 Ὃς ἔχει WH Treg NIV ] Ὃ ἔχων RP
  15. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:10 Καὶ ὅτε WH Treg NIV ] Ὅτε δὲ RP
  16. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:10 ἠρώτων WH Treg NIV ] ἠρώτησαν RP
  17. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:10 τὰς παραβολάς WH Treg NIV ] τὴν παραβολήν RP
  18. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:11 τὸ μυστήριον δέδοται WH Treg NIV ] δέδοται γνῶναι τὸ μυστήριον RP
  19. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:12 αὐτοῖς WH Treg NIV ] + τὰ ἁμαρτήματα RP
  20. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:15 εὐθὺς WH Treg NIV ] εὐθέως RP
  21. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:15 εἰς αὐτούς WH Treg NIV ] ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν RP
  22. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:16 ὁμοίως WH Treg NIV RP ] – NA
  23. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:16 εὐθὺς WH Treg NIV ] εὐθέως RP
  24. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:17 εὐθὺς WH Treg NIV ] εὐθέως RP
  25. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:18 ἄλλοι WH Treg NIV ] οὗτοί RP
  26. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:18 οὗτοί εἰσιν WH Treg NIV ] – RP
  27. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:18 ἀκούσαντες WH Treg NIV ] ἀκούοντες RP
  28. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:19 αἰῶνος WH Treg NA ] + τούτου RP; βίου NIV
  29. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:20 ἐκεῖνοί WH Treg NIV ] οὗτοί RP
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  31. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:21 αὐτοῖς Treg NIV RP ] + ὅτι WH
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  34. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:22 κρυπτὸν WH Treg NIV ] τι κρυπτόν, ὃ RP
  35. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:22 ἵνα WH NIV ] – Treg RP
  36. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:22 ἔλθῃ εἰς φανερόν WH Treg NIV ] εἰς φανερὸν ἔλθῃ RP
  37. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:24 ὑμῖν WH Treg NIV ] + τοῖς ἀκούουσιν RP
  38. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:25 ἔχει WH Treg NIV ] ἂν ἔχῃ RP
  39. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:25 ὃ WH NIV RP ] ὃς Treg
  40. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:26 ὡς WH Treg NIV ] + ἐὰν RP
  41. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:27 βλαστᾷ WH Treg NIV ] βλαστάνῃ RP
  42. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:28 αὐτομάτη WH Treg NIV ] + γὰρ RP
  43. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:28 εἶτα … εἶτα Treg NIV RP ] εἶτεν … εἶτεν WH
  44. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:28 πλήρης σῖτον NIV ] πλήρη σῖτον WH RP; πλήρης σῖτος Treg
  45. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:29 παραδοῖ WH Treg NIV ] παραδῷ RP
  46. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:29 εὐθὺς WH Treg NIV ] εὐθέως RP
  47. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:30 Πῶς WH Treg NIV ] Τίνι RP
  48. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:30 τίνι WH Treg NIV ] ποίᾳ RP
  49. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:30 αὐτὴν παραβολῇ θῶμεν WH Treg NIV ] παραβολῇ παραβάλωμεν αὐτήν RP
  50. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:31 κόκκῳ WH NIV ] κόκκον Treg RP
  51. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:31 μικρότερον ὂν WH Treg NIV ] μικρότερος RP
  52. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:31 σπερμάτων WH Treg NIV ] + ἐστὶν RP
  53. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:32 μεῖζον πάντων τῶν λαχάνων WH NIV ] μείζων πάντων τῶν λαχάνων Treg; πάντων τῶν λαχάνων μείζων RP
  54. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΡΚΟΝ 4:34 ἰδίοις μαθηταῖς WH NIV ] μαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ Treg RP
Listen to Mark 4:1-35
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Mark 4:1-35
New International Version - UK

The parable of the sower

4 Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered round 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. 2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3 ‘Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.’

9 Then Jesus said, ‘Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.’

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 has been given to you. But to those on the outside 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]’

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. 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan 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 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? 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.’

24 ‘Consider carefully what you hear,’ he continued. ‘With the measure you use, it will be measured to you – and even more. 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.’

The parable of the growing seed

26 He also said, ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. 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 corn – first the stalk, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 As soon as the corn is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.’

The parable of the mustard seed

30 Again he said, ‘What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, 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. 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

Jesus calms the storm

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’

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Footnotes

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

Mark 4:1-35
New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition

The Parable of the Sower

4 Again he began to teach beside the lake. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the lake on the land. 2 He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’ 9 And he said, ‘Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’

The Purpose of the Parables

10 When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, ‘To you has been given the secret[a] of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; 12 in order that

“they may indeed look, but not perceive,
    and may indeed listen, but not understand;
so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.”’

13 And he said to them, ‘Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 These are the ones on 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: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy. 17 But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.[b] 18 And others are those sown among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing. 20 And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.’

A Lamp under a Bushel Basket

21 He said to them, ‘Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. 23 Let anyone with ears to hear listen!’ 24 And he said to them, ‘Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. 25 For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.’

The Parable of the Growing Seed

26 He also said, ‘The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground, 27 and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how. 28 The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come.’

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 He also said, ‘With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.’

The Use of Parables

33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; 34 he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

Jesus Stills a Storm

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, ‘Let us go across to the other side.’

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Footnotes

  1. Mark 4:11 Or mystery
  2. Mark 4:17 Or stumble
Close PHILLIPS

Mark 4:1-35
J.B. Phillips New Testament

The story of the sower

4 1-8 Then once again he began to teach them by the lake-side. A bigger crowd than ever collected around him so that he got into the little boat on the lake and sat down, while the crowd covered the ground right up to the water’s edge. He taught them a great deal in parables, and in the course of his teaching he said, “Listen! A man once went out to sow his seed and as he sowed, some seed fell by the roadside and the birds came and gobbled it up. Some of the seed fell among the rocks where there was not much soil, and sprang up very quickly because there was no depth of earth. But when the sun rose it was scorched, and because it had no root, it withered away. And some of the seed fell among thorn-bushes and the thorns grew up and choked the life out of it, and it bore no crop. And there was some seed which fell on good soil, and when it grew, produced a crop which yielded thirty or sixty or even a hundred times as much as the seed.”

9 Then he added, “Every man who has ears should use them!”

10-12 Then when they were by themselves, his close followers and the twelve asked him about the parables, and he told them. “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those who do not know the secret, everything remains in parables, so that, ‘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’”.

13-20 Then he continued, “Do you really not understand this parable? Then how are you going to understand all the other parables? The man who sows, sows the message. As for those who are by the roadside where the message is sown, as soon as they hear it Satan comes at once and takes away what has been sown in their minds. Similarly, the seed sown among the rocks represents those who hear the message without hesitation and accept it joyfully. But they have no real roots and do not last—when trouble or persecution arises because of the message, they give up their faith at once. Then there are the seeds which were sown among thorn-bushes. These are the people who hear the message, but the worries of this world and the false glamour of riches and all sorts of other ambitions creep in and choke the life out of what they have heard, and it produces no crop in their lives. As for the seed sown on good soil, this means the men who hear the message and accept it and do produce a crop—thirty, sixty, even a hundred times as much as they received.”

Truth is to be used

21-23 Then he said to them, “Is a lamp brought into the room to be put under a bucket or underneath the bed? Surely its place is on the lamp-stand! There is nothing hidden which is not meant to be made perfectly plain one day, and there are no secrets which are not meant one day to be common knowledge. If a man has ears he should use them!”

24-25 “Be careful how you listen,” he said to them. “Whatever measure you use will be used towards you, and even more than that. For the man who has something will receive more. As for the man who has nothing, even his nothing will be taken away.”

Jesus gives pictures of the kingdom’s growth

26-29 Then he said, “The kingdom of God is like a man scattering seed on the ground and then going to bed each night and getting up every morning, while the seed sprouts and grows up, though he has no idea how it happens. The earth produces a crop without any help from anyone: first a blade, then the ear of corn, then the full-grown grain in the ear. And as soon as the crop is ready, he sends his reapers in without delay, for the harvest-time has come.”

30-32 Then he continued, “What can we say the kingdom of God is like? How shall we put it in a parable? It is like a tiny grain of mustard-seed which, when it is sown, is smaller than any seed that is ever sown. But after it is sown in the earth, it grows up and becomes bigger than any other plant. It shoots out great branches so that birds can come and nest in its shelter.”

33-34 So he taught them his message with many parables such as their minds could take in. He did not speak to them at all without using parables, although in private he explained everything to his disciples.

Jesus shows himself master of natural forces

35 On the evening of that day, he said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.”

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Mark 4:1-35
Good News Translation

The Parable of the Sower(A)

4 (B)Again Jesus began to teach beside Lake Galilee. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it. The boat was out in the water, and the crowd stood on the shore at the water's edge. 2 He used parables to teach them many things, saying to them:

3 “Listen! Once there was a man who went out to sow grain. 4 As he scattered the seed in the field, some of it fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some of it fell on rocky ground, where there was little soil. The seeds soon sprouted, because the soil wasn't deep. 6 Then, when the sun came up, it burned the young plants; and because the roots had not grown deep enough, the plants soon dried up. 7 Some of the seed fell among thorn bushes, which grew up and choked the plants, and they didn't bear grain. 8 But some seeds fell in good soil, and the plants sprouted, grew, and bore grain: some had thirty grains, others sixty, and others one hundred.”

9 And Jesus concluded, “Listen, then, if you have ears!”

The Purpose of the Parables(C)

10 When Jesus was alone, some of those who had heard him came to him with the twelve disciples and asked him to explain the parables. 11 “You have been given the secret of the Kingdom of God,” Jesus answered. “But the others, who are on the outside, hear all things by means of parables, 12 (D)so that,

‘They may look and look,
    yet not see;
they may listen and listen,
    yet not understand.
For if they did, they would turn to God,
    and he would forgive them.’”

Jesus Explains the Parable of the Sower(E)

13 Then Jesus asked them, “Don't you understand this parable? How, then, will you ever understand any parable? 14 The sower sows God's message. 15 Some people are like the seeds that fall along the path; as soon as they hear the message, Satan comes and takes it away. 16 Other people are like the seeds that fall on rocky ground. As soon as they hear the message, they receive it gladly. 17 But it does not sink deep into them, and they don't last long. So when trouble or persecution comes because of the message, they give up at once. 18 Other people are like the seeds sown among the thorn bushes. These are the ones who hear the message, 19 but the worries about this life, the love for riches, and all other kinds of desires crowd in and choke the message, and they don't bear fruit. 20 But other people are like seeds sown in good soil. They hear the message, accept it, and bear fruit: some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred.”

A Lamp under a Bowl(F)

21 (G)Jesus continued, “Does anyone ever bring in a lamp and put it under a bowl or under the bed? Isn't it put on the lampstand? 22 (H)Whatever is hidden away will be brought out into the open, and whatever is covered up will be uncovered. 23 Listen, then, if you have ears!”

24 (I)He also said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear! The same rules you use to judge others will be used by God to judge you—but with even greater severity. 25 (J)Those who have something will be given more, and those who have nothing will have taken away from them even the little they have.”

The Parable of the Growing Seed

26 Jesus went on to say, “The Kingdom of God is like this. A man scatters seed in his field. 27 He sleeps at night, is up and about during the day, and all the while the seeds are sprouting and growing. Yet he does not know how it happens. 28 The soil itself makes the plants grow and bear fruit; first the tender stalk appears, then the head, and finally the head full of grain. 29 (K)When the grain is ripe, the man starts cutting it with his sickle, because harvest time has come.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed(L)

30 “What shall we say the Kingdom of God is like?” asked Jesus. “What parable shall we use to explain it? 31 It is like this. A man takes a mustard seed, the smallest seed in the world, and plants it in the ground. 32 After a while it grows up and becomes the biggest of all plants. It puts out such large branches that the birds come and make their nests in its shade.”

33 Jesus preached his message to the people, using many other parables like these; he told them as much as they could understand. 34 He would not speak to them without using parables, but when he was alone with his disciples, he would explain everything to them.

Jesus Calms a Storm(M)

35 On the evening of that same day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.”

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