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Mark 4
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
Mark 4
Disciples’ Literal New Testament
Jesus Teaches The Multitudes In Parables
4 And again He began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd is gathered-together with Him so that He, having gotten into a boat, sits-down in the sea [to teach]. And all the multitude were near[a] the sea on the land. 2 And He was teaching them many things in parables.
The Sower’s Seed Falls On Different Kinds of Soil. Only The Good Soil Produces Fruit
And He was saying to them in His teaching, 3 “Listen! Behold— the one sowing went out to sow. 4 And it came about during the sowing that some seed fell along the road. And the birds came and ate it up. 5 And other[b] seed fell on the rocky[c] place where it was not having much soil. And immediately it sprang-up because of not having a depth of soil. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched. And because of not having a root, it was dried-up. 7 And other seed fell into the thorns. And the thorns came-up and choked it, and it did not give fruit. 8 And others[d] fell into the good soil, and were giving fruit while coming up and growing. And they were bearing thirty fold[e] and sixty fold and a hundred fold”. 9 And He was saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”.
Jesus Tells The Disciples The Purpose of Parables
10 And when He came-to-be alone, the ones around Him with the twelve were questioning Him as to the parables. 11 And He was saying to them, “The mystery[f] of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But all things come in parables to those outside 12 in order that[g] while seeing, they may be seeing and not perceive, and while hearing, they may be hearing and not understanding, that they may not ever turn-back and it be forgiven them”.
Jesus Explains The Parable of The Sower
13 And He says to them, “Do you not know this parable? And how will you understand all the parables? 14 The one sowing sows the word[h]. 15 Now these people are the ones along the road, where the word is sown. And when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word having been sown into them. 16 And these people are the ones being sown the seed on the rocky places— who, when they hear the word, immediately are receiving it with joy. 17 And they do not have a root in themselves, but are temporary[i]. Then affliction or persecution having come about because of the word, immediately they are caused-to-fall. 18 And other people are the ones being sown the seed into the thorns. These are the ones having heard the word— 19 and coming-in, the anxieties[j] of the age[k] and the deceitfulness[l] of riches and the desires with respect to the other things are choking the word, and it becomes unfruitful[m]. 20 And those people are the ones having been sown[n] the seed on the good soil, who are hearing[o] the word and accepting it and bearing-fruit— thirty fold and sixty fold and a hundred fold”.
The Lamp Comes To Shine, Not To Be Hidden
21 And He was saying to them, “The lamp does not come in order that it may be put under the basket or under the bed, does it? Is it not in order that it may be put on the lampstand? 22 For it is not hidden, except in order that it may be made-visible[p]. Nor did it become hidden-away, but in order that it may come into visibility. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear”.
With The Measure You Use It Will Be Measured To You
24 And He was saying to them, “Be watching what you listen-to[q]. With what measure you measure[r], it will be measured to you— and it will be added to you. 25 For he who has— it will be given to him. And he who does not have— even what he has will be taken-away from him”.
The Kingdom of God Is Like Seed That Grows From Within Itself To Maturity
26 And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like this: as-if a person would throw the seed upon the soil, 27 and would be sleeping and arising night and day, and the seed would be budding and growing-long— how, he does not[s] know. 28 The soil bears-fruit by-itself [t]— first grass, then a head, then a full grain in the head. 29 And whenever the fruit permits[u], immediately he[v] sends-forth the sickle because the harvest has come[w]”.
The Kingdom of God Is Like a Mustard Seed. It Starts Small And Grows Large
30 And He was saying, “How should we liken the kingdom of God, or with what parable may we present it?— 31 as a seed of a mustard-plant, which when it is sown upon the soil is being smaller than all[x] the seeds upon the soil. 32 And when it is sown, it goes-up and becomes larger than all the garden-plants. And it makes large branches so that the birds of the heaven are able to be nesting under the shade of it”.
Jesus Spoke To The Crowd In Parables And Explained Everything To His Disciples
33 And with many such parables He was speaking the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34 And He was not speaking to them apart from a parable. But He was explaining[y] everything privately to His own disciples.
Jesus Calms The Wind And Sea. The Disciples Say, Who Is This Man?
35 And on that day, having become evening, He says to them, “Let us go to the other side”. 36 And having left the crowd, they take Him along as He was[z], in the boat. And other boats were with Him. 37 And a great storm of wind takes place. And the waves were throwing-over into the boat so that the boat was already being filled. 38 And He was in the stern on the cushion, sleeping. And they wake Him and say to Him, “Teacher, do You not care[aa] that we are perishing?” 39 And having awakened, He rebuked the wind, and said to the sea “Be still, be silenced[ab]”. And the wind stopped. And there was a great calm. 40 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid[ac]? Do you not yet have faith?” 41 And they feared a great fear[ad]. And they were saying to one another, “Who then is this One, that[ae] even[af] the wind and the sea obey Him?”
Footnotes
- Mark 4:1 Or, [facing] toward; at, before.
- Mark 4:5 That is, another portion of seed, viewed as a group.
- Mark 4:5 That is, bedrock, or a rocky outcropping.
- Mark 4:8 That is, other seeds viewed as individuals.
- Mark 4:8 Or, one, thirty; and one, sixty; and one, a hundred. Likewise in v 20.
- Mark 4:11 That is, the hidden truth about the kingdom of God now being revealed by Jesus.
- Mark 4:12 Jesus here gives the purpose of His speaking in parables. It was in order that the people might remain spiritually blind. In Mt 13:13 it is because the people willfully choose to be blind.
- Mark 4:14 Or, message.
- Mark 4:17 Or, transitory.
- Mark 4:19 Or, worries, cares, concerns.
- Mark 4:19 Or, world.
- Mark 4:19 Or, deception.
- Mark 4:19 Fruitbearing is the evidence of life.
- Mark 4:20 That is, who have been sown the seed. Note the change in tense. The second two soils are ‘being sown’; they are in the process of being sown in hopes that a fruitful crop can be grown. This soil has been sown and is bearing fruit.
- Mark 4:20 That is, listening to, in the sense of ‘obeying’. Note the change of tense that stresses continuous action here (are hearing), in contrast to the first three soils.
- Mark 4:22 Or, revealed. One would only hide a lamp for the purpose of shining it at the proper time. The lamp may be Jesus, who came to light the world, but is hidden from Israel until the proper time; or, the truth Jesus brings, which is now hidden in parables in order that it may come into visibility at the proper time. Or, the lamp may refer to the word of God which believers hide in their hearts in order that it may shine at the opportune time.
- Mark 4:24 Or, hear. That is, in the sense of ‘obey’.
- Mark 4:24 The measure you use reflects your spiritual capacity, and your ability to receive. If you listen to the traditions of the Pharisees, it will limit your ability to receive spiritual truth.
- Mark 4:27 The seed has life in it, and grows without the assistance or understanding of the sower. The sower sows. God causes the growth in ways the sower does not understand. Then the person harvests the fruit.
- Mark 4:28 Or, on-its-own.
- Mark 4:29 Lit, hands-itself-over. That is, when it has ripened itself.
- Mark 4:29 That is, the person who sowed the seed.
- Mark 4:29 Or, is here.
- Mark 4:31 That is, all the seed people in that day sowed in their gardens. The point is that it has a small and insignificant beginning, but grows larger than all.
- Mark 4:34 Or, interpreting.
- Mark 4:36 This may be describing the condition of Jesus— straight from His speaking without any rest, explaining why He slept; or, His location— still in the boat (v 1).
- Mark 4:38 Lit, is it not a concern to You?
- Mark 4:39 The tense is unusual for a command. It implies, be silenced and stay silent.
- Mark 4:40 Or, cowardly, fearful.
- Mark 4:41 That is, they were extremely afraid.
- Mark 4:41 Or, because.
- Mark 4:41 Or, both.
Mark 4
International Children’s Bible
Mark 4
International Children’s Bible
A Story About Planting Seed
4 Another time Jesus began teaching by the lake. A great crowd gathered around him. So he got into a boat and went out on the lake. All the people stayed on the shore close to the water. 2 Jesus used many stories to teach them. He said, 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant his seed. 4 While the farmer was planting, some seed fell by the road. The birds came and ate all that seed. 5 Some seed fell on rocky ground where there wasn’t much dirt. The seed grew very fast there because the ground was not deep. 6 But when the sun rose, the plants withered. The plants died because they did not have deep roots. 7 Some other seed fell among thorny weeds. The weeds grew and choked the good plants. So those plants did not make grain. 8 Some other seed fell on good ground. In the good ground, the seed began to grow. It grew and made a crop of grain. Some plants made 30 times more grain, some 60 times more grain, and some 100 times more grain.”
9 Then Jesus said, “Let those with ears use them and listen!”
Jesus Tells Why He Used Stories
10 Later, when Jesus was alone, the 12 apostles and others around him asked him about the stories.
11 Jesus said, “Only you can know the secret truth about the kingdom of God. But to other people I tell everything by using stories. 12 I do this so that:
‘They will look and look, but they will not learn.
They will listen and listen, but they will not understand.
If they did learn and understand,
they would come back to me and be forgiven.’” Isaiah 6:9-10
Jesus Explains the Seed Story
13 Then Jesus said to the followers, “Do you understand this story? If you don’t, then how will you understand any story? 14 The farmer is like a person who plants God’s teaching in people. 15 Sometimes the teaching falls on the road. This is like some people. They hear the teaching of God. But Satan quickly comes and takes away the teaching that was planted in them. 16 Others are like the seed planted on rocky ground. They hear the teaching and quickly accept it with joy. 17 But they don’t allow the teaching to go deep into their lives. They keep it only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching, they quickly give up. 18 Others are like the seed planted among the thorny weeds. They hear the teaching. 19 But then other things come into their lives: worries, the love of money, and wanting all kinds of other things. These things stop the teaching from growing. So that teaching does not produce fruit[a] in their lives. 20 Others are like the seed planted in the good ground. They hear the teaching and accept it. Then they grow and produce fruit—sometimes 30 times more, sometimes 60 times more, and sometimes 100 times more.”
Use What You Have
21 Then Jesus said to them, “Do you hide a lamp under a bowl or under a bed? No! You put the lamp on a lampstand. 22 Everything that is hidden will be made clear. Every secret thing will be made known. 23 Let those with ears use them and listen!
24 “Think carefully about the things you hear. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you. But God will give you more than you give. 25 The person who has something will be given more. But the person who does not have much, even what he has will be taken from him.”
Jesus Uses a Story About Seed
26 Then Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who plants seed in the ground. 27 The seed comes up and grows night and day. It doesn’t matter whether the man is asleep or awake; the seed still grows. The man does not know how it grows. 28 Without any help, the earth produces grain. First the plant grows, then the head, and then all the grain in the head. 29 When the grain is ready, the man cuts it. This is the harvest time.”
A Story About Mustard Seed
30 Then Jesus said, “How can I show you what the kingdom of God is like? What story can I use to explain it? 31 The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed. The mustard seed is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. 32 But when you plant this seed, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants. It produces large branches. Even the wild birds can make nests in it and be protected from the sun.”
33 Jesus used many stories like these to teach them. He taught them all that they could understand. 34 He always used stories to teach them. But when he and his followers were alone together, Jesus explained everything to them.
Jesus Stops a Storm
35 That evening, Jesus said to his followers, “Come with me across the lake.” 36 He and the followers left the people there. They went in the boat that Jesus was already sitting in. There were also other boats with them. 37 A very strong wind came up on the lake. The waves began coming over the sides and into the boat. It was almost full of water. 38 Jesus was at the back of the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow. The followers went to him and woke him. They said, “Teacher, do you care about us? We will drown!”
39 Jesus stood up and commanded the wind and the waves to stop. He said, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind stopped, and the lake became calm.
40 Jesus said to his followers, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 The followers were very afraid and asked each other, “What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Footnotes
- 4:19 produce fruit To produce fruit means to have in your life the good things God wants.
Marku 4
Albanian Bible
Marku 4
Albanian Bible
4 Pastaj nisi përsëri të mësojë në breg të detit; dhe rreth tij u mblodh një turmë aq e madhe, sa që ai hyri në barkë dhe rrinte ulur në det, ndërsa gjithë turma ishte në tokë pranë detit.
2 Dhe ai u mësonte atyre shumë gjëra në shëmbëlltyra, dhe u thoshte atyre në mësimin e tij:
3 “Dëgjoni! Ja, doli mbjellësi të mbjellë.
4 Dhe ndodhi që kur hidhte farën, një pjesë e farës ra gjatë rrugës dhe zogjtë e qiellit erdhën dhe e hëngrën.
5 Një pjesë tjetër ra në gurishte, ku nuk kishte shumë dhe dhe mbiu menjëherë, sepse s’kishte një tokë të thellë.
6 Por, kur doli dielli, u dogj; dhe me që nuk kishte rrënjë, u tha.
7 Një pjesë tjetër ra midis ferrave; ferrat u rritën, e mbyten dhe nuk dha fryt.
8 Një pjesë tjetër ra në tokë të mirë, dhe solli frut që rritej, dhe u zhvillua për të dhënë njëra tridhjetë, tjetra gjashtëdhjetë dhe tjetra njëqind.”
9 Pastaj ai u tha atyre: “Kush ka veshë për të dëgjuar, le të dëgjojë!.”
10 Tani kur ishte vetëm, ata që i rrinin përreth bashkë me të dymbëdhjetët e pyetën për shëmbëlltyrën.
11 Dhe ai u tha atyre: “Juve u është dhënë të njihni misterin e mbretërisë së Perëndisë; kurse atyre që janë përjashta të gjitha këto jepen me shëmbëlltyra,
12 që: "Duke parë, të shohin, por të mos vën re; edhe duke dëgjuar, të dëgjojnë, por të mos kuptojnë, se mos pendohen dhe mëkatet u falen".”
13 Pastaj u tha atyre: “Nuk e kuptoni këtë shëmbëlltyrë? Po atëhere si do t’i kuptoni të gjitha shëmbëlltyrat e tjera?
14 Mbjellësi mbjell fjalën.
15 Ata gjatë rrugës janë ata në të cilët mbillet fjala; por pasi e kanë dëgjuar atë, vjen menjëherë Satanai dhe ua heq fjalën e mbjellë në zemrat e tyre.
16 Po ashtu ata që e marrin farën mbi nje gurishte janë ata që, kur e kanë dëgjuar fjalën, e pranojnë menjëherë me gëzim;
17 por nuk kanë rrënjë në vetvete, dhe janë të përkohshëm; dhe kur vjen mundimi ose përndjekja për shkak të fjalës, skandalizohen menjëherë.
18 Ata përkundrazi të cilët e marrin farën midis ferrave, janë ata që e dëgjojnë fjalën,
19 por shqetësimet e kësaj bote, mashtrimet e pasurisë dhe lakmitë për gjëra të tjera që hynë, e mbyten fjalën dhe ajo bëhet e pafrytshme.
20 Kurse ata që e morën farën në tokë të mirë, janë ata që e dëgjojnë fjalën, e pranojnë dhe japin fryt: një tridhjetë, tjetri gjashtëdhjetë dhe tjetri njëqind.”
21 Pastaj u tha atyre: “A merret vallë llamba për ta vënë nën babunë ose nën shtrat? A nuk vihet mbi dritëmbajtësen?
22 Sepse nuk ka asgjë të fshehtë që të mos zbulohet, as kurrgjë sekrete që të mos dalin në dritë.
23 Kush ka veshë për të dëgjuar, le të dëgjojë!”
24 Dhe u tha atyre: “Vini re atë që dëgjoni. Me atë masë që ju matni, do t’iu matet juve; edhe juve që dëgjoni do t’iu jepet edhe më.
25 Sepse atij që ka, do t’i jepet, por atij që s’ka, do t’i merret edhe ajo që ka.
26 Tha akoma: “Mbretëria e Perëndisë është si një njeri që hedh farën në dhe.
27 Dhe natën dhe ditën, ndërsa ai fle dhe çohet, fara mbin dhe rritet, pa e ditur ai se si.
28 Sepse dheu prodhon vetvetiu më parë kërcellin, pastaj kallirin, dhe më në fund kallirin plot me kokrra.
29 Dhe kur fryti piqet, menjëherë korrësi i vë drapërin, sepse erdhi koha e korrjes.
30 Edhe tha: Me se ta krahasojmë mbretërinë e Perëndisë? Ose me çfarë shëmbëlltyre ta paraqesim?
31 Ajo i ngjan farës së sinapit, që, kur është mbjellë në dhe, është më e vogla nga të gjitha farërat që janë mbi dhe;
32 por, pasi mbillet, rritet dhe bëhet më e madhe se të gjitha barishtet; dhe lëshon degë aq të mëdha, sa zogjtë e qiellit mund të gjejnë strehë nën hijen e saj.”
33 Dhe me shumë shëmbëlltyra të tilla, u shpallte atyre fjalën, ashtu si ata ishin në gjendje ta kuptojnë.
34 Dhe nuk u fliste atyre pa shëmbëlltyra, ndërsa dishepujve të tij, veçmas, u shpjegonte çdo gjë.
35 Tani po atë ditë, si u ngrys, u tha atyre: “Kalojmë te bregu matanë!
36 Dhe dishepujt, si e nisën popullin, e morrën me vete Jezusin, ashtu si ishte, në barkë. Me të ishin edhe disa barka të tjera të vogla.
37 Ndërkaq shpërtheu një furtunë e madhe dhe valët përplaseshin mbi barkë aq shumë sa ajo po mbushej.
38 Ai ndërkaq po flinte në kiç mbi një jastëk. Ata e zgjuan dhe i thanë: “Mësues, a nuk merakosesh që ne po marrim fund?.”
39 Dhe ai si u zgjua, e qortoi erën dhe i foli detit: “Pusho dhe fashitu!.” Dhe era pushoi dhe u bë qetësi e madhe.
40 Atëherë u tha atyre: “Pse jeni ju aq frikacakë? Vallë, si nuk keni besim?.”
41 Dhe ata i zuri një frikë e madhe dhe i thoshnin njëritjetrit: “Vallë, kush është ky, që po i binden edhe era edhe deti?.”
Mark 4
New International Version
Mark 4
New International Version
The Parable of the Sower(A)(B)
4 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. 2 He taught them many things by parables,(D) and in his teaching said: 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.(E) 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.”(F)
9 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
- Mark 4:12 Isaiah 6:9,10
Disciples’ Literal New Testament (DLNT) 
Disciples' Literal New Testament: Serving Modern Disciples by More Fully Reflecting the Writing Style of the Ancient Disciples, Copyright © 2011 Michael J. Magill. All Rights Reserved. Published by Reyma Publishing
International Children’s Bible (ICB) 
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
Albanian Bible (ALB)
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.