Mark 4
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Parable of the Sower
4 Again(A) He began to teach(B) by the sea, and a very large crowd gathered around Him. So He got into a boat on the sea and sat down, while the whole crowd was on the shore facing the sea. 2 He taught them many things in parables,(C) and in His teaching(D) He said to them: 3 “Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.(E) 4 As he sowed, this occurred: Some seed fell along the path,(F) and the birds came and ate(G) it up. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it sprang up right away,(H) since it didn’t have deep soil. 6 When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it didn’t have a root, it withered.(I) 7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce a crop. 8 Still others fell on good ground and produced a crop that increased(J) 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.”(K) 9 Then He said, “Anyone who has ears to hear should listen!”(L)
Why Jesus Used Parables
10 When He was alone with the Twelve,(M) those who were around Him asked Him about the parables.(N) 11 He answered them, “The secret(O) of the kingdom of God(P) has been given to you, but to those outside,(Q) everything comes in parables 12 so that
they may look and look,
yet not perceive;
they may listen and listen,
yet not understand;(R)
otherwise, they might turn back—
and be forgiven.”[a](S)[b]
The Parable of the Sower Explained
13 Then(T) He said to them: “Don’t you understand this parable?(U) How then will you understand any of the parables? 14 The sower sows(V) the word.(W) 15 These[c] are the ones along the path(X) where the word is sown: when they hear, immediately Satan(Y) comes and takes away the word(Z) sown in them.[d] 16 And these are[e] the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy.(AA) 17 But they have no root in themselves; they are short-lived. When pressure(AB) or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately stumble.(AC) 18 Others are sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, 19 but the worries(AD) of this age,(AE) the seduction[f](AF) of wealth,(AG) and the desires(AH) for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.(AI) 20 But the ones sown on good ground are those who hear the word,(AJ) welcome it, and produce a crop:(AK) 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.”
Using Your Light
21 He(AL) also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed?(AM) Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand?(AN) 22 For nothing is concealed except to be revealed,(AO) and nothing hidden except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, he should listen!”(AP) 24 Then He said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure(AQ) you use,[g](AR) it will be measured and added(AS) to you. 25 For to the one who has, it will be given, and from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.”(AT)
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26 “The kingdom of God(AU) is like this,” He said. “A man scatters seed on the ground; 27 he sleeps(AV) and rises(AW)—night(AX) and day, and the seed sprouts and grows—he doesn’t know how. 28 The soil produces a crop(AY) by itself—first the blade, then the head, and then the ripe grain(AZ) on the head. 29 But as soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle,(BA) because the harvest(BB) has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30 And(BC) He said: “How can we illustrate the kingdom of God,(BD) or what parable(BE) can we use to describe it? 31 It’s like a mustard seed(BF) that, when sown in the soil, is smaller than all the seeds on the ground. 32 And when sown,(BG) it comes up and grows taller than all the vegetables,(BH) and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky(BI) can nest in its shade.”
Using Parables
33 He would speak the word(BJ) to them with many parables(BK) like these, as they were able to understand.(BL) 34 And He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, He would explain everything to His own disciples.(BM)
Wind and Wave Obey the Master
35 On(BN) that day, when evening had come, He told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” 36 So they left the crowd and took Him along since He was already in the boat. And other boats were with Him. 37 A fierce windstorm(BO) arose, and the waves(BP) were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But He was in the stern, sleeping(BQ) on the cushion. So they woke Him up(BR) and said to Him, “Teacher! Don’t You care that we’re going to die?”(BS)
39 He got up, rebuked(BT) the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence!(BU) Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 Then He said to them, “Why are you fearful?(BV) Do you still have no faith?”
41 And they were terrified(BW) and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey(BX) Him!”(BY)
Mark 4
EasyEnglish Bible
Jesus tells a story about a farmer's seeds
4 Again, Jesus began to teach people near the edge of Lake Galilee. A large crowd came together to listen to him. So he went and sat in a boat that was on the water. The crowd of people stayed on the shore. 2 Jesus used stories to teach them many things. He said to them, 3 ‘Listen to me! A farmer went out to plant seeds in his field.[a] 4 While he was throwing the seeds, some of them fell on the path. The birds came and they ate those seeds. 5 Other seeds fell on ground which had many rocks. There was not much soil in that place. The seeds quickly began to grow, because the soil was not deep. 6 But when the sun rose, it burned the young plants. They soon died because they had not grown down well into the soil. 7 Other seeds fell among thorn bushes. Those bushes grew up with the young plants. They stopped the seeds from growing into strong plants. So the plants could not make any new seeds. 8 But some seeds fell on good soil. Good strong plants grew from these seeds. Some plants made 30 new seeds. Some plants made 60 new seeds. And some plants made 100 new seeds.’
9 Then Jesus said, ‘You have ears, so listen well to what I say!’
Jesus explains to his disciples why he uses stories
10 When Jesus was alone, the 12 apostles and other people who were there asked him about the stories. 11 Jesus replied, ‘God has let you understand how he rules in the lives of his people. But these other people only listen to stories. 12 This is so that:
“They are always looking but they do not see clearly.
They are always listening but they do not understand.”
If they did understand, they would turn to God. Then God would forgive them.’
Jesus explains the story about the seeds
13 Then Jesus answered the people who had asked him about the story. ‘You should understand this story. If you do not understand it, you will not understand any of my stories. 14 The seeds are like the message from God. The farmer is like a person who tells people about that message. 15 Some seeds fell on the path. That is like some people who listen to the message. But then Satan comes and he quickly takes the message away from their minds. 16 Some of the seeds fell on soil with rocks in it. This is also like some people who hear God's message. These people are happy to believe it for a time. 17 But they are like plants that have not grown down well into the soil. So they only believe for a short time. They may have problems. Or because they obey God's message, other people may do bad things to them. When that happens, these people soon stop believing. 18 Some seeds fell among thorn bushes. This is like some other people who hear God's message. 19 But they have many troubles in their minds. They think that more money and other valuable things will make them happy. So they do not let God's message change them. They are like plants that do not grow well and make new seeds. 20 But some seeds fell on good soil. This is like other people who listen to the message from God. They understand the message and they believe it. These people are like good plants that grow well. From one seed, some good plants make 30 new seeds. Other good plants make 60 new seeds, and some good plants make 100 new seeds.’
People put a light in a high place
21 Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Nobody brings a lamp into a house and puts it under a pot or under a bed. You do not do that. You put it up on a high place.[b] 22 God hides some things now. But there will be a time when people will see them. God keeps some things secret now. But there will be a time when people will understand those things.’ 23 Then Jesus said, ‘You have ears, so listen well to what I say.’
24 Jesus then said, ‘Think carefully about the things that you hear. God will give to you in the same way that you give to other people. And you will receive even more. 25 A person who has received some things will receive more things. Some other people have nothing. They will lose even the little bit that they do have.’[c]
Jesus tells a story about seeds
26 Then Jesus said, ‘I will tell you a story about the kingdom of God. It is like this: A man throws seeds in his field. 27 Then he sleeps each night and he wakes up each day. The seeds start to grow into plants. They continue to grow. The man does not know how this happens. 28 The soil causes the plants to grow. The leaves of the plant grow first. Then the flowers appear. Then the plant makes new seeds. 29 When the new seeds have completely grown, the man will cut down the plants. It is time for him to take the seeds to use for food.’
Jesus tells a story about a very small seed
30 Jesus said, ‘I will tell you another story about the kingdom of God. This story shows what the kingdom of God is like. 31 It is like this: A man takes a seed of the plant called mustard. He plants it in the soil. It is smaller than any other seed that people plant in the soil. 32 But when it starts to grow, it becomes bigger than the largest bush. It will have big branches. Then the birds will come and they will live there. They will build their nests in the shade of the branches.’
33 Jesus taught God's message to the people. He used many stories like these. He told the people as much as they could understand. 34 He always used stories to teach the people. Then he explained everything to his own disciples when he was alone with them.
Jesus stops a storm
35 On that same day, in the evening, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘We should go across the lake to the other side.’ 36 So they went and left the crowd behind. Jesus was already in the boat. So the disciples took him across the lake. Some other boats also went with them. 37 Then a strong wind began to blow across the lake. Water began to go into the boat and fill it. Soon the boat was almost going under the water. 38 Jesus was in a comfortable place at the back of the boat. He was sleeping. The disciples woke him. They said to him, ‘Teacher, we will die here in the water! Please do something!’
39 Jesus woke up and he spoke strongly to the wind and to the water. ‘Be quiet!’ he said. ‘Stop!’ Then the wind stopped and the water became quiet again.
40 Jesus said to his disciples, ‘You should not be afraid like that. You should trust me.’
41 But the disciples became very afraid. They said to each other, ‘Who is this man? Even the wind and the water obey him.’
Footnotes
- 4:3 When a farmer planted seeds, he threw them onto the ground around him.
- 4:21 At that time, people burned oil in a small bowl which they called a lamp. They put the lamp up on a high place so that people could see. God's good news is like the light from a lamp. We should not hide it.
- 4:25 Jesus is telling his disciples about how to listen to him. They should listen carefully so that they will be able to understand his message more and more. Then God can teach them even more things. Some people think that they know God. But they do not really understand and they do not obey him. So God will take away those things from their minds.
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