Mark 4
Tree of Life Version
Storytelling Opens Hearts
4 Again Yeshua began to teach by the sea. A large crowd gathered around Him, so He got into a boat on the sea and sat down. And the crowd was by the sea on the land. 2 He began teaching them many things by parables, and in His teaching, He said to them: 3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to spread some seed. 4 It happened that as he sowed, some fell beside the road; and the birds came and ate it up.
5 “Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it didn’t have much soil. It sprang up immediately, because the soil wasn’t deep. 6 But when the sun came up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 “Other seed fell among the thorns; and the thorns grew and choked it, and it yielded no crop.
8 “And others fell into the good soil and were producing fruit, springing up and increasing. They yielded a crop, producing thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” 9 And He said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10 When Yeshua was alone, those around Him with the Twelve started asking Him about the parables. 11 And He told them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God. But for those who are outside, everything is in parables,[a] so that
12 ‘Seeing, they may se and not perceive,
and hearing, they may hear and not understand,
so they may not turn back and be forgiven.’”[b]
13 He said to them, “Don’t you grasp this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 These are the ones beside the road where the word is sown. Whenever they hear, satan comes quickly and takes away the word that has been sown in them.
16 “These are the ones sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves but last only a short while. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away.
18 “And others are the ones sown among the thorns. They have heard the word; 19 but the worries of the world, the seduction of wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
20 “And those are the ones sown on the good soil. They hear the word and accept it and produce fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”
Reaping What You Sow
21 He also was saying to them, “Is a lamp put under a basket or a bed? No, shouldn’t it be placed on a lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, nor anything kept secret except that it would come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 Then He continued, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you; and more will be added to you. 25 For whoever has, to him more will be given. And whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
What Is the Kingdom of God Like?
26 And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like when a man spreads seed on the soil 27 and falls asleep at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows. He himself doesn’t know how. 28 Automatically, the earth brings forth a crop—first the blade, then the head, then the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain is ready, at once he sends in the sickle, for the harvest has come.”
30 Yeshua also said, “How should we picture the kingdom of God? Or by what story shall we present it? 31 It is like a mustard seed when it’s planted in the ground. Though the smallest of all seeds in the earth, 32 yet when planted it grows up and becomes the largest of all the herbs. It puts forth big branches, so the birds of the air can nest in its shade.”[c]
33 With many such parables He used to tell them the word, as much as they were able to hear. 34 But apart from a parable, He wasn’t speaking to them. Yet when they were alone, to His own disciples He would explain everything.
Power Over Nature
35 Now on that same day in the evening, He says to them, “Let’s cross over to the other side.” 36 After leaving the crowd, they take Him along in the boat, just as He was. And other boats were with Him.
37 A great windstorm arises, and the waves were rushing into the boat. The boat was beginning to fill up. 38 But Yeshua was in the back of the boat, sleeping on a pillow. They wake Him up and say to Him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are perishing?”
39 So He woke up and rebuked the wind. And He said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind stopped, and it became totally calm. 40 And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Even now you have no faith?”
41 They were struck with awe and said to one another, “Who is this? Even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
Footnotes
Markos 4
Orthodox Jewish Bible
4 And again Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach began to say shiurim (Torah talks) beside the lake. And a huge multitude gathered together to him so that he got into a sirah (boat) on the lake and sat down. The whole multitude was by the lake on the shore.
2 And Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach was giving them torah with many meshalim (parables) and in the shiurim he said, he was saying to them:
3 Listen. Hinei! The Sower went out to sow (seeds).
4 And it came about that when he went to sow, that some [seeds] fell beside the road. And the birds came and devoured it.
5 And other [seeds] fell upon the rocky places where it did not have much soil, and ofen ort (immediately) it sprang up because it did not have depth of soil.
6 And when the shemesh rose, it was scorched and, because it did not have a shoresh (root), it withered.
7 And other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them, and it did not yield pri.
8 And other seed fell into the adamah tovah (good ground) and it was giving pri (fruit), rising up and growing, thirty, sixty, and one hundredfold.
9 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was saying, He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
10 And when he was alone, the Shneym Asar were asking him for a hezber (explanation) of the meshalim (parables).
11 And he was saying to them, To you the raz (secret) of the Malchut Hashem has been given. But to the outsiders, everything remains in meshalim,
12 In order that YIRU they may see and not have daas VSHIMU they may hear and not have binah, lest they should turn and they should receive refuah and selicha. (YESHAYAH 6:9-10, TARGUM HASHIVIM)
13 And Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach says to them, Do you not have daas of the meaning of this mashal? Then how will you have binah of all the meshalim?
14 The one sowing sows the dvar Hashem.
15 And these are the ones beside the road where the dvar Hashem is sown. And when they hear it, ofen ort Hasatan comes and takes the dvar that has been sown in them.
16 And these are the ones sown upon the rocky places: when they hear the dvar, ofen ort with simcha they receive it.
17 Yet they do not have a shoresh (root) in themselves but are transitory; then when ES TZARAH comes or redifah (persecution) on account of the dvar, ofen ort they fall away, they become shmad. [YIRMEYAH 30:7; Mattityahu 24:21-22]
18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. These are the ones having heard the dvar,
19 and the worries of the Olam Hazeh and the seduction of ashires (riches) and the desires for other things come in and choke the dvar Hashem and it does not bear pri.
20 And these are the ones sown upon adamah tovah: they hear the dvar Hashem and are mekabel (receive) the dvar Hashem and bear pri, thirty, sixty and one hundredfold.
21 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was saying to them, Surely a menorah is not brought out in order that it may be put under a measuring bucket or under the couch? Rather, is it not brought out that it may be placed on the shulchan?
22 For there is not [anything] nistar except that it may be made nikar nor has it become concealed but that it may come into [the] open. [YIRMEYAH 16:17]
23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.
24 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was saying to them, Pay attention! By what measure you measure, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.
25 For whoever has, it will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
26 And he was saying, Thus is the Malchut Hashem: like a man who casts seed upon the soil,
27 And goes to sleep blailah (at night) and arises byom (at day), and the seed sprouts up and grows in such a way that he does not have daas of how it does so.
28 On its own, the soil bears pri: first the blade, then a head of grain, then full wheat in the head.
29 But when the crop is ripe, ofen ort (immediately) he puts forth the MAGGAL, KI VASHAL KATZIR (sickle, for the harvest is ripe. [YOEL 3:13]
30 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was saying, To what should we compare the Malchut Hashem or by what mashal (parable) may we present it?
31 The Malchut Hashem is like a mustard seed, which, when it is sown on the soil, is smaller [than] all the seeds on the earth:
32 But when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater [than] all the plants of the garden and puts forth large branches, so that the OPH HASHOMAYIM can nest under its shade.
33 And with many such meshalim, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshich was speaking to them the dvar Hashem as they were able to hear.
34 But apart from meshalim, Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was not speaking to them. Only privately, in a yechidus, was Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach explaining everything to his own talmidim.
35 And on that day, when erev had come, Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach says to them, Let us go over to the other side of the lake.
36 And leaving the multitude, they took Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, just as he was, in the sirah (boat), and other sirot (boats) were with him.
37 And there arose a fierce gale of wind and the waves were beating against the sirah (boat), so that it was already filling up.
38 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach was in the stern on the cushion sleeping, and they woke him up, and they say to him, Rebbe, does it not matter to you that we are perishing?
39 And having been awakened, Rebbe Melech HaMoshiach rebuked the wind, and he spoke to the lake, Sha! Be still! And there was a great calm.
40 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach said to them, Why do you have morech lev (cowardliness)? Do you still not have emunah?
41 And they were afraid with a terrible pachad (terror), and they were saying to one another, Who then is this that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Mark 4
King James Version
4 And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.
2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,
3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.
9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
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.
26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
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