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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.
马可福音 4
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
马可福音 4
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
撒种的比喻
4 耶稣又到湖边讲道，周围聚集了许多人，耶稣只好上到湖边的船上坐下，众人都站在岸上。 2 耶稣用比喻教导他们许多事，在教导中祂说： 3 “听着！有一个农夫出去撒种。 4 撒种的时候，有些种子落在路旁，被飞鸟吃掉了； 5 有些落在石头地上，因为泥土不深，种子很快就发芽了， 6 然而因为没有根，被太阳一晒就枯萎了； 7 有些落在荆棘丛中，荆棘长起来便把嫩苗挤住了，以致不能结实； 8 有些落在沃土里，就发芽生长，结出果实，收成多达三十倍、六十倍、一百倍！” 9 然后祂说：“有耳可听的，都应当听。”
10 当耶稣独自一人的时候，十二使徒和追随祂的人来请教比喻的意思。 11 耶稣说：“上帝国的奥秘只让你们知道，对于外人，我只用比喻， 12 使他们‘看了又看，却不领悟；听了又听，却不明白，免得他们回心转意，得到赦免。’”
13 耶稣又对他们说：“你们不明白这个比喻，又怎能明白其他比喻呢？ 14 农夫撒的是上帝的道。 15 种子落在路旁，是指人听了道，撒旦立刻过来夺去了撒在他们心里的道。 16 种子落在石头地上，是指人听了道后，立刻欢喜地接受了， 17 但他们心里没有根基，不过是暂时接受，一旦为道遭受患难和迫害，就立刻放弃了。 18 种子落在荆棘丛中，是指人虽然听过道， 19 但生活的忧虑、钱财的迷惑和其他欲望把道挤住了，以致不能结出果实。 20 种子落在沃土里，是指人听了道，领受了，又结出果实，收成多达三十倍、六十倍、甚至一百倍。”
灯的比喻
21 耶稣继续说：“人会把灯拿来放在篮子底下或床底下吗？当然不会，他一定会把它放在灯台上。 22 隐藏的事是不能掩盖的，终会显露出来。 23 有耳可听的，就应当听。” 24 耶稣又说：“要好好思想你们所听到的，你们用什么量器量给人，就用什么量器量给你们，甚至要多给你们。 25 因为凡有的，还要给他更多；凡没有的，连他仅有的也要夺去！”
种子生长的比喻
26 祂又说：“上帝的国就像一个人在地上撒种。 27 他天天日出而作，日落而息。种子就在他不知不觉中渐渐发芽长大。 28 大地会使种子生长，先发苗后吐穗，最终结出饱满的籽粒。 29 庄稼成熟后，他就拿起镰刀来收割，因为收成的时候到了。”
芥菜种的比喻
30 耶稣说：“我们拿什么比作上帝的国呢？用什么比喻来解释呢？ 31 上帝的国就像一粒芥菜种。它是种子中最小的， 32 但种在地里，却能长得比各样蔬菜都大，有粗大的枝条，可以让飞鸟在它的树荫中筑巢。”
33 耶稣用了许多类似的比喻，按照众人所能领悟的，把上帝的道讲给他们听。 34 祂总是用比喻对他们讲论，只有单独和门徒在一起的时候，才把一切解释清楚。
平息风浪
35 那天晚上，耶稣对门徒说：“我们渡到对面去吧。” 36 他们就离开众人，上了耶稣乘坐的船，一起渡到湖的对岸，还有其他船只跟着去。 37 忽然，湖面上狂风大作，波浪撞击船身，船内几乎灌满了水。 38 耶稣却还在船尾枕着枕头睡觉。门徒叫醒了祂，说：“老师，我们快淹死了，你怎么不管呢？”
39 耶稣起来斥责狂风，对着湖面说：“静下来！停下来！”于是就风平浪静了。 40 祂对门徒说：“你们为什么这样害怕呢？你们还是没有信心吗？”
41 他们极其害怕，彼此议论说：“祂到底是谁？连风浪都听祂的！”
Mark 4
World English Bible
Mark 4
World English Bible
4 Again he began to teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea. 2 He taught them many things in parables, and told them in his teaching, 3 “Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow. 4 As he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds[a] came and devoured it. 5 Others fell on the rocky ground, where it had little soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil. 6 When the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8 Others fell into the good ground and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some produced thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times as much.” 9 He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10 When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 He said to them, “To you is given the mystery of God’s Kingdom, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables, 12 that ‘seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.’”(A)
13 He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them. 16 These in the same way are those who are sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble. 18 Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word, 19 and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times.”
21 He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket [b] or under a bed? Isn’t it put on a stand? 22 For there is nothing hidden except that it should be made known, neither was anything made secret but that it should come to light. 23 If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24 He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you; and more will be given to you who hear. 25 For whoever has, to him more will be given; and he who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away from him.”
26 He said, “God’s Kingdom is as if a man should cast seed on the earth, 27 and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, though he doesn’t know how. 28 For the earth bears fruit by itself: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
30 He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it? 31 It’s like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth, 32 yet when it is sown, grows up and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.”
33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34 Without a parable he didn’t speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the multitude, they took him with them, even as he was, in the boat. Other small boats were also with him. 37 A big wind storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so much that the boat was already filled. 38 He himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and asked him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are dying?”
39 He awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?”
41 They were greatly afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
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
International Children’s Bible (ICB) 
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified) (CCB)
Chinese Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1979, 2005, 2007, 2011 by Biblica® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
World English Bible (WEB)
by Public Domain. The name "World English Bible" is trademarked.
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.