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Mark 4
New International Reader's Version
Mark 4
New International Reader's Version
The Story of the Farmer
4 Again Jesus began to teach by the Sea of Galilee. The crowd that gathered around him was very large. So he got into a boat. He sat down in it out on the lake. All the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2 He taught them many things using stories. In his teaching he said, 3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant his seed. 4 He scattered the seed on the ground. Some fell on a path. Birds came and ate it up. 5 Some seed fell on rocky places, where there wasn’t much soil. The plants came up quickly, because the soil wasn’t deep. 6 When the sun came up, it burned the plants. They dried up because they had no roots. 7 Other seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew up and crowded out the plants. So the plants did not bear grain. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It grew up and produced a crop 30, 60, or even 100 times more than the farmer planted.”
9 Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears should listen.”
10 Later Jesus was alone. The 12 disciples asked him about the stories. So did the others around him. 11 He told them, “The secret of God’s kingdom has been given to you. But to outsiders everything is told using stories. 12 In that way,
“ ‘They will see but never know what they are seeing.
They will hear but never understand.
Otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’ ” (Isaiah 6:9,10)
13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this story? Then how will you understand any stories of this kind? 14 The seed the farmer plants is God’s message. 15 What is seed scattered on a path like? The message is planted. The people hear the message. Then Satan comes. He takes away the message that was planted in them. 16 And what is seed scattered on rocky places like? The people hear the message. At once they receive it with joy. 17 But they have no roots. So they last only a short time. They quickly fall away from the faith when trouble or suffering comes because of the message. 18 And what is seed scattered among thorns like? The people hear the message. 19 But then the worries of this life come to them. Wealth comes with its false promises. The people also long for other things. All of these are the kinds of things that crowd out the message. They keep it from producing fruit. 20 And what is seed scattered on good soil like? The people hear the message. They accept it. They produce a good crop 30, 60, or even 100 times more than the farmer planted.”
A Lamp on a Stand
21 Jesus said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a large bowl or a bed? Don’t you put it on its stand? 22 What is hidden is meant to be seen. And what is put out of sight is meant to be brought out into the open. 23 Whoever has ears should listen.”
24 “Think carefully about what you hear,” he said. “As you give, so you will receive. In fact, you will receive even more. 25 Whoever has something will be given more. Whoever has nothing, even what they have will be taken away from them.”
The Story of the Growing Seed
26 Jesus also said, “Here is what God’s kingdom is like. A farmer scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day the seed comes up and grows. It happens whether the farmer sleeps or gets up. He doesn’t know how it happens. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain. First the stalk comes up. Then the head appears. Finally, the full grain appears in the head. 29 Before long the grain ripens. So the farmer cuts it down, because the harvest is ready.”
The Story of the Mustard Seed
30 Again Jesus said, “What can we say God’s kingdom is like? What story can we use to explain it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32 But when you plant the seed, it grows. It becomes the largest of all garden plants. Its branches are so big that birds can rest in its shade.”
33 Using many stories like these, Jesus spoke the word to them. He told them as much as they could understand. 34 He did not say anything to them without using a story. But when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything.
Jesus Calms the Storm
35 When evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s go over to the other side of the lake.” 36 They left the crowd behind. And they took him along in a boat, just as he was. There were also other boats with him. 37 A wild storm came up. Waves crashed over the boat. It was about to sink. 38 Jesus was in the back, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him up. They said, “Teacher! Don’t you care if we drown?”
39 He got up and ordered the wind to stop. He 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? Don’t you have any faith at all yet?”
41 They were terrified. They asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Marcos 4
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Marcos 4
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
Parábola del sembrador
4 (A)Comenzó Jesús a enseñar de nuevo junto al mar; y se llegó[a] a Él una multitud tan grande(B) que tuvo que subirse a una barca(C) que estaba en el mar, y se sentó; y toda la multitud estaba en tierra a la orilla del mar. 2 Les enseñaba muchas cosas en parábolas(D), y les decía en Su enseñanza:
3 «Escuchen: El sembrador salió a sembrar; 4 y al sembrar, una parte de la semilla cayó junto al camino, y vinieron las aves y se la comieron. 5 Otra parte cayó en un pedregal donde no tenía mucha tierra; y enseguida brotó por no tener profundidad de tierra. 6 Pero cuando salió el sol, se quemó, y por no tener raíz, se secó. 7 Otra parte cayó entre espinos, y los espinos crecieron y la ahogaron, y no dio fruto. 8 Y otras semillas cayeron en buena tierra, y creciendo y desarrollándose, dieron fruto, y produjeron unas a treinta, otras a sesenta y otras a ciento por uno». 9 Y añadió: «El que tiene oídos para oír, que oiga(E)».
Explicación de la parábola
10 Cuando Jesús se quedó solo, Sus seguidores[b] junto con los doce le preguntaban sobre las parábolas. 11 «A ustedes les ha sido dado el misterio del reino de Dios», les decía, «pero los que están afuera(F)reciben todo en parábolas(G); 12 para que viendo, vean pero no perciban, y oyendo, oigan pero no entiendan, no sea que se conviertan y sean perdonados(H)».
13 (I)También les dijo*: «¿No entienden esta parábola? ¿Cómo, pues, comprenderán todas las otras parábolas? 14 El sembrador siembra la palabra. 15 Estos que están junto al camino donde se siembra la palabra, son aquellos que en cuanto la oyen, al instante viene Satanás(J)y se lleva la palabra que se ha sembrado en ellos. 16 Y de igual manera, estos en que se sembró la semilla en pedregales son los que al oír la palabra enseguida la reciben con gozo; 17 pero no tienen raíz profunda en sí mismos, sino que solo son temporales. Entonces, cuando viene la aflicción o la persecución por causa de la palabra, enseguida se apartan de ella[c]. 18 Otros son aquellos en los que se sembró la semilla entre los espinos; estos son los que han oído la palabra, 19 pero las preocupaciones del mundo[d], y el engaño de las riquezas, y los deseos de las demás cosas entran y ahogan la palabra, y se vuelve estéril(K). 20 Y otros son aquellos en que se sembró la semilla en tierra buena; los cuales oyen la palabra, la aceptan y dan fruto, unos a treinta, otros a sesenta y otros a ciento por uno(L)».
21 También Jesús les decía: «¿Acaso se trae una lámpara para ponerla debajo de una vasija o debajo de la cama? ¿No es para ponerla en el candelero(M)? 22 Porque nada hay oculto, si no es para que sea manifestado; ni nada ha estado en secreto, sino para que salga a la luz(N). 23 Si alguno tiene oídos para oír, que oiga(O)».
24 Además les decía: «Cuídense de lo que oigan. Con la medida con que ustedes midan, se les medirá(P), y aun más se les dará. 25 Porque al que tiene, se le dará más, pero al que no tiene, aun lo que tiene se le quitará(Q)».
Parábola del crecimiento de la semilla
26 Jesús decía también: «El reino de Dios es como un hombre que echa semilla en la tierra(R), 27 y se acuesta[e]de noche y se levanta de día, y la semilla brota y crece; cómo, él no lo sabe. 28 La tierra produce fruto por sí misma; primero la hoja, luego la espiga, y después el grano maduro[f]en la espiga. 29 Y cuando el fruto lo permite, él enseguida mete[g]la hoz(S), porque ha llegado el tiempo de la siega».
Parábola del grano de mostaza
30 (T)También Jesús decía: «¿A qué compararemos el reino de Dios(U), o con qué parábola lo describiremos? 31 Es como un grano de mostaza, el cual, cuando se siembra en la tierra, aunque es más pequeño que todas las semillas que hay en la tierra, 32 sin embargo, después de sembrado, crece y llega a ser más grande que todas las hortalizas y echa grandes ramas, tanto que las aves del cielo pueden anidar bajo su sombra(V)».
33 Con muchas parábolas como estas Jesús les hablaba la palabra, según podían oírla; 34 y sin parábolas[h](W) no les hablaba, pero lo explicaba(X) todo en privado a Sus propios discípulos.
Jesús calma la tempestad
35 (Y)Ese mismo día, caída ya la tarde, Jesús les dijo*: «Pasemos al otro lado». 36 Despidiendo[i] a la multitud, lo llevaron* con ellos en la barca(Z), como estaba; y había otras barcas con Él. 37 Pero se levantó* una violenta tempestad[j], y las olas se lanzaban sobre la barca de tal manera que ya la barca se llenaba de agua. 38 Jesús estaba en la popa, durmiendo sobre una almohadilla; entonces lo despertaron* y le dijeron*: «Maestro, ¿no te importa que perezcamos?».
39 Jesús se levantó, reprendió al viento y dijo al mar: «¡Cálmate[k], sosiégate[l]!». Y el viento cesó, y sobrevino una gran calma(AA). 40 Entonces les dijo: «¿Por qué están atemorizados? ¿Cómo no tienen fe(AB)?».
41 Y se llenaron de gran temor, y se decían unos a otros: «¿Quién, pues, es Este que aun el viento y el mar le obedecen?».
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
Mark 4
Contemporary English Version
Mark 4
Contemporary English Version
A Story about a Farmer
(Matthew 13.1-9; Luke 8.4-8)
4 (A) The next time Jesus taught beside Lake Galilee, a big crowd gathered. It was so large that he had to sit in a boat out on the lake, while the people stood on the shore. 2 He used stories to teach them many things, and this is part of what he taught:
3 Now listen! A farmer went out to scatter seed in a field. 4 While the farmer was scattering the seed, some of it fell along the road and was eaten by birds. 5 Other seeds fell on thin, rocky ground and quickly started growing because the soil wasn't very deep. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched and dried up, because they did not have deep roots. 7 Some other seeds fell where thornbushes grew up and choked out the plants. So they did not produce any grain. 8 But a few seeds did fall on good ground where the plants grew and produced 30 or 60 or even 100 times as much as was scattered.
9 Then Jesus said, “If you have ears, pay attention.”
Why Jesus Used Stories
(Matthew 13.10-17; Luke 8.9,10)
10 When Jesus was alone with the twelve apostles and some others, they asked him about these stories. 11 He answered:
I have explained the secret about God's kingdom to you, but for others I can use only stories. 12 (B) The reason is,
“These people will look
and look, but never see.
They will listen and listen,
but never understand.
If they did,
they would turn to God
and be forgiven.”
Jesus Explains the Story about the Farmer
(Matthew 13.18-23; Luke 8.11-15)
13 Jesus then told them:
If you don't understand this story, you won't understand any others. 14 What the farmer is spreading is really the message about the kingdom. 15 The seeds that fell along the road are the people who hear the message. But Satan soon comes and snatches it away from them. 16 The seeds that fell on rocky ground are the people who gladly hear the message and accept it at once. 17 But they don't have roots, and they don't last very long. As soon as life gets hard or the message gets them in trouble, they give up.
18 The seeds that fell among the thornbushes are also people who hear the message. 19 But they start worrying about the needs of this life. They are fooled by the desire to get rich and to have all kinds of other things. So the message gets choked out, and they never produce anything. 20 The seeds that fell on good ground are the people who hear and welcome the message. They produce 30 or 60 or even 100 times as much as was planted.
Light
(Luke 8.16-18)
21 (C) Jesus also said:
You don't light a lamp and put it under a clay pot or under a bed. Don't you put a lamp on a lampstand? 22 (D) There is nothing hidden that will not be made public. There is no secret that will not be well known. 23 If you have ears, pay attention!
24 (E) Listen carefully to what you hear! The way you treat others will be the way you will be treated—and even worse. 25 (F) Everyone who has something will be given more. But people who don't have anything will lose what little they have.
Another Story about Seeds
26 Again Jesus said:
God's kingdom is like what happens when a farmer scatters seed in a field. 27 The farmer sleeps at night and is up and around during the day. Yet the seeds keep sprouting and growing, and he doesn't understand how. 28 It is the ground that makes the seeds sprout and grow into plants that produce grain. 29 (G) Then when harvest season comes and the grain is ripe, the farmer cuts it with a sickle.[a]
A Mustard Seed
(Matthew 13.31,32; Luke 13.18,19)
30 Finally, Jesus said:
What is God's kingdom like? What story can I use to explain it? 31 It is like what happens when a mustard seed is planted in the ground. It is the smallest seed in all the world. 32 But once it is planted, it grows larger than any garden plant. It even puts out branches that are big enough for birds to nest in its shade.
The Reason for Teaching with Stories
(Matthew 13.34,35)
33 Jesus used many other stories when he spoke to the people, and he taught them as much as they could understand. 34 He did not tell them anything without using stories. But when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.
A Storm
(Matthew 8.23-27; Luke 8.22-25)
35 That evening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let's cross to the east side.” 36 So they left the crowd, and his disciples started across the lake with him in the boat. Some other boats followed along. 37 Suddenly a storm struck the lake. Waves started splashing into the boat, and it was about to sink.
38 Jesus was in the back of the boat with his head on a pillow, and he was asleep. His disciples woke him and said, “Teacher, don't you care that we're about to drown?”
39 Jesus got up and ordered the wind and the waves to be quiet. The wind stopped, and everything was calm.
40 Jesus asked his disciples, “Why were you afraid? Don't you have any faith?”
41 Now they were more afraid than ever and said to each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Footnotes
- 4.29 sickle: A knife with a long curved blade, used to cut grain and other crops.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV) 
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Nueva Biblia de las Américas (NBLA) 
Nueva Biblia de las Américas™ NBLA™ Copyright © 2005 por The Lockman Foundation
New International Version (NIV) 
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Contemporary English Version (CEV) 
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