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Mark 4
New King James Version
Mark 4
New King James Version
The Parable of the Sower(A)
4 And (B)again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2 Then He taught them many things by parables, (C)and said to them in His teaching:
3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds [a]of the air came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have 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 seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no [b]crop. 8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
9 And He said [c]to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
The Purpose of Parables(D)
10 (E)But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11 And He said to them, “To you it has been given to (F)know the [d]mystery of the kingdom of God; but to (G)those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12 so that
(H)‘Seeing they may see and not perceive,
And hearing they may hear and not understand;
Lest they should turn,
And their sins be forgiven them.’ ”
The Parable of the Sower Explained(I)
13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 (J)The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. 18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19 and the (K)cares of this world, (L)the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, [e]accept it, and bear (M)fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
Light Under a Basket(N)
21 (O)Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? 22 (P)For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. 23 (Q)If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. (R)With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25 (S)For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26 And He said, (T)“The kingdom of God is as if a man should [f]scatter seed on the ground, 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and (U)grow, he himself does not know how. 28 For the earth (V)yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. 29 But when the grain ripens, immediately (W)he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed(X)
30 Then He said, (Y)“To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? 31 It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; 32 but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”
Jesus’ Use of Parables
33 (Z)And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. 34 But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, (AA)He explained all things to His disciples.
Wind and Wave Obey Jesus(AB)
35 (AC)On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, (AD)“Teacher, (AE)do You not care that we are perishing?”
39 Then He arose and (AF)rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, (AG)“Peace,[g] be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? (AH)How[h] is it that you have no faith?” 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
Markus 4
Schlachter 1951
Markus 4
Schlachter 1951
Gleichnisse vom Sämann, vom Samen, vom Senfkorn
4 Und er fing abermals an zu lehren am Meere. Und es versammelte sich eine große Volksmenge bei ihm, so daß er in das Schiff stieg und auf dem Meere sich darin niedersetzte; und alles Volk war am Meer auf dem Lande. 2 Und er lehrte sie vieles in Gleichnissen und sagte zu ihnen in seiner Lehre:
3 Höret zu! Siehe, der Sämann ging aus, zu säen. 4 Und es begab sich, indem er säte, daß etliches an den Weg fiel; und die Vögel des Himmels kamen und fraßen es auf. 5 Anderes aber fiel auf steinigen Boden, wo es nicht viel Erde hatte; und es ging alsbald auf, weil es nicht tiefe Erde hatte. 6 Als aber die Sonne aufging, wurde es verbrannt; und weil es nicht Wurzel hatte, verdorrte es. 7 Und anderes fiel unter die Dornen; und die Dornen wuchsen auf und erstickten es, und es gab keine Frucht. 8 Und anderes fiel auf gutes Erdreich und brachte Frucht, die aufwuchs und zunahm; und etliches trug dreißigfältig, etliches sechzigfältig und etliches hundertfältig.
9 Und er sprach zu ihnen: Wer Ohren hat zu hören, der höre!
10 Als er nun allein war, fragten ihn die, welche um ihn waren, samt den Zwölfen, über das Gleichnis. 11 Und er sprach zu ihnen: Euch ist gegeben, das Geheimnis des Reiches Gottes [zu erkennen], denen aber, die draußen sind, wird alles in Gleichnissen zuteil, 12 auf daß sie mit Augen sehen und doch nicht erkennen, und mit Ohren hören und doch nicht verstehen, damit sie nicht etwa umkehren und ihnen vergeben werde.
13 Und er spricht zu ihnen: Versteht ihr dieses Gleichnis nicht, wie wollt ihr alle Gleichnisse verstehen? 14 Der Sämann sät das Wort. 15 Die am Wege, das sind die, bei denen das Wort gesät wird, und wenn sie es gehört haben, kommt alsbald der Satan und nimmt das Wort weg, das in ihre Herzen gesät worden ist. 16 Gleicherweise, wo auf steinigen Boden gesät wurde, das sind die, welche das Wort, wenn sie es hören, alsbald mit Freuden aufnehmen; 17 aber sie haben keine Wurzel in sich, sondern sind wetterwendisch[a]; hernach, wenn Trübsal oder Verfolgung entsteht um des Wortes willen, nehmen sie alsbald Anstoß. 18 Andere sind, bei denen unter die Dornen gesät wurde; das sind die, welche das Wort hörten; 19 aber die Sorgen dieser Weltzeit und der Betrug des Reichtums und die Begierden nach andern Dingen dringen ein und ersticken das Wort, und es wird unfruchtbar. 20 Die aber auf das gute Erdreich gesät sind, das sind die, welche das Wort hören und es aufnehmen und Frucht tragen, der eine dreißigfältig, der andere sechzigfältig, der dritte hundertfältig.
Das Licht auf dem Leuchter
21 Und er sprach zu ihnen: Kommt etwa das Licht, damit es unter den Scheffel oder unter das Bett gestellt werde, und nicht vielmehr, daß man es auf den Leuchter setze? 22 Denn nichts ist verborgen, das nicht offenbar werde, und nichts geschieht so heimlich, daß es nicht an den Tag käme. 23 Wer Ohren hat zu hören, der höre!
24 Und er sprach zu ihnen: Achtet auf das, was ihr hört! Mit welchem Maße ihr messet, wird euch gemessen werden, und es wird euch, die ihr hört, noch hinzugelegt werden. 25 Denn wer da hat, dem wird gegeben werden; wer aber nicht hat, von dem wird auch das genommen werden, was er hat.
Der Same keimt und geht auf
26 Und er sprach: Mit dem Reiche Gottes ist es so, wie wenn ein Mensch den Samen in die Erde wirft 27 und schläft und aufsteht, Nacht und Tag, und der Same keimt und geht auf, ohne daß er es weiß. 28 Denn die Erde trägt von selbst Frucht, zuerst den Halm, hernach die Ähre, dann den vollen Weizen in der Ähre. 29 Wenn aber die Frucht sich darbietet, schickt er alsbald die Sichel hin; denn die Ernte ist da.
Das Senfkorn
30 Und er sprach: Wem wollen wir das Reich Gottes vergleichen, oder unter was für einem Gleichnis wollen wir es darstellen? 31 Es ist einem Senfkorn gleich, welches, wenn es in die Erde gesät wird, das kleinste ist unter allen Samenkörnern auf Erden. 32 Und wenn es gesät ist, geht es auf und wird größer als alle Gartengewächse und treibt große Zweige, so daß die Vögel des Himmels unter seinem Schatten nisten können.
33 Und in vielen solchen Gleichnissen trug er ihnen seine Lehre vor, wie sie es zu hören vermochten. 34 Ohne Gleichnis aber redete er nicht zu ihnen; beiseite aber legte er seinen Jüngern alles aus.
Jesus stillt den Sturm
35 Und an jenem Tage, als es Abend geworden, sprach er zu ihnen: Lasset uns hinüberfahren! 36 Und nachdem sie das Volk entlassen, nahmen sie ihn mit, wie er da in dem Schiffe war; es waren aber auch andere Schiffe bei ihm. 37 Und es erhob sich ein großer Sturm, und die Wellen schlugen in das Schiff, so daß es sich schon zu füllen begann. 38 Und er war im Hinterteil des Schiffes und schlief auf einem Kissen. Und sie weckten ihn und sprachen zu ihm: Meister, kümmert es dich nicht, daß wir umkommen?
39 Und er stand auf, bedrohte den Wind und sprach zum Meere: Schweig, verstumme! Da legte sich der Wind, und es ward eine große Stille.
40 Und er sprach zu ihnen: Was seid ihr so furchtsam? Wie, habt ihr keinen Glauben?
41 Und sie gerieten in große Furcht und sprachen zueinander: Wer ist doch der, daß auch der Wind und das Meer ihm gehorsam sind?
Footnotes
- Markus 4:17 o. Kinder des Augenblicks
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
English Standard Version
Mark 4
English Standard Version
The Parable of the Sower
4 Again (A)he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, (B)so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 And (C)he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: 3 “Listen! Behold, (D)a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil. 6 And (E)when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, (F)it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among (G)thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and (H)a hundredfold.” 9 And he said, (I)“He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
The Purpose of the Parables
10 And (J)when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, (K)“To you has been given (L)the secret of the kingdom of God, but for (M)those outside everything is in parables, 12 (N)so that
“‘they (O)may indeed see but not perceive,
and may indeed hear but not understand,
lest they (P)should turn and be forgiven.’”
13 (Q)And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 (R)The sower sows (S)the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it (T)with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but (U)endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately (V)they fall away.[a] 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but (W)the cares of (X)the world and (Y)the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and (Z)bear fruit, (AA)thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
A Lamp Under a Basket
21 (AB)And he said to them, (AC)“Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 (AD)For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 (AE)If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: (AF)with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25 (AG)For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
The Parable of the Seed Growing
26 And he said, (AH)“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground. 27 He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; (AI)he knows not how. 28 The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once (AJ)he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30 (AK)And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like (AL)a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
33 (AM)With many such parables he spoke (AN)the word to them, (AO)as they were able to hear it. 34 He did not speak to them (AP)without a parable, but (AQ)privately to his own disciples he (AR)explained everything.
Jesus Calms a Storm
35 (AS)On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves (AT)were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and (AU)rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and (AV)there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you (AW)so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, (AX)“Who then is this, that even (AY)the wind and the sea obey him?”
Footnotes
- Mark 4:17 Or stumble
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Schlachter 1951 (SCH1951)
Copyright © 1951 by Geneva Bible Society
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.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.