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!”
Marco 4
Nuova Riveduta 2006
Parabola del seminatore
4 (A)Gesù si mise di nuovo a insegnare presso il mare. Una grandissima[a] folla si radunò intorno a lui, tanto che egli, montato su una barca, vi sedette stando in mare, mentre tutta la folla era a terra sulla riva. 2 Egli insegnava loro molte cose in parabole e diceva loro nel suo insegnamento:
3 «Ascoltate: il seminatore uscì a seminare. 4 Mentre seminava, una parte del seme cadde lungo la strada; e gli uccelli [del cielo] vennero e lo mangiarono. 5 Un’altra cadde in un suolo roccioso dove non aveva molta terra; e subito spuntò, perché non aveva terreno profondo; 6 ma quando il sole si levò, fu bruciata e, non avendo radice, inaridì. 7 Un’altra cadde fra le spine; le spine crebbero e la soffocarono, ed essa non fece frutto. 8 Altre parti caddero nella buona terra; portarono frutto, che venne su e crebbe, e giunsero a dare il trenta, il sessanta e il cento per uno». 9 Poi disse[b]: «Chi ha orecchi per udire oda».
10 Quando egli fu solo, quelli che gli stavano intorno con i dodici lo interrogarono sulle parabole. 11 Egli disse loro: «A voi è dato [di conoscere] il mistero del regno di Dio; ma a quelli che sono di fuori tutto viene esposto in parabole, affinché: 12 “Vedendo, vedano sì, ma non discernano; udendo, odano sì, ma non comprendano; affinché non si convertano, e [i peccati] non siano [loro] perdonati”[c]». 13 Poi disse loro: «Non capite questa parabola? Come comprenderete tutte le altre parabole?
14 Il seminatore semina la parola. 15 Quelli che sono lungo la strada sono coloro nei quali è seminata la parola; e quando l’hanno udita, subito viene Satana e porta via la parola seminata in loro[d]. 16 E così quelli che ricevono il seme in luoghi rocciosi sono coloro che, quando odono la parola, la ricevono subito con gioia; 17 ma non hanno in sé radice e sono di corta durata; poi, quando vengono tribolazione o persecuzione a causa della parola, sono subito sviati. 18 E altri sono quelli che ricevono il seme tra le spine; cioè coloro[e] che hanno udito la parola; 19 poi le ansiose preoccupazioni mondane[f], l’inganno delle ricchezze, l’avidità delle altre cose, penetrati in loro, soffocano la parola, che così riesce infruttuosa. 20 Quelli poi che hanno ricevuto il seme in buona terra sono coloro che odono la parola e l’accolgono e fruttano il trenta, il sessanta e il cento per uno».
La lampada sul candeliere
21 (B)Poi diceva ancora loro: «Si prende forse la lampada per metterla sotto un recipiente[g] o sotto il letto? Non la si prende invece per metterla sul candeliere? 22 Poiché non vi è nulla che sia nascosto se non per essere manifestato; e nulla è stato tenuto segreto se non per essere messo in luce. 23 Se uno ha orecchi per udire oda».
24 Diceva loro ancora: «Badate a ciò che udite. Con la misura con la quale misurate sarete misurati pure voi; e a voi [che udite] sarà dato anche di più; 25 poiché a chi ha sarà dato, a chi non ha sarà tolto anche quello che ha».
Il seme che da sé germoglia e cresce
26 (C)Diceva ancora: «Il regno di Dio è come un uomo che getti il seme nel terreno, 27 e dorma e si alzi, la notte e il giorno; il seme intanto germoglia e cresce senza che egli sappia come. 28 La terra [infatti] da se stessa porta frutto: prima l’erba, poi la spiga, poi nella spiga il grano ben formato. 29 E quando il frutto è maturo, subito vi mette la falce perché l’ora della mietitura è venuta».
Il granello di senape
30 (D)Diceva ancora: «A che paragoneremo il regno di Dio, o con quale parabola lo rappresenteremo? 31 Esso è simile a un granello di senape, il quale, quando lo si è seminato in terra, è il più piccolo di tutti i semi che sono sulla terra; 32 ma quando è seminato, cresce e diventa più grande di tutti gli ortaggi; e fa dei rami tanto grandi che alla sua ombra possono ripararsi gli uccelli del cielo».
33 Con molte parabole di questo genere esponeva loro la parola, secondo quello che potevano intendere. 34 Non parlava loro senza parabola; ma in privato ai suoi discepoli spiegava ogni cosa.
Gesù calma la tempesta
35 (E)In quello stesso giorno, alla sera, Gesù disse loro: «Passiamo all’altra riva». 36 E lasciata la folla, lo presero con sé, così com’era, nella barca. C’erano delle altre barche con lui. 37 Ed ecco levarsi una gran bufera di vento che gettava le onde nella barca, tanto che la barca[h] già si riempiva. 38 Egli stava dormendo sul guanciale a poppa. Essi lo svegliarono e gli dissero: «Maestro, non t’importa che noi moriamo?» 39 Egli, svegliatosi, sgridò il vento e disse al mare: «Taci, càlmati!» Il vento cessò e si fece gran bonaccia. 40 Egli disse loro: «Perché siete così paurosi? Non avete ancora fede?[i]» 41 Ed essi furono presi da gran timore e si dicevano gli uni gli altri: «Chi è dunque costui, al quale persino il vento e il mare ubbidiscono?»
Footnotes
- Marco 4:1 TR e M grande.
- Marco 4:9 TR Poi disse loro…
- Marco 4:12 +Is 6:9-10.
- Marco 4:15 TR e M nei loro cuori.
- Marco 4:18 TR e M Quelli invece che ricevono il seme tra le spine, sono coloro…
- Marco 4:19 TR e M ansiose preoccupazioni di questo mondo.
- Marco 4:21 Vd. nota a Mt 5:15.
- Marco 4:37 TR e M tanto che questa…
- Marco 4:40 TR e M Come mai non avete fede?
Mark 4
1599 Geneva Bible
4 4 The parable of the sower. 14 And the meaning thereof. 18 Thorns. 21 The candle. 26 Of him that sowed, and then slept. 31 The grain of mustard seed. 38 Christ sleepeth in the ship.
1 And (A)he began again to teach by the [a]seaside, and there gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat [b]in the sea, and all the people was by the seaside on the land.
2 And he taught them many things in parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,
3 [c]Hearken: Behold, there went out a sower to sow.
4 And it came to pass as he sowed, that some fell by the wayside, and the fowls of the heaven came, and devoured it up.
5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth, and by and by sprang up, because it had not depth of earth.
6 But as soon as the Sun was up, it was burnt up, and because it had not root, it withered away.
7 And some fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, so that it gave no fruit.
8 Some again fell in good ground, and did yield fruit that sprung up, and grew, and it brought forth, some thirtyfold, some sixtyfold, and some an hundredfold.
9 Then he said unto them, He that hath ears, to hear, let him hear.
10 And when he was [d]alone, they that were [e]about him with the twelve, asked him of the parable.
11 And he said unto them, To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are [f]without, all things be done in parables,
12 (B)That they seeing, may see, and not discern: and they hearing, may hear, and not understand, lest at any time they should turn, and their sins should be forgiven them.
13 Again he said unto them, Perceive ye not this parable? how then should ye understand all other parables?
14 The sower soweth the word.
15 And these are they that receive the seed by the wayside, in whom the word is sown: but when they have heard it, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
16 And likewise they that receive the seed in stony ground, are they, which when they have heard the word, straightway receive it with gladness.
17 Yet have they no root in themselves, and endure but a time: for when trouble and persecution ariseth for the word, immediately they be offended.
18 Also they that receive the seed among the thorns, are such as hear the word:
19 But the cares [g]of this world, and the (C)deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things enter in, and choke the word, and it is unfruitful.
20 But they that have received seed in good ground, are they that hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit: one corn thirty, another sixty, and some an hundred.
21 ¶ [h]Also he said unto them, (D)Cometh the candle in, to be put under a bushel, or under the bed, and not to be put in a candlestick?
22 (E)For there is nothing hid, that shall not be opened, neither is there a secret, but that it shall come to light.
23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
24 [i]And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear. (F)With what measure you mete, it shall be measured unto you: and unto you that hear, shall more be given.
25 (G)For unto him that hath, shall it be given, and from him that hath not, shall be taken away even that he hath.
26 ¶ [j]Also he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed in the ground.
27 And [k]should sleep, and rise up night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he [l]not knowing how.
28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit [m]of itself, first the blade, then the ears, after that full corn in the ears.
29 And as soon as the fruit showeth itself, anon he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
30 ¶ (H)[n]He said moreover, 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 the least of all seeds that be in the earth:
32 But after that it is sown, it groweth up, and is greatest of all herbs, and beareth great branches, so that the fowls of the heaven may build under the shadow of it.
33 And (I)with many such parables he preached the word unto them, [o]as they were able to hear it.
34 And without parables spake he nothing unto them: but he [p]expounded all things to his disciples apart.
35 ¶ (J)Now the same day when even was come, he said unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
36 And they left the multitude, and took him as he was in the ship, and there was also with him other little ships.
37 [q]And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves dashed into the ship, so that it was now full.
38 And he was in the stern asleep on a pillow: and they awoke him, and said to him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39 And he arose up, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, and be still. So the wind ceased, and it was a great calm.
40 Then he said unto them, [r]Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, Who is this, that both the wind and sea obey him?
Footnotes
- Mark 4:1 Seaside of Tiberias.
- Mark 4:1 In a ship which was launched into the sea.
- Mark 4:3 The selfsame doctrine of the Gospel is sown everywhere, but it hath not like success indeed through the fault of man, but yet by the just judgment of God.
- Mark 4:10 Word for word, solitary.
- Mark 4:10 They that followed him at the heels.
- Mark 4:11 That is to say, to strangers, and such as are none of ours.
- Mark 4:19 Which pertain to this life.
- Mark 4:21 Although the light of the Gospel be rejected of the world, yet it ought to be lighted, if it were for no other cause than this, that the wickedness of the world might be made manifest.
- Mark 4:24 The more liberally that we communicate such gifts as God hath given us with our brethren, the more bountiful will God be toward us.
- Mark 4:26 The Lord soweth and reapeth after a manner unknown to men.
- Mark 4:27 That is, when he hath done sowing, should pass the time both day and night, nothing doubting, but that the seed would spring which groweth both day and night.
- Mark 4:27 It is the part of the ministers, to labor the ground with all diligence, and commend the success to God: for that mighty working whereby the seed cometh to blade and ear, is secret and only known by the fruit.
- Mark 4:28 By a certain power which moveth itself.
- Mark 4:30 God far otherwise than men use, beginneth with the least, and endeth with the greatest.
- Mark 4:33 According to the capacity of the hearers.
- Mark 4:34 Word for word, Loosed, as you would say, read them the hard riddles.
- Mark 4:37 They that sail with Christ, although he seems to sleep never so soundly when they are in danger, yet they are preserved of him in time convenient, being awakened.
- Mark 4:40 How cometh it to pass that you have no faith?
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2006 Società Biblica di Ginevra
Geneva Bible, 1599 Edition. Published by Tolle Lege Press. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations in articles, reviews, and broadcasts.
