Mark 4:13-20
New English Translation
13 He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? Then[a] how will you understand any parable? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: Whenever they hear, immediately Satan[b] comes and snatches the word[c] that was sown in them. 16 These are the ones sown on rocky ground: As soon as they hear the word, they receive it with joy. 17 But[d] they have no root in themselves and do not endure.[e] Then, when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 Others are the ones sown among thorns: They are those who hear the word, 19 but[f] worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth,[g] and the desire for other things come in and choke the word,[h] and it produces nothing. 20 But[i] these are the ones sown on good soil: They hear the word and receive it and bear fruit, one thirty times as much, one sixty, and one a hundred.”
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- Mark 4:13 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
- Mark 4:15 sn Interestingly, the synoptic parallels each use a different word for Satan here: Matt 13:19 has “the evil one,” while Luke 8:12 has “the devil.” This illustrates the fluidity of the gospel tradition in often using synonyms at the same point of the parallel tradition.
- Mark 4:15 sn The word of Jesus has the potential to save if it germinates in a person’s heart, something the devil is very much against.
- Mark 4:17 tn Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
- Mark 4:17 tn Grk “are temporary.”
- Mark 4:19 tn Grk “and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
- Mark 4:19 tn Grk “the deceitfulness of riches.” Cf. BDAG 99 s.v. ἀπάτη 1, “the seduction which comes from wealth.”
- Mark 4:19 sn That is, their concern for spiritual things is crowded out by material things.
- Mark 4:20 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
Mark 4:13-20
English Standard Version
13 (A)And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 (B)The sower sows (C)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 (D)with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but (E)endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately (F)they fall away.[a] 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but (G)the cares of (H)the world and (I)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 (J)bear fruit, (K)thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”
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- Mark 4:17 Or stumble
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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
