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.”
Read full chapterNotas al pie
- 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
International Standard Version
Jesus Explains the Parable about the Farmer(A)
13 Then he told them, “You don’t understand this parable, so how can you understand any of the parables? 14 The farmer sows the word. 15 Some people are like the seeds[a] along the path, where the word is sown. When they hear it, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others are like the seeds[b] sown on the stony ground. When they hear the word, at once they joyfully accept it, 17 but since they don’t have any roots, they last for only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes along because of the word, they immediately fall away. 18 Still others are like the seeds[c] sown among the thorn bushes. These are the people who hear the word, 19 but the worries of life, the deceitful pleasures of wealth, and the desires for other things come in and choke the word so that it can’t produce a crop. 20 Others are like the seeds[d] sown on good soil. They hear the word, accept it, and produce crops—30, 60, or 100 times what was sown.”[e]
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