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Mark 4:21-34
New King James Version
Mark 4:21-34
New King James Version
Light Under a Basket(A)
21 (B)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 (C)For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. 23 (D)If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. (E)With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25 (F)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, (G)“The kingdom of God is as if a man should [a]scatter seed on the ground, 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and (H)grow, he himself does not know how. 28 For the earth (I)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 (J)he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed(K)
30 Then He said, (L)“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 (M)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, (N)He explained all things to His disciples.
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- Mark 4:26 sow
Mark 4:21-34
New International Version
Mark 4:21-34
New International Version
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?(A) 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.(B) 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”(C)
24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more.(D) 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”(E)
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like.(F) 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.”(G)
The Parable of the Mustard Seed(H)
30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like,(I) 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.(J) 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable.(K) But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
Mark 4:21-34
King James Version
Mark 4:21-34
King James Version
21 And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
30 And he said, 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 less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
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New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.