Mark 4:1-20

International Children’s Bible

A Story About Planting Seed

4 Another time Jesus began teaching by the lake. A great crowd gathered around him. So he got into a boat and went out on the lake. All the people stayed on the shore close to the water. ² Jesus used many stories to teach them. He said, ³ “Listen! A farmer went out to plant his seed. ⁴ While the farmer was planting, some seed fell by the road. The birds came and ate all that seed. ⁵ Some seed fell on rocky ground where there wasn’t much dirt. The seed grew very fast there because the ground was not deep. ⁶ But when the sun rose, the plants withered. The plants died because they did not have deep roots. ⁷ Some other seed fell among thorny weeds. The weeds grew and choked the good plants. So those plants did not make grain. ⁸ Some other seed fell on good ground. In the good ground, the seed began to grow. It grew and made a crop of grain. Some plants made 30 times more grain, some 60 times more grain, and some 100 times more grain.”

⁹ Then Jesus said, “Let those with ears use them and listen!”

Jesus Tells Why He Used Stories

¹⁰ Later, when Jesus was alone, the 12 apostles and others around him asked him about the stories.

¹¹ Jesus said, “Only you can know the secret truth about the kingdom of God. But to other people I tell everything by using stories. ¹² I do this so that:

Jesus Explains the Seed Story

¹³ Then Jesus said to the followers, “Do you understand this story? If you don’t, then how will you understand any story? ¹⁴ The farmer is like a person who plants God’s teaching in people. ¹⁵ Sometimes the teaching falls on the road. This is like some people. They hear the teaching of God. But Satan quickly comes and takes away the teaching that was planted in them. ¹⁶ Others are like the seed planted on rocky ground. They hear the teaching and quickly accept it with joy. ¹⁷ But they don’t allow the teaching to go deep into their lives. They keep it only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching, they quickly give up. ¹⁸ Others are like the seed planted among the thorny weeds. They hear the teaching. ¹⁹ But then other things come into their lives: worries, the love of money, and wanting all kinds of other things. These things stop the teaching from growing. So that teaching does not produce fruit^[a] in their lives. ²⁰ Others are like the seed planted in the good ground. They hear the teaching and accept it. Then they grow and produce fruit—sometimes 30 times more, sometimes 60 times more, and sometimes 100 times more.”