Mark 4

(Matthew 13:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)

1Once againG3825 Jesus beganG756 to teachG1321 besideG3844 theG3588 seaG2281, andG2532 such a largeG4118 crowdG3793 gatheredG4863 aroundG4314 HimG846 thatG5620 HeG846 got intoG1684G1519 a boatG4143 and satG2521 inG1722 it, whileG2532 allG3956 theG3588 peopleG3793 crowdedG1510G4314G3588G2281 alongG1909 theG3588 shoreG1093.

2AndG2532 He taughtG1321 themG846 many thingsG4183 inG1722 parablesG3850, andG2532 inG1722 HisG846 teachingG1322 He saidG2036, 3“ListenG191G2400! AG3588 farmerG4687 went outG1831 to sow his seedG4687. 4AndG2532 asG1722 he was sowingG4687, someG3739 seed fellG4098 alongG3844 theG3588 pathG3598, andG2532 theG3588 birdsG4071 cameG2064 andG2532 devouredG2719 itG846.

5

SomeG243 fellG4098 onG1909 rocky groundG4075, whereG3699 it did not haveG3756G2192 muchG4183 soilG1093. It sprang upG1816 quicklyG2112 becauseG1223 the soilG1093 was shallowG3361G3588G2192G899. 6ButG2532 whenG3753 theG3588 sunG2246 roseG393, the seedlings were scorchedG2739, andG2532 they witheredG3583 becauseG1223 they hadG2192 noG3361 rootG4491.

7

OtherG243 seed fellG4098 amongG1519 thornsG173, which grew upG305 andG2532 chokedG4846 the seedlings, andG2532 they yieldedG1325 noG3756 cropG2590.

8StillG2532 otherG243 seed fellG4098 onG1519 goodG2570 soilG1093, where it sproutedG305, grew upG837, andG2532 producedG1325 a cropG2590—oneG1520 bearingG5342 thirtyfoldG5144, anotherG1520 sixtyfoldG1835, andG2532 anotherG1520 a hundredfoldG1540.”

9ThenG2532 Jesus saidG2036, “He whoG3739 hasG2192 earsG3775 to hearG191, let him hearG191.”

The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables

(Isaiah 6:1–13; Matthew 13:10–17; Luke 8:9–10)

10As soon asG2532G3753 Jesus wasG1096 aloneG2596G3441 with theG3588 TwelveG1427 andG4862 thoseG3588 aroundG4012 HimG846, they askedG2065 HimG846 about theG3588 parableG3850.

11

He repliedG2036, “TheG3588 mysteryG3466 of theG3588 kingdomG932 of GodG2316 has been givenG1325 to youG4771, butG1161 to thoseG1565 on the outsideG1854 everythingG3956 is expressedG1096 inG1722 parablesG3850, 12so thatG2443,

The Parable of the Sower Explained

(Matthew 13:18–23; Luke 8:11–15)

13ThenG2532 Jesus saidG3004 to themG846, “Do you not understandG3756G1492 thisG3778 parableG3850? ThenG2532 howG4459 will you understandG1097 any of theG3588 parablesG3850?

14TheG3588 farmerG4687 sowsG4687 theG3588 wordG3056. 15Some are likeG1510 theG3588 seeds2 alongG3844 theG3588 pathG3598, whereG3699 theG3588 wordG3056 is sownG4687. As soon asG2112G3752 they hearG191 it, SatanG4567 comesG2064 andG2532 takes awayG142 theG3588 wordG3056 thatG3588 was sownG4687 inG1519 themG846.

16

Some areG1510 likeG3668 theG3588 seeds sownG4687 onG1909 rocky groundG4075. They hearG191 theG3588 wordG3056 and at onceG2112 receiveG2983 itG846 withG3326 joyG5479. 17ButG2532 they themselves haveG2192G1722G1438 noG3756 rootG4491, and they remainG1510 for only a seasonG4340. WhenG1534 troubleG2347 orG2228 persecutionG1375 comesG1096 because ofG1223 theG3588 wordG3056, they quickly fall awayG2112G4624.

18Others are likeG1510 theG3588 seeds sownG4687 amongG1519 theG3588 thornsG173. They hearG191 theG3588 wordG3056, 19butG2532 theG3588 worriesG3308 of this lifeG165, theG3588 deceitfulnessG539 ofG3588 wealthG4149, andG2532 theG3588 desireG1939 forG4012 other thingsG3062 come inG1531 and chokeG4846 theG3588 wordG3056, andG2532 it becomesG1096 unfruitfulG175.

20StillG2532 others are likeG1510 theG3588 seeds sownG4687 onG1909 goodG2570 soilG1093. They hearG191 theG3588 wordG3056, receiveG3858 it, andG2532 produce a cropG2592—thirtyfoldG5144, sixtyfoldG1835, or aG1520 hundredfoldG1540.”

The Lesson of the Lamp

(Luke 8:16–18)

21Jesus also saidG2532G2036 to themG846, “Does anyone bring inG2064 aG3588 lampG3088 toG3385G2443 putG5087 it underG5259 a basketG3426 orG2228 underG5259 a bedG2825? Doesn’tG3756 he set itG5087 onG1909 a standG3087? 22ForG1063 there isG1510 nothingG3756 hiddenG2927 thatG2443 will not beG3361 disclosedG5319, and nothingG3761 concealedG1096G614 thatG2443 will not be broughtG2064 toG1519 lightG5318.

23IfG1487 anyoneG5100 hasG2192 earsG3775 to hearG191, let him hearG191.”

24

He went on to sayG2036, “Pay attention toG991 whatG5101 you hearG191. WithG1722 the measureG3358 youG3354 use, it will be measuredG3354 to youG4771, andG2532 even more will be addedG4369 to youG4771. 25ForG1063 whoeverG3739 hasG2192 will be givenG1325 more. But whoeverG3739 does not haveG3756G2192, evenG2532 whatG3739 he hasG2192 will be taken awayG142 fromG575 himG846.”

The Seed Growing Secretly

26Jesus also saidG2532G2036, “TheG3588 kingdomG932 of GodG2316 isG1510 likeG3779G5613 a manG444 who scattersG906 seedG4703 onG1909 theG3588 groundG1093. 27NightG3571 andG2532 dayG2250 he sleepsG2518 andG2532 wakesG1453, andG2532 theG3588 seedG4703 sproutsG985 andG2532 growsG3373, though heG846 knowsG1492 notG3756 howG5613. 28All by itselfG844 theG3588 earthG1093 produces a cropG2592—firstG4412 the stalkG5528, thenG1534 the headG4719, thenG1534 grainG4621 that ripensG4134 withinG1722G3588G4719. 29AndG1161 as soon asG2112G3752 theG3588 grainG2590 is ripeG3860, he swingsG649 theG3588 sickleG1407, becauseG3754 theG3588 harvestG2326 has comeG3936.3”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

(Matthew 13:31–32; Luke 13:18–19)

30ThenG2532 He askedG2036, “To whatG4459 can we compareG3666 theG3588 kingdomG932 of GodG2316? WithG1722 whatG5101 parableG3850 shall we presentG5087 itG846? 31It is likeG5613 a mustard seedG2848G4615, whichG3739 isG1510 the smallestG3398 of allG3956 seedsG4690 sownG4687G1909G3588G1093 uponG1909 theG3588 earthG1093. 32ButG2532 afterG3752 it is plantedG4687, it growsG305 to beG1096 the largestG3173 of allG3956 garden plantsG3001 andG2532 puts forthG4160 greatG3173 branchesG2798, so thatG5620 theG3588 birdsG4071 of theG3588 airG3772 nestG2681 inG5259 itsG846 shadeG4639.”

33

With many suchG5108G4183 parablesG3850 Jesus spokeG2980 theG3588 wordG3056 to themG846, to the extent thatG2531 they couldG1410 understandG191. 34He did not tell themG3756G2980G846 anything without usingG5565 a parableG3850. ButG1161 privatelyG2596G2398 He explainedG1956 everythingG3956 to HisG3588 ownG2398 disciplesG3101.

Jesus Calms the Storm

(Psalm 107:1–43; Matthew 8:23–27; Luke 8:22–25)

35WhenG2532 thatG1565 evening cameG2250G1096G3798, He saidG3004 toG846 His disciples, “Let us crossG1330 toG1519 theG3588 other sideG4008.” 36AfterG2532 they had dismissedG863 theG3588 crowdG3793, they took Jesus with themG3880G846, sinceG5613 He was alreadyG1510 inG1722 theG3588 boatG4143. AndG2532 there wereG1510 otherG243 boatsG4143 withG3326 HimG846.

37SoonG2532 a violentG3173 windstormG2978G417 came upG1096, andG2532 theG3588 wavesG2949 were breakingG1911 overG1519 theG3588 boatG4143, so thatG5620 it was being swampedG2235G1072. 38ButG2532 Jesus wasG1510 inG1722 theG3588 sternG4403, sleepingG2518 onG1909 theG3588 cushionG4344. So they wokeG1453 HimG846 andG2532 saidG3004, “TeacherG1320, don’t You careG3756G3199G4771 thatG3754 we are perishingG622?”

39ThenG2532 Jesus got upG1326 and rebukedG2008 theG3588 windG417 andG2532 theG3588 seaG2281. “SilenceG4623!” He commandedG2036. “Be stillG5392!” AndG2532 theG3588 windG417 died downG2869, andG2532 it wasG1096 perfectlyG3173 calmG1055.

40“WhyG5101 are youG1510 so afraidG1169?” He askedG2036. “Do you still have noG2192G3768 faithG4102?”

41

Overwhelmed with fearG5399G3173G5401, they askedG2036G4314 one anotherG240, “WhoG5101 isG1510 thisG3778, thatG3754 evenG2532 theG3588 windG417 andG2532 theG3588 seaG2281 obeyG5219 HimG846?”