God’s Word Translation
Mark 4:26
26Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seeds on the ground.
Mark 4:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
- New International Version (NIV)He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground,
Context of Mark 4:26
24He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you’re listening to! ⌞Knowledge⌟ will be measured out to you by the measure ⌞of attention⌟ you give. This is the way knowledge increases. 25Those who understand ⌞these mysteries⌟ will be given ⌞more knowledge⌟. However, some people don’t understand ⌞these mysteries⌟. Even what they understand will be taken away from them.” Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seeds on the ground. 27He sleeps at night and is awake during the day. The seeds sprout and grow, although the man doesn’t know how. 28The ground produces grain by itself. First the green blade appears, then the head, then the head full of grain.
Read all of Mark 4Mark 4:26 word by word
Καὶ ἔλεγεν· οὕτως ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ, ὡς ἄνθρωπος βάλῃ τὸν σπόρον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆςRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Andκαίkai · andG2532
- he saidλέγωlegō · to sayG3004
- Soοὕτωςhoutō · thus(-ly)G3779
- isεἰμίeimi · to beG1510
- the kingdomὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the kingdomβασιλείαbasileia · kingdomG932
- of Godθεόςtheos · GodG2316
- asὡςhōs · as/whenG5613
- ifἐάνean · ifG1437
- a manἄνθρωποςanthrōpos · a humanG444
- should castβάλλωballō · to throw: sowG906
- seedσπόροςsporos · seedG4703
- intoἐπίepi · upon/to/againstG1909
- the groundγῆgē · earth: soilG1093
Cross-references for Mark 4:26
- Matthew 3:2“Turn to God and change the way you think and act, because the kingdom of heaven is near.”
- Matthew 4:17From then on, Jesus began to tell people, “Turn to God and change the way you think and act, because the kingdom of heaven is near!”
- Matthew 13:11Jesus answered, “Knowledge about the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you. But it has not been given to the crowd.
- Luke 13:18Jesus asked, “What is God’s kingdom like? What can I compare it to?
- Mark 4:3“Listen! A farmer went to plant seed.
- Proverbs 11:18A wicked person earns dishonest wages, but whoever spreads righteousness earns honest pay.
- Ecclesiastes 11:4Whoever watches the wind will never plant. Whoever looks at the clouds will never harvest.
- Isaiah 28:24Does a farmer go on plowing every day so he can plant? Does he continue to break up the soil and make furrows in the ground?
- Isaiah 32:20Blessed are those who plant beside every stream and those who let oxen and donkeys roam freely.
- Matthew 13:3Then he used stories as illustrations to tell them many things. He said, “Listen! A farmer went to plant seed.
- Luke 8:5“A farmer went to plant his seeds. Some seeds were planted along the road, were trampled, and were devoured by birds.
- John 4:36The person who harvests the crop is already getting paid. He is gathering grain for eternal life. So the person who plants the grain and the person who harvests it are happy together.
- John 12:24I can guarantee this truth: A single grain of wheat doesn’t produce anything unless it is planted in the ground and dies. If it dies, it will produce a lot of grain.
- 1 Corinthians 3:6I planted, and Apollos watered, but God made it grow.
- James 3:18A harvest that has God’s approval comes from the peace planted by peacemakers.
- 1 Peter 1:23You have been born again, not from a seed that can be destroyed, but through God’s everlasting word that can’t be destroyed. That’s why ⌞Scripture says⌟,
Commentaries on Mark 4:26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26So is the kingdom of God - This parable is mentioned only by Mark, a proof that Mark did not abridge Matthew. Whitby supposes it to refer to the good ground spoken of before, and paraphrases is thus: - "What I have said of the seed sown upon good ground, may be illustrated by this parable. The doctrine of the kingdom, received in a good and honest heart, is like seed sown by a man in his ground, properly prepared to receive it; for when he hath sown it…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 26So is the kingdom of God - The gospel, or religion in the soul, may be compared to this. See the notes at Matthew 3:2. This parable is recorded only by Mark.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-34Verses 21-34 These declarations were intended to call the attention of the disciples to the word of Christ. By his thus instructing them, they were made able to instruct others; as candles are lighted, not to be covered, but to be placed on a candlestick, that they may give light to a room. This parable of the good seed, shows the manner in which the kingdom of God makes progress in the world. Let but the word of Christ have the place it ought to have in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26-29This parable focuses on the seed and how it grows over time. Just as the earth produces crops on its own, the completion (final coming) of God’s kingdom does not depend on human effort. first the stalk, then the head, then the grain that ripens within: These describe the normal stages of a seed’s growth.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 26-2726-27. So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day--go about his other ordinary occupations, leaving it to the well-known laws of vegetation under the genial influences of heaven. This is the sense of "the earth bringing forth fruit of herself," in Mr 4:27.Read the comment
Topics related to Mark 4:26
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Mark 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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