New International Version
Mark 4:28
28All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.
Mark 4:28 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
- New King James Version (NKJV)For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.
- New Living Translation (NLT)The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens.
Context of Mark 4:28
26He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” 30Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?
Read all of Mark 4Mark 4:28 word by word
αὐτομάτη ἡ γῆ καρποφορεῖ πρῶτον χόρτον εἶτα στάχυν εἶτα πλήρης σῖτον ἐν τῷ στάχυϊ.Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- the earthὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- the earthγῆgē · earth: soilG1093
- bringeth forth fruitκαρποφορέωkarpophoreō · to bear fruitG2592
- of herselfαὐτόματοςautomatos · by itselfG844
- firstπρῶτονprōton · firstG4412
- the bladeχόρτοςchortos · grassG5528
- thenεἶταeita · thenG1534
- the earστάχυςstachus · head of grainG4719
- theσῖτοςsitos · grainG4621
- fullπλήρηςplērēs · fullG4134
- inἐνen · in/on/amongG1722
Cross-references for Mark 4:28
- Genesis 1:11Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so.
- Genesis 2:4This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.
- Genesis 4:11Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
- Isaiah 61:11For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.
- Mark 4:31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth.
- Psalms 1:3That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.
- Psalms 92:13planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God.
- Proverbs 4:18The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
- Ecclesiastes 3:1There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
- Hosea 6:3Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”
- Philippians 1:6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
- Colossians 1:10so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,
- 1 Thessalonians 3:12May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.
- Matthew 13:26When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
Commentaries on Mark 4:28
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 28Bringeth forth - of herself - . By its own energy, without either the influence or industry of man. Similar to this is the expression of the poet: - Namque aliae, Nullis Homlnum Cogentibus, ipsae Sponte Sua veniunt. Virg. Geor. l. ii. v. 10 "Some (trees) grow of their own accord, without the labor of man." All the endlessly varied herbage of the field is produced in this way. The full corn - , Full wheat; the perfect, full-grown, or ripe corn. Lucian uses…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 28For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself - That is, it is done without the power of man. It is done while man is engaged in other things. The scope of this passage does not require us to suppose that our Saviour meant to say that the earth had any productive power of itself, but only that it produced its fruits not by the “power of man.” God gives it its power. It has no power of its own. So religion in the heart is not by the power of man. It grows…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. 2828. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear--beautiful allusion to the succession of similar stages, though not definitely marked periods, in the Christian life, and generally in the kingdom of God.Read the comment
Topics related to Mark 4:28
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
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