Mark 4

Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed

4Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore.G2532G756G3825G1321G3844G2281G2532G4863G4314G846G4183G3793G5620G846G1684G1519G4143G2521G1722G2281G2532G3956G3793G2258G4314G2281G1909G1093 2He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one.G2532G1321G846G4183G1722G3850G2532G3004G846G1722G846G1322 3"Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed.G191G2400G1831G4687G4687 4As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it.G2532G1096G1722G4687G3739G3303G4098G3844G3598G2532G4071G3772G2064G2532G2719G846G2719 5Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.G1161G243G4098G1909G4075G3699G2192G3756G4183G1093G2532G2112G1816G1223G2192G3361G899G1093 6But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn't have deep roots, it died.G1161G393G2246G393G2739G2532G1223G2192G3361G4491G3583 7Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain.G2532G243G4098G1519G173G2532G173G305G2532G4846G846G2532G1325G3756G2590 8Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"G2532G243G4098G1519G2570G1093G2532G1325G2590G305G2532G837G2532G5342G1520G5144G2532G1520G1835G2532G1520G1540 9Then he said, "Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand."G2532G3004G846G2192G3775G191G191 10Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant.G1161G3753G1096G2651G4012G846G4862G1427G2065G846G3850 11He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secret

of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders,G2532G3004G846G5213G1325G1097G3466G932G2316G1161G1565G1854G3956G1096G1722G3850 12so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: 'When they see what I do, they will learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they will not understand. Otherwise, they will turn to me and be forgiven.'

"G2443G991G991G2532G3361G1492G2532G191G191G2532G3361G4920G3379G1994G2532G265G863G846 13Then Jesus said to them, "If you can't understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables?G2532G3004G846G1492G3756G5026G3850G2532G4459G1097G3956G3850 14The farmer plants seed by taking God's word to others.G4687G4687G3056 15The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away.G1161G3778G1526G3844G3598G3699G3056G4687G2532G3752G191G4567G2064G2112G2532G142G3056G4687G1722G846G2588 16The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.G2532G3778G1526G3668G4687G1909G4075G3739G3752G191G3056G2112G2983G846G3326G5479 17But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word.G2532G2192G3756G4491G1722G1438G235G1526G4340G1534G2347G2228G1375G1096G1223G3056G2112G4624 18The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God's word,G2532G3778G1526G1526G4687G1519G173G3778G191G3056 19but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.G2532G3308G5127G165G2532G539G4149G2532G1939G4012G3062G1531G4846G3056G2532G1096G175 20And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God's word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"G2532G3778G1526G4687G1909G2570G1093G3748G191G3056G2532G3858G2532G2592G1520G5144G2532G1520G1835G2532G1520G1540

Parable of the Lamp

21Then Jesus asked them, "Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.G2532G3004G846G3385G3088G2064G2443G5087G5259G3426G2228G5259G2825G3756G2443G2007G1909G3087 22For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light.G1063G2076G3756G2927G5100G3739G5319G3362G5319G3761G1096G614G235G2443G2064G1519G5318 23Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand."G1536G2192G3775G191G191 24Then he added, "Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given

—and you will receive even more.G2532G3004G846G991G5101G191G1722G3739G3358G3354G3354G5213G2532G5213G191G4369 25To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them."G1063G302G3739G2192G846G1325G2532G3739G2192G3756G575G846G142G2532G3739G2192

Parable of the Growing Seed

26Jesus also said, "The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground.G2532G3004G3779G2076G932G2316G5613G1437G444G906G4703G1909G1093 27Night and day, while he's asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens.G2532G2518G2532G1453G3571G2532G2250G2532G4703G985G2532G3373G846G1492G3756G5613 28The 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.G1063G1093G2592G844G4412G5528G1534G4719G1534G4134G4621G1722G4719 29And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come."G1161G3752G2590G3860G2112G649G1407G3754G2326G3936

Parable of the Mustard Seed

30Jesus said, "How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it?G2532G3004G5101G3666G932G2316G2228G1722G4169G3850G3846G846 31It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds,G5613G2848G4615G3739G3752G4687G1909G1093G3398G3956G4690G2076G1909G1093 32but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade."G2532G3752G4687G305G2532G1096G3187G3956G3001G2532G4160G3173G2798G5620G4071G3772G1410G2681G5259G4639G846 33Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand.G2532G4183G5108G3850G2980G3056G846G2531G1410G191 34In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.G1161G5565G3850G2980G3756G846G1161G2398G2596G1956G3956G846G3101

Jesus Calms the Storm

35As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake."G2532G1722G1565G2250G3798G1096G3004G846G1330G1519G4008 36So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind

.G2532G863G3793G3880G846G5613G2258G1722G4143G1161G2258G2532G3326G846G243G4142 37But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.G2532G1096G3173G2978G417G1161G2949G1911G1519G4143G5620G846G1072G2235G1072 38Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, "Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown?"G2532G846G2258G1909G4403G2518G1909G4344G2532G1326G846G2532G3004G846G1320G3199G4671G3756G3754G622 39When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Silence! Be still!" Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.G2532G1326G2008G417G2532G2036G2281G4623G5392G2532G417G2869G2532G1096G3173G1055 40Then he asked them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"G2532G2036G846G5101G2075G3779G1169G4459G2192G3756G4102 41The disciples were absolutely terrified. "Who is this man?" they asked each other. "Even the wind and waves obey him!"G2532G5399G5401G3173G2532G3004G240G4314G240G5101G686G2076G3778G3754G2532G417G2532G2281G5219G846