Mark 4
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.G2532G756G3825G1321G3844G2281G2532G4863G4314G846G4183G3793G5620G846G1684G1519G4143G2521G1722G2281G2532G3956G3793G2258G4314G2281G1909G10932He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one.G2532G1321G846G4183G1722G3850G2532G3004G846G1722G846G13223"Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed.G191G2400G1831G4687G46874As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it.G2532G1096G1722G4687G3739G3303G4098G3844G3598G2532G4071G3772G2064G2532G2719G846G27195Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.G1161G243G4098G1909G4075G3699G2192G3756G4183G1093G2532G2112G1816G1223G2192G3361G899G10936But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn't have deep roots, it died.G1161G393G2246G393G2739G2532G1223G2192G3361G4491G35837Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain.G2532G243G4098G1519G173G2532G173G305G2532G4846G846G2532G1325G3756G25908Still 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!"G2532G243G4098G1519G2570G1093G2532G1325G2590G305G2532G837G2532G5342G1520G5144G2532G1520G1835G2532G1520G15409Then he said, "Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand."G2532G3004G846G2192G3775G191G19110Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant.G1161G3753G1096G2651G4012G846G4862G1427G2065G846G385011He replied, "You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders,G2532G3004G846G5213G1325G1097G3466G932G2316G1161G1565G1854G3956G1096G1722G385012so 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.'"G2443G991G991G2532G3361G1492G2532G191G191G2532G3361G4920G3379G1994G2532G265G863G84613Then Jesus said to them, "If you can't understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables?G2532G3004G846G1492G3756G5026G3850G2532G4459G1097G3956G385014The farmer plants seed by taking God's word to others.G4687G4687G305615The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away.G1161G3778G1526G3844G3598G3699G3056G4687G2532G3752G191G4567G2064G2112G2532G142G3056G4687G1722G846G258816The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.G2532G3778G1526G3668G4687G1909G4075G3739G3752G191G3056G2112G2983G846G3326G547917But 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.G2532G2192G3756G4491G1722G1438G235G1526G4340G1534G2347G2228G1375G1096G1223G3056G2112G462418The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God's word,G2532G3778G1526G1526G4687G1519G173G3778G191G305619but 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.G2532G3308G5127G165G2532G539G4149G2532G1939G4012G3062G1531G4846G3056G2532G1096G17520And 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!"G2532G3778G1526G4687G1909G2570G1093G3748G191G3056G2532G3858G2532G2592G1520G5144G2532G1520G1835G2532G1520G154021Then 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.G2532G3004G846G3385G3088G2064G2443G5087G5259G3426G2228G5259G2825G3756G2443G2007G1909G308722For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light.G1063G2076G3756G2927G5100G3739G5319G3362G5319G3761G1096G614G235G2443G2064G1519G531823Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand."G1536G2192G3775G191G19124Then 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.G2532G3004G846G991G5101G191G1722G3739G3358G3354G3354G5213G2532G5213G191G436925To 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."G1063G302G3739G2192G846G1325G2532G3739G2192G3756G575G846G142G2532G3739G219226Jesus also said, "The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground.G2532G3004G3779G2076G932G2316G5613G1437G444G906G4703G1909G109327Night and day, while he's asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens.G2532G2518G2532G1453G3571G2532G2250G2532G4703G985G2532G3373G846G1492G3756G561328The 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.G1063G1093G2592G844G4412G5528G1534G4719G1534G4134G4621G1722G471929And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come."G1161G3752G2590G3860G2112G649G1407G3754G2326G393630Jesus said, "How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it?G2532G3004G5101G3666G932G2316G2228G1722G4169G3850G3846G84631It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds,G5613G2848G4615G3739G3752G4687G1909G1093G3398G3956G4690G2076G1909G109332but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade."G2532G3752G4687G305G2532G1096G3187G3956G3001G2532G4160G3173G2798G5620G4071G3772G1410G2681G5259G4639G84633Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand.G2532G4183G5108G3850G2980G3056G846G2531G1410G19134In 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.G1161G5565G3850G2980G3756G846G1161G2398G2596G1956G3956G846G310135As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, "Let's cross to the other side of the lake."G2532G1722G1565G2250G3798G1096G3004G846G1330G1519G400836So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind .G2532G863G3793G3880G846G5613G2258G1722G4143G1161G2258G2532G3326G846G243G414237But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.G2532G1096G3173G2978G417G1161G2949G1911G1519G4143G5620G846G1072G2235G107238Jesus 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?"G2532G846G2258G1909G4403G2518G1909G4344G2532G1326G846G2532G3004G846G1320G3199G4671G3756G3754G62239When 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.G2532G1326G2008G417G2532G2036G2281G4623G5392G2532G417G2869G2532G1096G3173G105540Then he asked them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"G2532G2036G846G5101G2075G3779G1169G4459G2192G3756G410241The disciples were absolutely terrified. "Who is this man?" they asked each other. "Even the wind and waves obey him!"G2532G5399G5401G3173G2532G3004G240G4314G240G5101G686G2076G3778G3754G2532G417G2532G2281G5219G846
Mark 5
5So they arrived at the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gerasenes.G2532G2064G1519G4008G2281G1519G5561G10462When Jesus climbed out of the boat, a man possessed by an evil spirit came out from a cemetery to meet him.G2532G846G1831G1537G4143G2112G528G846G1537G3419G444G1722G169G41513This man lived among the burial caves and could no longer be restrained, even with a chain.G3739G2192G2731G1722G3419G2532G3762G1410G1210G846G3777G2544Whenever he was put into chains and shackles—as he often was—he snapped the chains from his wrists and smashed the shackles. No one was strong enough to subdue him.G1223G846G4178G1210G3976G2532G254G2532G254G1288G5259G846G2532G3976G4937G2532G2480G1150G846G37625Day and night he wandered among the burial caves and in the hills, howling and cutting himself with sharp stones.G2532G1275G3571G2532G2250G2258G1722G3735G2532G1722G3418G2896G2532G2629G1438G30376When Jesus was still some distance away, the man saw him, ran to meet him, and bowed low before him.G1161G1492G2424G575G3113G5143G2532G4352G8467With a shriek, he screamed, "Why are you interfering with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In the name of God, I beg you, don't torture me!"G2532G2896G3173G5456G2036G5101G1698G2532G4671G2424G5207G5310G2316G3726G4571G2316G928G3165G33618For Jesus had already said to the spirit, "Come out of the man, you evil spirit."G1063G3004G846G1831G1537G444G169G41519Then Jesus demanded, "What is your name?" And he replied, "My name is Legion, because there are many of us inside this man."G2532G1905G846G5101G4671G3686G2532G611G3004G3427G3686G3003G3754G2070G418310Then the evil spirits begged him again and again not to send them to some distant place.G2532G3870G846G4183G3363G649G3363G649G846G649G1854G556111There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding on the hillside nearby.G1161G2258G1563G4314G3735G3173G34G5519G100612"Send us into those pigs," the spirits begged. "Let us enter them."G2532G3956G1142G3870G846G3004G3992G2248G1519G5519G2443G1525G1519G84613So Jesus gave them permission. The evil spirits came out of the man and entered the pigs, and the entire herd of 2,000 pigs plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water.G2532G2112G2424G2010G846G2010G2532G169G4151G1831G1525G1519G5519G2532G34G3729G2596G2911G1519G2281G1161G2258G5613G1367G2532G4155G1722G228114The herdsmen fled to the nearby town and the surrounding countryside, spreading the news as they ran. People rushed out to see what had happened.G1161G1006G5519G5343G2532G312G1519G4172G2532G1519G68G2532G1831G1492G5101G2076G109615A crowd soon gathered around Jesus, and they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons. He was sitting there fully clothed and perfectly sane, and they were all afraid.G2532G2064G4314G2424G2532G2334G1139G2192G3003G2521G2532G2439G2532G4993G2532G539916Then those who had seen what happened told the others about the demon-possessed man and the pigs.G2532G1492G1334G846G4459G1096G1139G2532G4012G551917And the crowd began pleading with Jesus to go away and leave them alone.G2532G756G3870G846G565G575G846G372518As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon possessed begged to go with him.G2532G846G1684G1519G4143G1139G3870G846G2443G5600G3326G84619But Jesus said, "No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been."G1161G2424G863G846G3756G235G3004G846G5217G1519G3624G4675G4314G4674G2532G312G846G3745G2962G4160G4671G2532G1653G457120So the man started off to visit the Ten Towns of that region and began to proclaim the great things Jesus had done for him; and everyone was amazed at what he told them.G2532G565G2532G756G2784G1722G1179G3745G2424G4160G846G2532G3956G229621Jesus got into the boat again and went back to the other side of the lake, where a large crowd gathered around him on the shore.G2532G2424G1276G3825G1722G4143G1519G4008G4183G3793G4863G1909G846G2532G2258G3844G228122Then a leader of the local synagogue, whose name was Jairus, arrived. When he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet,G2532G2400G2064G1520G752G2383G3686G2532G1492G846G4098G4314G846G422823pleading fervently with him. "My little daughter is dying," he said. "Please come and lay your hands on her; heal her so she can live."G2532G3870G846G4183G3004G3754G3450G2365G2079G2192G2064G2443G2007G5495G846G3704G4982G2532G219824Jesus went with him, and all the people followed, crowding around him.G2532G565G3326G846G2532G4183G3793G190G846G2532G4918G84625A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding.G2532G5100G1135G1722G4511G129G5607G1427G209426She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse.G2532G3958G4183G5259G4183G2395G2532G1159G3956G1438G3844G2532G5623G3367G5623G235G3123G2064G1519G550127She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe.G191G4012G2424G2064G1722G3793G3693G680G846G244028For she thought to herself, "If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed."G1063G3004G3754G2579G680G2579G846G2440G498229Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.G2532G2112G4077G846G129G3583G2532G1097G4983G3754G2390G575G314830Jesus realized at once that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my robe?"G2532G2424G2112G1921G1722G1438G1411G1831G1537G846G1994G1722G3793G3004G5101G680G3450G244031His disciples said to him, "Look at this crowd pressing around you. How can you ask, 'Who touched me?'"G2532G846G3101G3004G846G991G3793G4918G4571G2532G3004G5101G680G345032But he kept on looking around to see who had done it.G2532G4017G1492G4160G512433Then the frightened woman, trembling at the realization of what had happened to her, came and fell to her knees in front of him and told him what she had done.G1161G1135G5399G2532G5141G1492G3739G1096G1909G846G2064G2532G4363G846G2532G2036G846G3956G22534And he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace. Your suffering is over."G1161G2036G846G2364G4675G4102G4982G4571G4982G5217G1519G1515G2532G2468G5199G575G4675G314835While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, "Your daughter is dead. There's no use troubling the Teacher now."G2089G846G2089G2980G2064G575G752G3004G3754G4675G2364G599G5101G4660G1320G208936But Jesus overheard them and said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid. Just have faith."G1161G2112G2424G191G3056G2980G3004G752G5399G3361G5399G3440G410037Then Jesus stopped the crowd and wouldn't let anyone go with him except Peter, James, and John (the brother of James).G2532G863G3756G3762G4870G846G1508G4074G2532G2385G2532G2491G80G238538When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw much commotion and weeping and wailing.G2532G2064G1519G3624G752G2532G2334G2351G2799G2532G214G418339He went inside and asked, "Why all this commotion and weeping? The child isn't dead; she's only asleep."G2532G1525G3004G846G5101G2350G2532G2799G3813G599G3756G599G235G251840The crowd laughed at him. But he made them all leave, and he took the girl's father and mother and his three disciples into the room where the girl was lying.G2532G2606G846G2606G1161G1544G537G1544G3880G3962G2532G3384G3813G2532G3326G846G2532G1531G3699G3813G2258G34541Holding her hand, he said to her, "Talitha koum," which means "Little girl, get up!"G2532G2902G3813G5495G3004G846G5008G2891G3739G2076G3177G2877G3004G4671G145342And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed.G2532G2112G2877G450G2532G4043G1063G2258G1427G2094G2532G1839G3173G161143Jesus gave them strict orders not to tell anyone what had happened, and then he told them to give her something to eat.G2532G1291G846G4183G2443G3367G1097G5124G2532G2036G1325G846G5315
Unknown
of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders,G2532
