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And again Jesus began to teach at the sea; and much people [and much company of people] was gathered to him, so that he went into a boat, and sat in the sea, and all the people [and all the company of people] was about the sea on the land.

And he taught them in parables many things. And he said to them in his teaching,

Hear ye. Lo! a man sowing goeth out to sow. [Hear ye. Lo! a sower went out to sow.]

And while he soweth, some seed felled about the way, and birds of heaven came, and ate it.[a]

Other [Forsooth another] felled down on stony places, where it had not much earth; and at once it sprang up, for it had not deepness of earth [and anon it sprang up, for it had no deepness of earth].

And when the sun rose up, it withered for heat, and it dried up, for it had no root.

And other felled down into thorns [And another felled down among thorns], and [the] thorns sprang up, and strangled it, and it gave no fruit.

And other felled down into good land, and gave fruit, springing up, and waxing; and one brought thirtyfold, and one sixtyfold, and one an hundredfold.

And he said, He that hath ears of hearing, hear he. [And he said, He that hath ears to hear, hear.]

10 And when he was by himself, the twelve that were with him asked him to expound the parable.

11 And he said to them, To you it is given to know the private of the kingdom of God [To you it is given to know the mystery, or private, of the kingdom of God]. But to them that be withoutforth, all things be made in parables,

12 that they seeing see, and see not, and they hearing hear, and understand not; lest [that] sometime they be converted, and sins be forgiven to them.

13 And he said to them, Know not ye this parable? and how ye shall know all parables?

14 He that soweth, soweth a word.

15 But these it be that be about the way, where the word is sown; and when they have heard, at once cometh Satan [anon cometh Satan], and taketh away the word that is sown in their hearts.

16 And in like manner be these [these it be] that be sown on stony places, which when they have heard the word, at once they take it with joy [anon take it with joy];

17 and they have not root in themselves, but they be lasting [but] a little time; afterward when tribulation riseth, and persecution for the word, at once they be caused to stumble. [and they have not root in themselves, but they be temporal, that is, lasting a little time; afterward when tribulation and persecution riseth for the word, anon they be offended.]

18 And there be others that be sown in thorns; these it be that hear the word,

19 and dis-ease of the world, and deceit of riches, and other charge of covetousness entereth, and strangleth the word, and it is made without fruit. [and mis-eases of the world, and deceit of riches, and other charge of covetousness entering in, strangle the word, and it is made without fruit.]

20 And these it be that be sown on good land, which hear the word, and take, and make fruit, one thirtyfold, and one sixtyfold, and one an hundredfold.

21 And he said to them, Where a lantern cometh, that it be put under a bushel, or under a bed? nay, but that it be put on a candlestick?[b]

22 [Forsooth] There is nothing hid, that shall not be made open [that shall not be showed]; neither any thing is privy, that shall not come into open [which shall not come into apert].

23 If any man have ears of hearing, hear he.

24 And he said to them, See ye what ye hear. In what measure ye mete, it shall be meted to you again [it shall be meted to you], and it shall be cast to you.

25 For it shall be given to him that hath, and it shall be taken away from him that hath not, also that that he hath. [Forsooth it shall be given to him that hath, and if man hath not, yea this that he hath shall be taken away from him.]

26 And he said, So the kingdom of God is, as if a man cast seed into the earth,

27 and he sleep, and it rise up night and day [and it sleep, and rise up in night and day], and bring forth seed, and wax fast, while he knoweth not.

28 For the earth [by his own working/by his own will] maketh fruit, first the grass, afterward the ear, and after full fruit in the ear [afterward full fruit in the ear].

29 And when of itself it hath brought forth fruit, at once [anon] he sendeth a sickle, for reaping time is come.

30 And he said, To what thing shall we liken the kingdom of God? or to what parable shall we comparison it?

31 As a corn of mustard seed, which when it is sown in the earth, is less than all seeds that be in the earth;

32 and when it is sprung up, it waxeth into a tree, and is made greater than all herbs [and when it is sown, it waxeth into a tree, and is made more than all worts, or herbs]; and it maketh great branches, so that [the] birds of heaven may dwell [be able to dwell] under the shadow thereof.

33 And in many such parables he spake to them the word, as they might hear;

34 and he spake not to them without parable. But he expounded to his disciples all things by themselves[c].

35 And he said to them in that day, when evening was come, Pass we over to the other side. [And he saith to them in that day, when evening was made, Pass we again-ward.]

36 And they let go the people, and took him, so that he was in a boat [And they leaving the company of people, took him, so that he was in the boat]; and other boats were with him.

37 And a great storm of wind was made, and cast waves into the boat, so that the boat was full. [And there was made a great tempest of wind, and sent floods into the ship, so that the ship was full-filled.]

38 And he was in the hinder part of the boat, and slept on a pillow[d]. And they raise him, and say to him, Master, pertaineth it not to thee, that we perish?

39 And he rose up, and menaced the wind, and said to the sea, Be still, wax dumb. And the wind ceased, and great peaceableness was made.

40 And he said to them, What dread ye? Yet ye have no faith? [And he said to them, What be ye dread-full? Not yet have ye faith?]

41 And they dreaded with great dread, and said to each other [and said each to other], Who, guessest thou, is this? for the wind and the sea obey to him.

Footnotes

  1. Mark 4:4 And the while he soweth, some seed felled beside the way, and birds of heaven, or of the air, came, and ate it.
  2. Mark 4:21 And he said to them, Whether a lantern come, that it be put under a bushel, or under a bed? whether not, that it be put upon a candlestick?
  3. Mark 4:34 Forsooth he expounded to his disciples all things on sides hand/on sides half, or by themselves
  4. Mark 4:38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, sleeping on a pillow

The Parable of the Sower(A)(B)

Again Jesus began to teach by the lake.(C) The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things by parables,(D) and in his teaching said: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.(E) As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”(F)

Then Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”(G)

10 When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God(H) has been given to you. But to those on the outside(I) everything is said in parables 12 so that,

“‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,
    and ever hearing but never understanding;
otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’[a](J)

13 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14 The farmer sows the word.(K) 15 Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan(L) comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth(M) and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

A Lamp on a Stand

21 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?(N) 22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.(O) 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”(P)

24 “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more.(Q) 25 Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.”(R)

The Parable of the Growing Seed

26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like.(S) A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”(T)

The Parable of the Mustard Seed(U)

30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like,(V) or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

33 With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.(W) 34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable.(X) But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

Jesus Calms the Storm(Y)

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat.(Z) There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”(AA)

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Footnotes

  1. Mark 4:12 Isaiah 6:9,10

And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.

And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:

But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.

And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.

11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

14 The sower soweth the word.

15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.

18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

21 And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?

22 For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.

23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.

25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;

27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

29 But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

30 And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?

31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:

32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.

34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

35 And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?