Mark 4
Book: Mark
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER
1 And again he began to teach by the sea side. And there is gathered unto him a very great multitude, so that he entered into a boat, and sat in the sea; and all the multitude were by the sea on the land.
4 “and it came to pass, as he sowed, some seed fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured it.”
5 “And other fell on the rocky ground, where it had not much earth; and straightway it sprang up, because it had no deepness of earth:”
7 “And other fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.”
8 “And others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing; and brought forth, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.”
THE REASON FOR THE PARABLES
11 And he said unto them, “Unto you is given the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all things are done in parables:”
12 “that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest haply they should turn again, and it should be forgiven them.”
THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER INTERPRETED
15 “And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; and when they have heard, straightway cometh Satan, and taketh away the word which hath been sown in them.”
16 “And these in like manner are they that are sown upon the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, straightway receive it with joy;”
17 “and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway they stumble.”
19 “and the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.”
20 “And those are they that were sown upon the good ground; such as hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.”
THE PARABLE OF THE LAMP
21 And he said unto them, “Is the lamp brought to be put under the bushel, or under the bed, and not to be put on the stand?”
22 “For there is nothing hid, save that it should be manifested; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light.”
24 And he said unto them, “Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete it shall be measured unto you; and more shall be given unto you.”
25 “For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath.”
THE PARABLE OF THE SEED THAT GROWS BY ITSELF
27 “and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he knoweth not how.”
28 “The earth beareth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.”
29 “But when the fruit is ripe, straightway he putteth forth the sickle, because the harvest is come.”
THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED
31 “It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown upon the earth, though it be less than all the seeds that are upon the earth,”
32 “yet when it is sown, groweth up, and becometh greater than all the herbs, and putteth out great branches; so that the birds of the heaven can lodge under the shadow thereof.”
34 and without a parable spake he not unto them: but privately to his own disciples he expounded all things.
CALMING OF A STORM
36 And leaving the multitude, they take him with them, even as he was, in the boat. And other boats were with him.
37 And there ariseth a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the boat, insomuch that the boat was now filling.
38 And he himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion: and they awake him, and say unto him, Teacher, carest thou not that we perish?
39 And he awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, “Peace, be still.” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.