Mark 4
4
The Parable of the Sower
1And #Matt. 13:1–15; Luke 8:4–10again He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea. 2Then He taught them many things by parables, #Mark 12:38and said to them in His teaching:
3“Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it. 5Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth. 6But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. 8But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
9And He said to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
The Purpose of Parables
10#Matt. 13:10; Luke 8:9But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11And He said to them, “To you it has been given to #(Matt. 11:25; 1 Cor. 2:10–16; 2 Cor. 4:6)know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to #(1 Cor. 5:12, 13; Col. 4:5; 1 Thess. 4:12; 1 Tim. 3:7)those who are outside, all things come in parables, 12so that
#Is. 6:9, 10; 43:8; Jer. 5:21; Ezek. 12:2; Matt. 13:14; Luke 8:10; John 12:40; Rom. 11:8‘Seeing they may see and not perceive,
And hearing they may hear and not understand;
Lest they should turn,
And their sins be forgiven them.’ ”
The Parable of the Sower Explained
13And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14#Matt. 13:18–23; Luke 8:11–15The sower sows the word. 15And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts. 16These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble. 18Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word, 19and the #Luke 21:34cares of this world, #Prov. 23:5; Eccl. 5:13; Luke 18:24; 1 Tim. 6:9, 10, 17the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear #(John 15:2, 5; Rom. 7:4)fruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
Light Under a Basket
21#Matt. 5:15; Luke 8:16; 11:33Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? 22#Eccl. 12:14; Matt. 10:26, 27; Luke 12:3; (1 Cor. 4:5)For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. 23#Matt. 11:15; 13:9, 43; Mark 4:9; Luke 8:8; 14:35; Rev. 3:6, 13, 22; 13:9If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. #Matt. 7:2; Luke 6:38; 2 Cor. 9:6With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25#Matt. 13:12; 25:29; Luke 8:18; 19:26For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26And He said, #(Matt. 13:24–30, 36–43); Luke 8:1“The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, 27and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and #(2 Cor. 3:18; 2 Pet. 3:18)grow, he himself does not know how. 28For the earth #(John 12:24)yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. 29But when the grain ripens, immediately #(Mark 13:30, 39); Rev. 14:15he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
30Then He said, #Matt. 13:31, 32; Luke 13:18, 19; (Acts 2:41; 4:4; 5:14; 19:20)“To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? 31It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; 32but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”
Jesus’ Use of Parables
33#Matt. 13:34, 35; (John 16:12)And with many such parables He spoke the word to them as they were able to hear it. 34But without a parable He did not speak to them. And when they were alone, #Luke 24:27, 45He explained all things to His disciples.
Wind and Wave Obey Jesus
35#Matt. 8:18, 23–27; Luke 8:22, 25On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, #(Matt. 23:8–10)“Teacher, #Ps. 44:23do You not care that we are perishing?”
39Then He arose and #Mark 9:25; Luke 4:39rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, #Ps. 65:7; 89:9; 93:4; 104:6, 7; Matt. 8:26; Luke 8:24“Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? #Matt. 14:31, 32; Luke 8:25How is it that you have no faith?” 41And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”
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Mark 4: NKJV
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The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.