Mark 4

The Parable of the Sower

(Matthew 13:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)

1 Once again Jesus began to teach beside the sea, and such a large crowd gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people crowded along the shore. ‡ Luk 5:1-3Mrk 2:13Luk 8:4-10Mat 13:1-15Mrk 3:7

2 And He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said, ‡ Mat 13:34-35Mrk 3:23Mrk 4:11Mat 13:10Mat 13:3Psa 49:4Psa 78:2Jhn 7:16-17 +43 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. ‡ 1Co 3:6-9Jas 2:5Jhn 4:35-38Deu 4:1Luk 8:5-8Mat 13:26Mrk 4:26-29Act 2:14 +194 And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. ‡ Mat 13:19Mrk 4:15Mat 13:4Luk 8:12Gen 15:11Luk 8:5

5 Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. ‡ Ezk 36:26Luk 8:6Amo 6:12Ezk 11:19Hos 10:12Luk 8:13Mat 13:20Mat 13:5-6 +16 But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ‡ Jas 1:11Jer 17:5-8Jon 4:82Th 2:10Col 2:7Eph 3:17Isa 25:4Jud 1:12 +4

7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the seedlings, and they yielded no crop. ‡ Jer 4:3Luk 8:141Jn 2:15-16Gen 3:17-181Ti 6:9-10Luk 12:15Luk 21:34Luk 8:7 +3

8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it sprouted, grew up, and produced a crop—one bearing thirtyfold, another sixtyfold, and another a hundredfold.” ‡ Jhn 15:5Col 1:6Gen 26:12Mrk 4:201Pe 2:1-3Act 17:11Jer 23:29Mat 13:8 +10

9 Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” ‡ Mat 11:15Mrk 4:23-24Rev 3:22Luk 8:18Mrk 7:14-15Rev 3:13Rev 3:6Mat 13:9 +2

The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables

(Isaiah 6:1–13; Matthew 13:10–17; Luke 8:9–10)

10 As soon as Jesus was alone with the Twelve and those around Him, they asked Him about the parable. ‡ Mat 13:10-17Luk 8:9-15Mat 13:36Mrk 4:34Mrk 7:17Pro 13:20

11 He replied, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those on the outside everything is expressed in parables, ‡ Mat 11:25Luk 8:101Co 5:12-131Jn 5:201Th 4:12Col 4:5Jas 1:16-181Ti 3:7 +912 so that, ‡ Isa 6:9-10Isa 44:18Mat 13:14-15Jer 5:21Deu 29:4Jhn 12:37-41Luk 8:102Ti 2:25 +7

‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving,

and ever hearing but never understanding;

otherwise they might turn

and be forgiven.’ ¹”

The Parable of the Sower Explained

(Matthew 13:18–23; Luke 8:11–15)

13 Then Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? ‡ Rev 3:191Co 3:1-2Heb 5:11-14Luk 24:25Luk 8:11-15Mat 13:18-23Mat 13:51-52Mat 15:15-17 +2

14 The farmer sows the word. ‡ Act 8:4Mat 13:191Pe 1:23-25Luk 8:11Mat 13:37Mrk 2:2Mrk 4:3Col 1:5-6 +215 Some are like the seeds ²along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. ‡ 1Pe 5:8Mat 13:192Co 2:112Co 4:3-4Luk 8:12Mrk 4:4Act 5:3Isa 53:1 +18

16 Some are like the seeds sown on rocky ground. They hear the word and at once receive it with joy. ‡ Luk 8:13Mrk 6:20Ezk 33:31-32Jhn 5:35Mat 13:20-21Act 8:13Act 24:25-26Act 8:18-21 +317 But they themselves have no root, and they remain for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. ‡ Mat 11:61Th 3:3-5Jhn 15:2-7Mat 12:31Rev 2:101Co 10:12-131Jn 2:192Ti 1:15 +13

18 Others are like the seeds sown among the thorns. They hear the word, ‡ Jer 4:3Luk 8:14Mat 13:22Mrk 4:7 19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ‡ 1Jn 2:15-171Ti 6:9-101Ti 6:171Pe 4:2-3Mat 19:23Php 4:6Jhn 15:2Luk 12:29-30 +14

20 Still others are like the seeds sown on good soil. They hear the word, receive it, and produce a crop—thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold.” ‡ Col 1:10Luk 8:15Jhn 15:4-5Mat 13:23Mrk 4:8Gal 5:22-232Pe 1:8Gen 26:12 +4

The Lesson of the Lamp

(Luke 8:16–18)

21 Jesus also said to them, “Does anyone bring in a lamp to put it under a basket or under a bed? Doesn’t he set it on a stand? ‡ Mat 5:15Luk 11:33Luk 8:16Isa 60:1-3Eph 5:3-151Co 12:7Php 2:15-16 22 For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light. ‡ Luk 8:17Ecc 12:141Co 4:5Mat 10:26-27Psa 78:2-4Act 20:27Act 4:20Luk 12:2-3 +2

23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” ‡ Mat 11:15Mrk 4:9Rev 2:29Rev 2:11Rev 2:17Rev 2:7

24 He went on to say, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you. ‡ Heb 2:1Luk 8:18Mat 7:22Co 9:6Act 17:11Jhn 10:27Pro 19:27Luk 6:37-38 +725 For whoever has will be given more. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” ‡ Mat 13:12Luk 8:18Mat 25:28-29Jhn 15:2Luk 16:9-12Luk 19:24-26

The Seed Growing Secretly

26 Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground. ‡ Mat 13:241Co 3:6-91Pe 1:23-25Luk 8:11Isa 32:20Jas 3:18Luk 8:5Ecc 11:4 +1427 Night and day he sleeps and wakes, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he knows not how. ‡ Ecc 11:52Th 1:31Co 15:37-38Ecc 8:172Pe 3:18Jhn 3:7-8 28 All by itself the earth produces a crop—first the stalk, then the head, then grain that ripens within. ‡ Php 1:9-11Hos 6:3Mrk 4:31-321Th 3:12-13Col 1:10Mat 13:26Php 1:6Ecc 3:1 +929 And as soon as the grain is ripe, he swings the sickle, because the harvest has come. ³” ‡ Jol 3:13Isa 57:1-2Mat 13:30Mat 13:40-43Job 5:26Rev 14:13-172Ti 4:7-8

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

(Matthew 13:31–32; Luke 13:18–19)

30 Then He asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God? With what parable shall we present it? ‡ Mat 13:31-32Luk 13:18-21Lam 2:13Mat 13:24Mat 11:16 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds sown upon the earth. ‡ Act 19:20Gen 22:17-18Luk 13:18-19Dan 2:44-45Mal 1:11Act 2:41Act 21:20Act 4:4 +1932 But after it is planted, it grows to be the largest of all garden plants and puts forth great branches, so that the birds of the air nest in its shade.” ‡ Dan 4:20-22Dan 4:10-14Ezk 31:3-10Psa 80:9-11Psa 91:1Isa 11:9Isa 32:2Lam 4:20 +2

33 With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them, to the extent that they could understand. ‡ Mat 13:34-35Jhn 16:121Co 3:1-2Heb 5:11-14 34 He did not tell them anything without using a parable. But privately He explained everything to His own disciples. ‡ Jhn 16:25Luk 24:27Mrk 4:10Mat 13:36-43Mat 15:15-20Luk 8:9-10Luk 24:44-46Mrk 7:17-23

Jesus Calms the Storm

(Psalms 107:1–43; Matthew 8:23–27; Luke 8:22–25)

35 When that evening came, He said to His disciples, “Let us cross to the other side.” ‡ Mat 8:18Luk 8:25Luk 8:22Mat 8:23-27Mat 14:22Mrk 8:13Jhn 6:17Jhn 6:1 +336 After they had dismissed the crowd, they took Jesus with them, since He was already in the boat. And there were other boats with Him. ‡ Mrk 3:9Mrk 4:1Mrk 5:2Mrk 5:21

37 Soon a violent windstorm came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was being swamped. ‡ Mat 8:23-24Job 1:19Luk 8:22-23Jon 1:4Psa 107:23-31Act 27:14-20Job 1:122Co 11:25 +138 But Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke Him and said, “Teacher, don’t You care that we are perishing?” ‡ 1Pe 5:7Heb 4:15Isa 54:6-8Mat 8:25Luk 8:24Isa 40:27-28Isa 51:9-101Ki 18:27-29 +11

39 Then Jesus got up and rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence!” He commanded. “Be still!” And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm. ‡ Psa 107:29Psa 89:9Psa 29:10Psa 65:7Jer 5:22Pro 8:29Job 38:11Exo 14:22 +9

40 “Why are you so afraid?” He asked. “Do you still have no faith?” ‡ Luk 8:25Mat 14:31Mat 8:26Isa 43:2Mat 16:8Mat 6:30Psa 46:1-3Jhn 6:19-20 +1

41 Overwhelmed with fear, they asked one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?” ‡ Luk 8:251Sa 12:18-20Job 38:111Sa 12:24Jon 1:15-16Jon 1:9-10Mat 8:27Psa 89:7 +7