Mark 4  Holman Christian Standard Bible

The Parable of the Sower

4 Again^(A) He began to teach^(B) by the sea, and a very large crowd gathered around Him. So He got into a boat on the sea and sat down, while the whole crowd was on the shore facing the sea. ² He taught them many things in parables,^(C) and in His teaching^(D) He said to them: ³ “Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.^{(E) 4} As he sowed, this occurred: Some seed fell along the path,^(F) and the birds came and ate^(G) it up. ⁵ Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it sprang up right away,^(H) since it didn’t have deep soil. ⁶ When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it didn’t have a root, it withered.^{(I) 7} Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce a crop. ⁸ Still others fell on good ground and produced a crop that increased^(J) 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.”^{(K) 9} Then He said, “Anyone who has ears to hear should listen!”^(L)

Why Jesus Used Parables

¹⁰ When He was alone with the Twelve,^(M) those who were around Him asked Him about the parables.^{(N) 11} He answered them, “The secret^(O) of the kingdom of God^(P) has been given to you, but to those outside,^(Q) everything comes in parables ¹² so that

The Parable of the Sower Explained

¹³ Then^(T) He said to them: “Don’t you understand this parable?^(U) How then will you understand any of the parables? ¹⁴ The sower sows^(V) the word.^{(W) 15} These^[c] are the ones along the path^(X) where the word is sown: when they hear, immediately Satan^(Y) comes and takes away the word^(Z) sown in them.^{[d] 16} And these are^[e] the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy.^{(AA) 17} But they have no root in themselves; they are short-lived. When pressure^(AB) or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately stumble.^{(AC) 18} Others are sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word, ¹⁹ but the worries^(AD) of this age,^(AE) the seduction^[f](AF) of wealth,^(AG) and the desires^(AH) for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.^{(AI) 20} But the ones sown on good ground are those who hear the word,^(AJ) welcome it, and produce a crop:^(AK) 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.”

Using Your Light

²¹ He^(AL) also said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed?^(AM) Isn’t it to be put on a lampstand?^{(AN) 22} For nothing is concealed except to be revealed,^(AO) and nothing hidden except to come to light. ²³ If anyone has ears to hear, he should listen!”^{(AP) 24} Then He said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure^(AQ) you use,^[g](AR) it will be measured and added^(AS) to you. ²⁵ For to the one who has, it will be given, and from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.”^(AT)

The Parable of the Growing Seed

²⁶ “The kingdom of God^(AU) is like this,” He said. “A man scatters seed on the ground; ²⁷ he sleeps^(AV) and rises^(AW)—night^(AX) and day, and the seed sprouts and grows—he doesn’t know how. ²⁸ The soil produces a crop^(AY) by itself—first the blade, then the head, and then the ripe grain^(AZ) on the head. ²⁹ But as soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle,^(BA) because the harvest^(BB) has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

³⁰ And^(BC) He said: “How can we illustrate the kingdom of God,^(BD) or what parable^(BE) can we use to describe it? ³¹ It’s like a mustard seed^(BF) that, when sown in the soil, is smaller than all the seeds on the ground. ³² And when sown,^(BG) it comes up and grows taller than all the vegetables,^(BH) and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky^(BI) can nest in its shade.”

Using Parables

³³ He would speak the word^(BJ) to them with many parables^(BK) like these, as they were able to understand.^{(BL) 34} And He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, He would explain everything to His own disciples.^(BM)

Wind and Wave Obey the Master

³⁵ On^(BN) that day, when evening had come, He told them, “Let’s cross over to the other side of the sea.” ³⁶ So they left the crowd and took Him along since He was already in the boat. And other boats were with Him. ³⁷ A fierce windstorm^(BO) arose, and the waves^(BP) were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. ³⁸ But He was in the stern, sleeping^(BQ) on the cushion. So they woke Him up^(BR) and said to Him, “Teacher! Don’t You care that we’re going to die?”^(BS)

³⁹ He got up, rebuked^(BT) the wind, and said to the sea, “Silence!^(BU) Be still!” The wind ceased, and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰ Then He said to them, “Why are you fearful?^(BV) Do you still have no faith?”

⁴¹ And they were terrified^(BW) and asked one another, “Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey^(BX) Him!”^(BY)