Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version

1Again he began to teach 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 by the sea on the shore.

1Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea, and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.

2He taught them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them:

2And he was teaching them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them:

3"Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.

3“Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.

4As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.

4And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.

5Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn't have much soil, and it grew up quickly, since the soil wasn't deep.

5Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil.

6When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.

6And when the sun rose, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.

7Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn't produce fruit.

7Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.

8Still other seed fell on good ground and it grew up, producing fruit that increased thirty, sixty, and a hundred times."

8And other seeds fell into good soil and produced grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

9Then he said, "Let anyone who has ears to hear listen."

9And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

10When he was alone, those around him with the Twelve, asked him about the parables.

10And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.

11He answered them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those outside, everything comes in parables

11And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables,

12so that they may indeed look, and yet not perceive; they may indeed listen, and yet not understand; otherwise, they might turn back and be forgiven."

12so that “‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’”

13Then he said to them: "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand all of the parables?

13And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?

14The sower sows the word.

14The sower sows the word.

15Some are like the word sown on the path. When they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word sown in them.

15And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them.

16And others are like seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy.

16And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy.

17But they have no root; they are short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately fall away.

17And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.

18Others are like seed sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word,

18And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word,

19but the worries of this age, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

19but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

20And those like seed sown on good ground hear the word, welcome it, and produce fruit thirty, sixty, and a hundred times what was sown."

20But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

21He also said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn't it to be put on a lampstand?

21And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand?

22For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light.

22For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light.

23If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen."

23If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

24And he said to them, "Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure you use, it will be measured to you--and more will be added to you.

24And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you.

25For whoever has, more will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."

25For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

26"The kingdom of God is like this," he said. "A man scatters seed on the ground.

26And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.

27He sleeps and rises night and day; the seed sprouts and grows, although he doesn't know how.

27He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.

28The soil produces a crop by itself--first the blade, then the head, and then the full grain on the head.

28The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.

29As soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle, because the harvest has come."

29But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

30And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to describe it?

30And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?

31It's like a mustard seed that, when sown upon the soil, is the smallest of all the seeds on the ground.

31It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth,

32And when sown, it comes up and grows taller than all the garden plants, and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky can nest in its shade."

32yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

33He was speaking the word to them with many parables like these, as they were able to understand.

33With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.

34He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, he explained everything to his own disciples.

34He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

35On that day, when evening had come, he told them, "Let's cross over to the other side of the sea."

35On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”

36So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him.

36And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.

37A great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.

37And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.

38He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher! Don't you care that we're going to die?"

38But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”

39He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Silence! Be still!" The wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

39And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

40Then he said to them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

40He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”

41And they were terrified and asked one another, "Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!"

41And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.