Mark 4 ESV NLT Parallel

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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.

1Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore.

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

2He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:

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

3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed.

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

4 As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it.

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.

5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.

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

6 But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died.

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

7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain.

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

8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

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

9Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

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

10Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant.

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,

11He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders,

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

12 so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they see what I do, they will learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they will not understand. Otherwise, they will turn to me and be forgiven.’ ”

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

13Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables?

14The sower sows the word.

14 The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others.

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.

15 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away.

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

16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.

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.

17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.

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

18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word,

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.

19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.

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.”

20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” Parable of the Lamp

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?

21Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.

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

22 For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light.

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

23 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

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.

24Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given —and you will receive even more.

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.”

25 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” Parable of the Growing Seed

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

26Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground.

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

27 Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens.

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

28 The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens.

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

29 And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.” Parable of the Mustard Seed

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

30Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it?

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

31 It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds,

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.”

32 but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.”

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

33Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand.

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

34In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them. Jesus Calms the Storm

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

35As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.”

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

36So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed).

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

37But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

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?”

38Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

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.

39When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.

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

40Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

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?”

41The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

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.

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