Mark 4:1-27 ▼

1 AGAIN he began to teach by the sea side; and many people gathered unto him, so that he went up and sat in a boat in the sea; and all the people stood on the land by the sea.

2 And he taught them much by parables, and in his teaching he said,

3 Listen; Behold, a sower went out to sow.

4 And when he had sown, some fell on the roadside, and the fowls came and ate it.

5 Other fell upon the rock, where there was not sufficient soil; and it sprung up earlier because the ground was not deep enough;

6 But when the sun shone, it was scorched, and because it had no root, it dried up.

7 And other fell among thistles, and the thistles sprung up and choked it, and it bore no fruit.

8 But other fell in good soil, and it sprung up and grew and bore fruit, some thirty, and some sixty, and some one hundred.

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

10 When they were alone by themselves, those who were with him together with the twelve asked him about that parable.

11 And Jesus said to them, To you is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to the outsiders everything has to be explained by parables.

12 For seeing they see, and yet do not perceive; and hearing they hear, and yet do not understand; if they return, their sins would be forgiven.

13 And he said to them, Do you not know this parable? how then will you know all the parables?

14 The sower who sowed, sowed the word.

15 Those on the roadside are those in whom the word is sown; and when they have heard it, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word which is sown in their hearts.

16 And those which were sown upon the rock, are those who when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy;

17 And they have no root in themselves, but last for a while; and when trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they soon stumble.

18 And those which were sown among thistles are those who have heard the word,

19 And the thoughts of this world, and the deception of wealth, and the lusts of other things, enter in and choke the word, and bear no fruit.

20 And those which were sown in good soil, are those who hear the word, and receive it and bear fruit, one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred.

21 And he said to them, Is a lamp brought and put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not put on a lampholder?

22 For there is nothing hidden which will not be uncovered; and nothing in secret which will not be revealed.

23 If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.

24 And he said to them, Take heed what you hear; with what measure you measure it will be measured to you; and increase especially to them who hear.

25 For he who has, to him will be given; and he who has not, even that which he has will be taken away from him.

26 And he said, Such is the kingdom of God, like a man who casts seed in the ground.

27 And he sleeps and rises up night and day, and the seed springs up and grows, while he is not aware of it.