Mark 4 · Clearspring

The Parable of the Sower

¹And again he began to teach by the sea. And a great crowd was gathered together to him, so that going on board ship he sat in the sea, and all the crowd were close to the sea on the land.+ ²And he taught them many things in parables. And he said to them in his doctrine,+ ³Hearken: Behold, the sower went forth to sow.+ ⁴And it came to pass as he sowed, one fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured it.+ ⁵And another fell on the rocky ground, where it had not much earth, and immediately it sprung up out [of the ground] because it had no depth of earth;+ ⁶and when the sun arose it was burnt up, and because of its not having any root, it withered.+ ⁷And another fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.+ ⁸And another fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing; and bore, one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred.+ ⁹And he said, He that has ears to hear, let him hear.+

The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables

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

¹⁰And when he was alone, those about him with the twelve asked him [as to] the parables.+ ¹¹And he said to them, To you is given [to know] the mystery of the kingdom ofGod; but to them who are without, all things are done in parables,+ ¹²that beholding they may behold and not see, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest it may be, they should be converted and they should be forgiven.+

The Parable of the Sower Explained

Matthew 13:18–23; Luke 8:11–15

¹³And he says to them, Do ye not know this parable? and how will ye be acquainted with all the parables?+ ¹⁴The sower sows the word:+ ¹⁵and these are they by the wayside where the word is sown, and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.+ ¹⁶And these are they in like manner who are sown upon the rocky places, who when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy,+ ¹⁷and they have no root in themselves, but are for a time: then, tribulation arising, or persecution on account of the word, immediately they are offended.+ ¹⁸And others are they who are sown among the thorns: these are they who have heard the word,+ ¹⁹and the cares of life, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things, entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.+ ²⁰And these are they who have been sown on the good ground, such as hear the word and receive it, and bear fruit; one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred [fold].+

The Lesson of the Lamp

Luke 8:16–18

²¹And he said to them, Does the lamp come that it should be put under the bushel or under the couch? [Is it] not that it should be set upon the lamp-stand?+ ²²For there is nothing hidden which shall not be made manifest; nor does any secret thing take place, but that it should come to light.+ ²³If any one have ears to hear, let him hear.+ ²⁴And he said to them, Take heed what ye hear; with what measure ye mete, it shall be meted to you; and there shall be [more] added to you.+ ²⁵For whosoever has, to him shall be given; and he who has not, even what he has shall be taken from him.+

The Seed Growing Secretly

²⁶And he said, Thus is the kingdom ofGod, as if a man should cast the seed upon the earth,+ ²⁷and should sleep and rise up night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he does not know how.+ ²⁸The earth bears fruit of itself, first [the] blade, then an ear, then full corn in the ear.+ ²⁹But when the fruit is produced, immediately he sends the sickle, for the harvest is come.+

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

Matthew 13:31–32; Luke 13:18–19

³⁰And he said, How should we liken the kingdom ofGod, or with what comparison should we compare it?+ ³¹As to a grain of mustard [seed], which, when it is sown upon the earth, is less than all seeds which are upon the earth,+ ³²and when it has been sown, mounts up and becomes greater than all herbs, and produces great branches, so that the birds of heaven can roost under its shadow.+ ³³And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear,+ ³⁴but without a parable spoke he not to them; and in private he explained all things to his disciples.+

Jesus Calms the Storm

Psalm 107:1–43; Matthew 8:23–27; Luke 8:22–25

³⁵And on that day, when evening was come, he says to them, Let us go over to the other side:+ ³⁶and having sent away the crowd, they take him with [them], as he was, in the ship. But other ships also were with him.+ ³⁷And there comes a violent gust of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it already filled.+ ³⁸And he was in the stern sleeping on the cushion. And they awake him up and say to him, Teacher, dost thou not care that we are perishing?+ ³⁹And awaking up he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Silence; be mute. And the wind fell, and there was a great calm.+ ⁴⁰And he said to them, Why are ye [thus] fearful? how [is it] ye have not faith?+ ⁴¹And they feared [with] great fear, and said one to another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?+