Mark 4:20

Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times.”

World English Bible
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Other translations

WEBBE

Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times.”

BSB

Still others are like the seeds sown on good soil. They hear the word, receive it, and produce a crop — thirtyfold, sixtyfold, or a hundredfold.”

KJV

And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

ASV

And those are they that were sown upon the good ground; such as hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.

BBE

And these are they who were planted on the good earth; such as give ear to the word, and take it into their hearts, and give fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundred times as much.

Original Greek

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καὶ kai And G2532 ἐκεῖνοί ekeinoi those G1565 εἰσιν eisin are G1510 οἱ hoi those G3588 ἐπὶ epi upon G1909 τὴν tēn the G3588 γῆν gēn soil G1093 τὴν tēn (the) G3588 καλὴν kalēn good G2570 σπαρέντες sparentes having been sown G4687 οἵτινες oitines such as G3748 ἀκούουσιν akouousin hear G191 τὸν ton the G3588 λόγον logon word G3056 καὶ kai and G2532 παραδέχονται paradechontai receive [it] G3858 καὶ kai and G2532 καρποφοροῦσιν karpophorousin bring forth fruit G2592 ἓν hen one G1520 τριάκοντα triakonta thirtyfold G5144 καὶ kai and G2532 ἓν hen one G1520 ἑξήκοντα hexēkonta sixty G1835 καὶ kai and G2532 ἓν hen one G1520 ἑκατόν.¶ hekaton a hundred G1540

The early church

(ubi sup.) Or he bears thirty-fold, who instills into the minds of the elect faith in the Holy Trinity; sixty-fold, who teaches the perfection of good works; a hundred-fold, who shows the rewards of the heavenly kingdom. For in counting a hundred, we pass on to the right hands; therefore that number is fitly made to signify everlasting happiness. But the good ground is the conscience of the elect, which does the contrary to all the former three, which both receives with willingness the seed of the word committed to it, and keeps it when received up to the season of fruit.
Bede · d. 735Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
Further, of those who receive the seed as they ought there are three degrees. Wherefore it goes on, And these are they who are sown on good ground. Those who bear fruit an hundred-fold are those who lead a perfect and an obedient life, as virgins and hermits. Those who bear fruit sixty-fold are those who are in the mean as continent persons and those who are living in convents. Those who bear thirty-fold are those who though weak indeed, bear fruit according to their own virtue, as laymen and married persons.
Theophylact of Ohrid · d. 1107Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)
Or else the fruits of the earth are contained in thirty, sixty, and a hundred-fold, that is, in the Law, the Prophets, and the Gospel.
Pseudo-Jerome · d. 9999Catena Aurea (Aquinas, 1274)

Commentary

Matthew Henry · Verses 1–20

This parable contained instruction so important, that all capable of hearing were bound to attend to it. There are many things we are concerned to know; and if we understand not the plain truths of the gospel, how shall we learn those more difficult! It will help us to value the privileges we enjoy as disciples of Christ, if we seriously consider the deplorable state of all who have not such privileges. In the great field of the church, the word of God is dispensed to all. Of the many that hear the word of the gospel, but few receive it, so as to bring forth fruit. Many are much affected with the word for the present, who yet receive no abiding benefit. The word does not leave abiding impressions upon the minds of men, because their hearts are not duly disposed to receive it. The devil is very busy about careless hearers, as the fowls of the air go about the seed that lies above ground. Many continue in a barren, false profession, and go down to hell. Impressions that are not deep, will not last. Many do not mind heart-work, without which religion is nothing. Others are hindered from profiting by the word of God, by abundance of the world. And those who have but little of the world, may yet be ruined by indulging the body. God expects and requires fruit from those who enjoy the gospel, a temper of mind and Christian graces daily exercised, Christian duties duly performed. Let us look to the Lord, that by his new-creating grace our hearts may become good ground, and that the good seed of the word may produce in our lives those good words and works which are through Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of God the Father.

Read Matthew Henry on Mark 4 →

Parallel passages

2

The same words or events elsewhere.

Matthew 13:23Luke 8:15

Cross-references

12

Topics

Word Of GodObedienceCharacterRegenerationStability

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. Hebrew and Greek data from STEPBible.org (Tyndale House, Cambridge), CC BY 4.0. Library: sources.