Mark 4

And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.

1Jesus began teaching again beside the lake. A huge crowd came to him. So he got into a boat and sat down in it, out on the water. All the people stood on the shore.

2And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

2He taught them many things using parables. A parable is a short story that teaches something. This is what he told them.

3Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

3"Listen! A farmer went out to plant his seed.

4And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

4As he scattered the seed, some fell on the path. Birds came and ate it up.

5And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:

5Some seed fell on rocky ground with only a little dirt. It came up fast because the dirt was so shallow.

6But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

6But when the sun got hot, the young plants were burned. They dried up, because their roots were not deep.

7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

7Some seed fell where thorn bushes grew. The thorns grew up and crowded out the plants. Those plants made no grain at all.

8And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.

8Other seed fell on good dirt. It came up, grew tall, and made a crop. Some plants made thirty seeds, some sixty, some a hundred."

9And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

9Then Jesus said, "If you have ears to hear, then listen."

10And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.

10Later Jesus was alone with his twelve close followers and some others. They asked him what the story meant.

11And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:

11He said, "God has let you know the secret of his kingdom, where God rules as king. But people on the outside hear it all in stories.

12That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

12So they look and look but never really see. They hear and hear but never understand. If they did, they would turn back and be forgiven."

13And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

13Then Jesus said, "Don't you understand this story? Then how will you understand any of my stories?

14The sower soweth the word.

14The farmer is planting God's word.

15And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

15Some people are like the hard path. They hear the word. Right away Satan comes and snatches it away from them.

16And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

16Some people are like the rocky ground. They hear the word and are glad to take it.

17And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.

17But it never grows deep roots in them, so it lasts only a short while. When hard times or trouble come because of the word, they quickly give up.

NoteThe old word "offended" here does not mean their feelings were hurt. It means they gave up and walked away.

18And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

18Some people are like the ground full of thorns. They hear the word.

19And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

19But worries about life crowd in. Money fools them, and they want other things. All of this chokes the word, so nothing grows.

20And 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.

20Other people are like the good dirt. They hear the word and take it in. They make a crop: thirty, sixty, or a hundred times as much."

21And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?

21Jesus said to them, "Does anyone light a lamp and hide it under a basket? Or under a bed? No. You put it up on a stand.

NoteA "bushel" was a large basket used to measure grain. Set over a lamp, it would hide the light. "Candle" here means a small oil lamp.

22For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.

22Everything hidden will be brought out. Every secret will be shown in the open.

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

23If you have ears to hear, then listen."

24And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.

24He said, "Be careful about what you listen to. The way you measure out to others is how it will be measured back to you. And you who listen will be given even more.

25For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

25People who have something will be given more. People who have nothing will lose even the little they have."

26And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;

26Jesus also said, "God's kingdom is like a man who scatters seed on his field.

27And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

27Night and day he sleeps and wakes up. The seed sprouts and grows. He does not know how it happens.

28For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

28The ground makes the crop all by itself. First a green stalk, then the head, then full grain in the head.

Note"Corn" in the old English Bible means grain of any kind, like wheat. It does not mean corn on the cob.

29But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

29When the grain is ripe, the man takes his curved knife and cuts it down. Harvest time has come."

30And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?

30Then Jesus said, "What is God's kingdom like? What story can show it to you?

31It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:

31It is like a mustard seed. When you plant it, it is the smallest seed of all.

32But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

32But it grows up bigger than all the garden plants. It grows big branches. Birds can rest in its shade."

33And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.

33Jesus used many stories like these to teach the people. He taught as much as they were able to understand.

34But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

34He always used a story when he taught the crowd. But when he was alone with his followers, he explained everything to them.

35And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

35That evening Jesus said to them, "Let's go across to the other side of the lake."

36And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

36They said goodbye to the crowd. Jesus was already in the boat, so they took him along. Other boats went with him too.

37And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

37A big windstorm came up. The waves crashed into the boat. Water began to fill it.

38And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

38Jesus was in the back of the boat, asleep on a cushion. They woke him up and said, "Teacher, don't you care that we are about to drown?"

39And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

39Jesus got up. He told the wind to stop. He said to the water, "Quiet! Be still." The wind stopped, and everything was calm.

40And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

40He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still not trust?"

41And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

41They were very afraid. They said to each other, "Who is this man? Even the wind and the water obey him!"