Mark 4

Jesus teaches the crowds from a boat, telling the parable of the sower, the parable of the seed growing secretly, and the parable of the mustard seed. He calms a violent storm on the sea, and the disciples marvel, asking, 'What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?'

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	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.	Again He began to teach beside the sea. Such a large crowd gathered around Him that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea. The whole crowd was on the shore facing the water.
2	And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,	He taught them many things by parables, and in His teaching He said:
3	Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:	"Listen! A farmer went out to sow His seed."
4	And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.	As He sowed, some seed fell along the path. The birds came and ate it up.
5	And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:	Some fell on rocky ground where the soil was shallow. It sprang up quickly because it had no depth of soil.
6	But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.	When the sun rose, it was scorched. Because it had no root, it withered away.
7	And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.	Some fell among thorns. The thorns grew up, choked the plant, and it produced no fruit.
8	And 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.	Still other seed fell on good ground. It came up, grew, and produced a crop — some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred times what was sown.
9	And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.	He said, "Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear."
10	And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.	When He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parables.
11	And 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:	He said to them, "To You it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to those outside, everything comes in parables."
12	That 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.	This is so that seeing they may see and not understand, and hearing they may hear and not grasp it — lest they should turn and their sins be forgiven.
13	And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?	He said to them, "Don't You understand this parable? Then how will You understand any of the parables?"
14	The sower soweth the word.	The farmer sows the word.
15	And 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.	These are the ones along the path where the word is sown: when they hear it, Satan comes at once and takes away the word that was sown in them.
16	And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;	These are the ones sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy.
17	And 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.	But they have no root in themselves and last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.
18	And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,	Others are like seed sown among thorns. They hear the word,
19	And 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.	but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.
20	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.	And these are the ones sown on good ground — those who hear the word, receive it, and bear fruit: some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred times.
21	And 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?	He said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not set on a lampstand?"
22	For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.	There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing kept secret that will not come to light.
23	If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.	If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.
24	And 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.	He said to them, "Pay careful attention to what you hear. The measure you give will be the measure you receive — and more will be added to you.
25	For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.	To the one who has, more will be given. From the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away."
26	And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;	He also said, "The kingdom of God is like a man who scatters seed on the ground.
27	And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.	He sleeps and rises night and day. The seed sprouts and grows — he does not know how.
28	For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.	The earth produces by itself: first the blade, then the head of grain, then the full grain in the head.
29	But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.	When the grain is ripe, he puts in the sickle at once, because the harvest has come."
30	And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?	He said, "To what shall we compare the kingdom of God? What parable shall we use for it?"
31	It 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:	"It is like a mustard seed. When it is sown in the ground, it is the smallest of all seeds on the earth.
32	But 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.	Yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all garden plants. It puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can nest in its shade."
33	And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.	With many such parables He spoke the word to them, as they were able to understand it.
34	But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.	He did not speak to them without a parable. But when He was alone with His disciples, He explained everything to them.
35	And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.	On that same day, when evening came, He said to them, "Let us cross to the other side."
36	And 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.	They dismissed the crowd and took Him along, just as He was, in the boat. Other boats were with Him.
37	And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.	A great windstorm arose. The waves beat into the boat so that it was nearly full of water.
38	And 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?	Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke Him and said, "Master, don't You care that we are perishing?"
39	And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.	He got up and rebuked the wind. He said to the sea, "Peace! Be still." The wind died down and there was a great calm.
40	And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?	He said to them, "Why are You so fearful? Do You still have no faith?"
41	And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?	They were greatly afraid and said to one another, "Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"