The Gospel According to St. Mark

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 4 -

(Matthew 13:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)

And hee began againe to teache by the sea side, and there gathered vnto him a great multitude, so that hee entred into a shippe, and sate in the sea, and all the people was by the sea side on the land.

And he taught them many things in parables, and said vnto them in his doctrine,

Hearken: Beholde, there went out a sower to sowe.

And it came to passe as he sowed, that some fell by the way side, and the foules of the heauen came, and deuoured it vp.

And some fell on stonie grounde, where it had not much earth, and by and by sprang vp, because it had not depth of earth.

But assoone as ye Sunne was vp, it was burnt vp, and because it had not roote, it withered away.

And some fell among the thornes, and the thornes grewe vp, and choked it, so that it gaue no fruite.

Some againe fell in good grounde, and did yeelde fruite that sprong vp, and grewe, and it brought foorth, some thirtie folde, some sixtie folde, and some an hundreth folde.

Then he said vnto them, He that hath eares to heare, let him heare.

The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables

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

And whe he was alone, they that were about him with the twelue, asked him of ye parable.

And he saide vnto them, To you it is giuen to knowe the mysterie of the kingdome of God: but vnto them that are without, all thinges bee done in parables,

That they seeing, may see, and not discerne: and they hearing, may heare, and not vnderstand, least at any time they should turne, and their sinnes should be forgiuen them.

The Parable of the Sower Explained

(Matthew 13:18–23; Luke 8:11–15)

Againe he said vnto them, Perceiue ye not this parable? howe then should ye vnderstand all other parables?

The sower soweth the worde.

And these are they that receiue the seede by the wayes side, in whome the worde is sowen: but when they haue heard it, Satan commeth immediatly, and taketh away the worde that was sowen in their heartes.

And likewise they that receiue the seede in stony ground, are they, which whe they haue heard the word, straightwayes receiue it with gladnesse.

Yet haue they no roote in themselues, and endure but a time: for when trouble and persecution ariseth for the worde, immediatly they be offended.

Also they that receiue the seede among the thornes, are such as heare the word:

But the cares of this world, and the deceitfulnes of riches, and the lustes of other things enter in, and choke the word, and it is vnfruitfull.

But they that haue receiued seede in good ground, are they that heare the worde, and receiue it, and bring foorth fruite: one corne thirtie, another sixtie, and some an hundreth.

The Lesson of the Lamp

(Luke 8:16–18)

Also he saide vnto them, Commeth the candle in, to be put vnder a bushell, or vnder the bed, and not to be put on a candlesticke?

For there is nothing hid, that shall not be opened: neither is there a secret, but that it shall come to light.

If any man haue eares to heare, let him heare.

And he said vnto them, Take heede what ye heare. With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured vnto you: and vnto you that heare, shall more be giuen.

For vnto him that hath, shall it be giuen, and from him that hath not, shall be taken away, euen that he hath.

The Seed Growing Secretly

Also he said, So is the kingdome of God, as if a man should cast seede in the ground,

And shoulde sleepe, and rise vp night and day, and the seede should spring and growe vp, he not knowing howe.

For the earth bringeth foorth fruite of it selfe, first the blade, then the eares, after that full corne in the eares.

And assoone as the fruite sheweth it selfe, anon hee putteth in the sickle, because the haruest is come.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

(Matthew 13:31–32; Luke 13:18–19)

He saide moreouer, Whereunto shall wee liken the kingdome of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?

It is like a graine of mustarde seede, which when it is sowen in the earth, is the least of all seedes that be in the earth:

But after that it is sowen, it groweth vp, and is greatest of all herbes, and beareth great branches, so that the foules of heauen may builde vnder the shadow of it.

And with many such parables he preached the word vnto them, as they were able to heare it.

And without parables spake hee nothing vnto them: but he expounded all thinges to his disciples apart.

Jesus Calms the Storm

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

Nowe the same day when euen was come, he saide vnto them, Let vs passe ouer vnto the other side.

And they left the multitude, and tooke him as he was in the shippe, and there were also with him other little shippes.

And there arose a great storme of winde, and the waues dashed into the shippe, so that it was now full.

And he was in the sterne asleepe on a pillow: and they awoke him, and saide to him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

And hee rose vp, and rebuked the winde, and saide vnto the sea, Peace, and be still. So the winde ceased, and it was a great calme.

Then he saide vnto them, Why are ye so fearefull? how is it that ye haue no faith?

And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, Who is this, that both the winde and sea obey him?

(Matthew 13:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)

Again he began to teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea.

He taught them many things in parables, and told them in his teaching,

“Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow.

As he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds (a) came and devoured it.

Others fell on the rocky ground, where it had little soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil.

When the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

Others fell into the good ground and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some produced thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times as much.”

He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”

The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables

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

When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.

He said to them, “To you is given the mystery of God’s Kingdom, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables,

that ‘seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.’” (b)

The Parable of the Sower Explained

(Matthew 13:18–23; Luke 8:11–15)

He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables?

The farmer sows the word.

The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them.

These in the same way are those who are sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy.

They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble.

Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word,

and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

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.”

The Lesson of the Lamp

(Luke 8:16–18)

He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket (c) or under a bed? Isn’t it put on a stand?

For there is nothing hidden except that it should be made known, neither was anything made secret but that it should come to light.

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

He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you; and more will be given to you who hear.

For whoever has, to him more will be given; and he who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away from him.”

The Seed Growing Secretly

He said, “God’s Kingdom is as if a man should cast seed on the earth,

and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, though he doesn’t know how.

For the earth bears fruit by itself: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.

But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

(Matthew 13:31–32; Luke 13:18–19)

He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it?

It’s like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth,

yet when it is sown, grows up and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.”

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.

Without a parable he didn’t speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

Jesus Calms the Storm

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

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side.”

Leaving the multitude, they took him with them, even as he was, in the boat. Other small boats were also with him.

A big wind storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so much that the boat was already filled.

He himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and asked him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are dying?”

He awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was a great calm.

He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?”

They were greatly afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Footnotes

(a)4:4 TR adds “of the air”

(b)4:12 ℘ Isaiah 6:9-10