Thematic Bible
Mark 4:1 (show verse)
Again he taught a very great crowd by the seaside. He sat in a boat while the crowd was on the land.
Mark 4:2 (show verse)
He taught them many things by illustrations and said to them:
Mark 4:3 (show verse)
Listen, the sower went out to sow.
Mark 4:4 (show verse)
As he sowed some seed fell by the road and the birds came and devoured it.
Mark 4:5 (show verse)
Other seed fell on the rocky ground and did not have good soil. Immediately it sprang up, because it had no good soil
Mark 4:6 (show verse)
it became scorched when the sun came up. Then it withered because it had no root.
Mark 4:7 (show verse)
Some seed fell among the thorns. The thorns grew up and choked it so it could yield no fruit.
Mark 4:8 (show verse)
Others fell on good ground and yielded fruit. It grew up, increased and produced thirty fold, and sixty fold, and a hundred fold.
Mark 4:9 (show verse)
He continued: He who has ears to hear let him hear.
Mark 4:10 (show verse)
When he was alone his followers including the twelve asked about the illustrations.
Mark 4:11 (show verse)
He told them: The secret of the kingdom of God is given to you. Illustrations are spoken to outsiders.
Mark 4:12 (show verse)
So that seeing they may see and not perceive. And hearing they may hear and not understand. Otherwise they might repent and be forgiven.
Mark 4:13 (show verse)
Then he asked: Do you not understand this illustration? How will you understand any of the illustrations?
Mark 4:14 (show verse)
The sower sows the word.
Mark 4:15 (show verse)
These are they by the wayside where the word is sown. When they have heard; Satan comes and takes away the word that has been sown in them.
Mark 4:16 (show verse)
The same is so of the word sown upon the rocky places. When they have heard the word and receive it with joy,
Mark 4:17 (show verse)
they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while. They stumble when tribulation or persecution arise.
Mark 4:18 (show verse)
There is the word sown among the thorns. These have heard the word,
Mark 4:19 (show verse)
but the cares of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts for other things enter in and choke the word. So it becomes unfruitful.
Mark 4:20 (show verse)
Those who represent that sown upon the good soil hear the word and accept it. They bear fruit, thirty fold, and sixty fold, and a hundred fold.
Mark 4:21 (show verse)
He asked them: Is the lamp placed under a bushel, or under a bed, and not on the stand?
Mark 4:22 (show verse)
There is nothing hidden unless it should be made known. Nothing is made secret that should come to light.
Mark 4:23 (show verse)
If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark 4:24 (show verse)
Then he said: Be careful what you listen to. That which is portioned out by you might be portioned to you and more.
Mark 4:25 (show verse)
He who has, to him it will be given. He who has not, from him will be taken even that which he has.
Mark 4:26 (show verse)
He added: The kingdom of God is like this. A man plants seed in the earth.
Mark 4:27 (show verse)
He sleeps and gets up night and day until the plants grow though he has no idea how.
Mark 4:28 (show verse)
The earth gives fruit by itself. First comes the leaf, then the head, then full grain.
Mark 4:29 (show verse)
When the grain is ready he immediately sends men to cut it, because the time for cutting has come.
Mark 4:30 (show verse)
He said: What illustration should we use to picture the kingdom of God? What story will make it clear?
Mark 4:31 (show verse)
It is like a grain of mustard seed. When it is planted in the earth it is smaller than all the seeds on the earth.
Mark 4:32 (show verse)
But when it is planted it grows and becomes taller than all the plants. It grows out great branches so that the birds of heaven are able to take rest in its shade.
Mark 4:33 (show verse)
He spoke the word to them with many illustrations as long as they were able to listen.
Mark 4:34 (show verse)
He spoke only with illustrations. However he made all things clear to his disciples in private.
Mark 4:35 (show verse)
When evening arrived Jesus said: Let us go over to the other side.
Mark 4:36 (show verse)
They took him with them on the boat and left the people. Other boats were with him also.
Mark 4:37 (show verse)
A great windstorm came up and the waves came into the boat.
Mark 4:38 (show verse)
He was in back of the boat sleeping on a cushion. They woke him. They said: Master is it nothing to you that we are in danger of destruction?
Mark 4:39 (show verse)
He awoke from sleep and commanded the wind and sea. He commanded the sea to be at peace and rest. And he commanded the wind to go down and there was a great calm.
Mark 4:40 (show verse)
He said: Why are you full of fear? Do you have no faith?
Mark 4:41 (show verse)
Their fear was great. They said to themselves: Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey his orders?