Mar 4 | Comm | STEP | Again he began to teach by the sea. and a very large crowd gathered around him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.

‏ Mark 4

1 Again he began to teach by the sea. and a very large crowd gathered around him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. 2 Then he taught them many things by parables, and said to them in his teaching: 3 "Listen! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. 5 Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil. 6 But when the sun came up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away. 7 Other seed fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. 8 But other seed fell on good soil and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced thirtyfold, sixty, and a hundred." 9 And he said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." 10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but to those outside everything is in parables; 12 so that ‘seeing they may see but not perceive, and hearing may hear but not understand; lest they should turn again, and be forgiven.’" 13 And he said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16 And these likewise are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; 17 and they have no root in themselves, but endure for only a time. Then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns; they are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. 20 But these are the ones sown on good soil, those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit thirtyfold, sixty, and a hundred."

21 And he said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden, except to be revealed; nor is anything secret, but that it should come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear." 24 Then he said to them, "Take heed what you hear. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you; and more will be given you. 25 For whoever has, to him will more be given; and whoever does not have, from him even what he has will be taken away." 26 And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, 27 and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. 28 All by itself the earth produces grain—first the blade, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." 30 And he said, "With what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is the smallest of all seeds in the earth; 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade." 33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it. 34 But without a parable he did not speak to them. And when they were alone, he explained everything to his own disciples.

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go over to the other side." 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 And a great storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. And they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care if we perish?" 39 Then he rose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you no faith?" 41 And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, "Who is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!"