Mark 4 NIV NLT Parallel

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1Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water's edge.

1Once again Jesus began teaching by the lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat in the boat while all the people remained on the shore.

2He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said:

2He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:

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

3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seed.

4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

4 As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it.

5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.

5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.

6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

6 But the plant soon wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t have deep roots, it died.

7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.

7 Other seed fell among thorns that grew up and choked out the tender plants so they produced no grain.

8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times."

8 Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted, grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted!”

9Then Jesus said, "Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear."

9Then he said, “Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

10When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables.

10Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant.

11He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables

11He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders,

12so that, "'they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'"

12 so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled: ‘When they see what I do, they will learn nothing. When they hear what I say, they will not understand. Otherwise, they will turn to me and be forgiven.’ ”

13Then Jesus said to them, "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable?

13Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables?

14The farmer sows the word.

14 The farmer plants seed by taking God’s word to others.

15Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.

15 The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away.

16Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.

16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy.

17But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.

17 But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word.

18Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word;

18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word,

19but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.

19 but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.

20Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop--some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown."

20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!” Parable of the Lamp

21He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand?

21Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.

22For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.

22 For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light.

23If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear."

23 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.”

24"Consider carefully what you hear," he continued. "With the measure you use, it will be measured to you--and even more.

24Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given —and you will receive even more.

25Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them."

25 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” Parable of the Growing Seed

26He also said, "This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground.

26Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground.

27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.

27 Night and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens.

28All by itself the soil produces grain--first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.

28 The earth produces the crops on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through, then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally the grain ripens.

29As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come."

29 And as soon as the grain is ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a sickle, for the harvest time has come.” Parable of the Mustard Seed

30Again he said, "What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?

30Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it?

31It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth.

31 It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds,

32Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade."

32 but it becomes the largest of all garden plants; it grows long branches, and birds can make nests in its shade.”

33With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.

33Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand.

34He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.

34In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them. Jesus Calms the Storm

35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side."

35As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.”

36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.

36So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed).

37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.

37But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.

38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"

38Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”

39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

39When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.

40He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

40Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

41The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

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