Mark 4 NLT CSB Parallel

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New Living Translation

Christian Standard Bible

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.

1Again he began to teach by the sea, and a very large crowd gathered around him. So he got into a boat on the sea and sat down, while the whole crowd was by the sea on the shore.

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

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

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

3"Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.

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

4As he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.

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

5Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn't have much soil, and it grew up quickly, since the soil wasn't deep.

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

6When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it had no root, it withered away.

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

7Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn't produce fruit.

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!”

8Still other seed fell on good ground and it grew up, producing fruit that increased thirty, sixty, and a hundred times."

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

9Then he said, "Let anyone who has ears to hear listen."

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

10When he was alone, those around him with the Twelve, asked him about the 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,

11He answered them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those outside, everything comes in parables

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.’ ”

12so that they may indeed look, and yet not perceive; they may indeed listen, and yet not understand; otherwise, they might turn back and be forgiven."

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

13Then he said to them: "Don't you understand this parable? How then will you understand all of the parables?

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

14The sower sows the word.

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.

15Some are like the word sown on the path. When they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word sown in them.

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

16And others are like seed sown on rocky ground. When they hear the word, immediately they receive it with joy.

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.

17But they have no root; they are short-lived. When distress or persecution comes because of the word, they immediately fall away.

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

18Others are like seed sown among thorns; these are the ones who hear the word,

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.

19but the worries of this age, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

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

20And those like seed sown on good ground hear the word, welcome it, and produce fruit thirty, sixty, and a hundred times what was sown."

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.

21He also said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed? Isn't it to be put on a lampstand?

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

22For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing concealed that will not be brought to light.

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

23If anyone has ears to hear, let him listen."

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.

24And he said to them, "Pay attention to what you hear. By the measure you use, it will be measured to you--and more will be added to you.

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

25For whoever has, more will be given to him, and whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."

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

26"The kingdom of God is like this," he said. "A man scatters seed on the ground.

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

27He sleeps and rises night and day; the seed sprouts and grows, although he doesn't know how.

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.

28The soil produces a crop by itself--first the blade, then the head, and then the full grain on the head.

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

29As soon as the crop is ready, he sends for the sickle, because the harvest has come."

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

30And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use to describe it?

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

31It's like a mustard seed that, when sown upon the soil, is the smallest of all the seeds on the ground.

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

32And when sown, it comes up and grows taller than all the garden plants, and produces large branches, so that the birds of the sky can nest in its shade."

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

33He was speaking the word to them with many parables like these, as they were able to understand.

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

34He did not speak to them without a parable. Privately, however, he explained everything to his own disciples.

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

35On that day, when evening had come, he told them, "Let's cross over to the other side of the sea."

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

36So they left the crowd and took him along since he was in the boat. And other boats were with him.

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

37A great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.

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?”

38He was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. So they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher! Don't you care that we're going to die?"

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.

39He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Silence! Be still!" The wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

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

40Then he said to them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

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

41And they were terrified and asked one another, "Who then is this? Even the wind and the sea obey him!"

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