Mark 4:4

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

Mark 4:4 in Other Translations

4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

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

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

4 As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road and birds ate it.

4 As he sowed, this occurred: Some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

Mark 4:4 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 4:4

And it came to pass, as he sowed
Whilst he was preaching the, Gospel, casting about the precious seed of the word, he was laden with:

some fell by the way side;
the common beaten path: the word was dispensed among some men comparable to it, on whom it lighted, but made no impression; there it lay, though not long, and was not inwardly received, and took no root, and consequently was of no effect:

and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up;
the devils, who have their abode in the air, especially the prince of the posse of them; and the Syriac version reads it in the singular number, "and the fowl came"; that ravenous bird of prey, Satan, who goes about seeking what he may devour; and for this purpose attends where the word is preached, to hinder its usefulness as much as in him lies.

Mark 4:4 In-Context

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

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

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

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

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