Parallel Bible results for "mark 4"

Mark 4

New Century Version NCV

1 Again Jesus began teaching by the lake. A great crowd gathered around him, so he sat down in a boat near the shore. All the people stayed on the shore close to the water.

2 Jesus taught them many things, using stories. He said,

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

4 While he was planting, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and ate it up.

5 Some seed fell on rocky ground where there wasn't much dirt. That seed grew very fast, because the ground was not deep.

6 But when the sun rose, the plants dried up because they did not have deep roots.

7 Some other seed fell among thorny weeds, which grew and choked the good plants. So those plants did not produce a crop.

8 Some other seed fell on good ground and began to grow. It got taller and produced a crop. Some plants made thirty times more, some made sixty times more, and some made a hundred times more."

9 Then Jesus said, "You people who can hear me, listen!"

10 Later, when Jesus was alone, the twelve apostles and others around him asked him about the stories.

11 Jesus said, "You can know the secret about the kingdom of God. But to other people I tell everything by using stories

12 so that: 'They will look and look, but they will not learn. They will listen and listen, but they will not understand. If they did learn and understand, they would come back to me and be forgiven.'"

13 Then Jesus said to his followers, "Don't you understand this story? If you don't, how will you understand any story?

14 The farmer is like a person who plants God's message in people.

15 Sometimes the teaching falls on the road. This is like the people who hear the teaching of God, but Satan quickly comes and takes away the teaching that was planted in them.

16 Others are like the seed planted on rocky ground. They hear the teaching and quickly accept it with joy.

17 But since they don't allow the teaching to go deep into their lives, they keep it only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the teaching they accepted, they quickly give up.

18 Others are like the seed planted among the thorny weeds. They hear the teaching,

19 but the worries of this life, the temptation of wealth, and many other evil desires keep the teaching from growing and producing fruitn in their lives.

20 Others are like the seed planted in the good ground. They hear the teaching and accept it. Then they grow and produce fruit -- sometimes thirty times more, sometimes sixty times more, and sometimes a hundred times more."

21 Then Jesus said to them, "Do you hide a lamp under a bowl or under a bed? No! You put the lamp on a lampstand.

22 Everything that is hidden will be made clear and every secret thing will be made known.

23 You people who can hear me, listen!

24 "Think carefully about what you hear. The way you give to others is the way God will give to you, but God will give you even more.

25 Those who have understanding will be given more. But those who do not have understanding, even what they have will be taken away from them."

26 Then Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is like someone who plants seed in the ground.

27 Night and day, whether the person is asleep or awake, the seed still grows, but the person does not know how it grows.

28 By itself the earth produces grain. First the plant grows, then the head, and then all the grain in the head.

29 When the grain is ready, the farmer cuts it, because this is the harvest time."

30 Then Jesus said, "How can I show you what the kingdom of God is like? What story can I use to explain it?

31 The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, the smallest seed you plant in the ground.

32 But when planted, this seed grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants. It produces large branches, and the wild birds can make nests in its shade."

33 Jesus used many stories like these to teach the crowd God's message -- as much as they could understand.

34 He always used stories to teach them. But when he and his followers were alone, Jesus explained everything to them.

35 That evening, Jesus said to his followers, "Let's go across the lake."

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

37 A very strong wind came up on the lake. The waves came over the sides and into the boat so that it was already full of water.

38 Jesus was at the back of the boat, sleeping with his head on a cushion. His followers woke him and said, "Teacher, don't you care that we are drowning!"

39 Jesus stood up and commanded the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind stopped, and it became completely calm.

40 Jesus said to his followers, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

41 The followers were very afraid and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

New Living Translation NLT

1 Once 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!”

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

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

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

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.’ ”

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

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

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.

16 The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately 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.

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

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!”

21 Then 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.

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

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

24 Then 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.

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.”

26 Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a farmer who 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.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

34 In 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.

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

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

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

38 Jesus 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?”

39 When 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.

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

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