Mark 4

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 On another occasion he began to teach by the sea. A very large crowd gathered around him so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down. And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land.	1 And again, he began to teach by the sea. And a great crowd was gathered to him, so much so that, climbing into a boat, he was seated on the sea. And the entire crowd was on the land along the sea.
2 And he taught them at length in parables, and in the course of his instruction he said to them,	2 And he taught them many things in parables, and he said to them, in his doctrine:
3 "Hear this! A sower went out to sow.	3 “Listen. Behold, the sower went out to sow.
4 And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up.	4 And while he was sowing, some fell along the way, and the birds of the air came and ate it.
5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep.	5 Yet truly, others fell upon stony ground, where it did not have much soil. And it rose up quickly, because it had no depth of soil.
6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots.	6 And when the sun was risen, it was scorched. And because it had no root, it withered away.
7 Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain.	7 And some fell among thorns. And the thorns grew up and suffocated it, and it did not produce fruit.
8 And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."	8 And some fell on good soil. And it brought forth fruit that grew up, and increased, and yielded: some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred.”
9 He added, "Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear."	9 And he said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10 And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables.	10 And when he was alone, the twelve, who were with him, questioned him about the parable.
11 He answered them, "The mystery of the kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables,	11 And he said to them: “To you, it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to those who are outside, everything is presented in parables:
12 so that 'they may look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but not understand, in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.'"	12 ‘so that, seeing, they may see, and not perceive; and hearing, they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they may be converted, and their sins would be forgiven them.’ ”
13 Jesus said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables?	13 And he said to them: “Do you not understand this parable? And so, how will you understand all the parables?
14 The sower sows the word.	14 He who sows, sows the word.
15 These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them.	15 Now there are those who are along the way, where the word is sown. And when they have heard it, Satan quickly comes and takes away the word, which was sown in their hearts.
16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy.	16 And similarly, there are those who were sown upon stony ground. These, when they have heard the word, immediately accept it with gladness.
17 But they have no root; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.	17 But they have no root in themselves, and so they are for a limited time. And when next tribulation and persecution arises because of the word, they quickly fall away.
18 Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word,	18 And there are others who are sown among thorns. These are those who hear the word,
19 but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit.	19 but worldly tasks, and the deception of riches, and desires about other things enter in and suffocate the word, and it is effectively without fruit.
20 But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold."	20 And there are those who are sown upon good soil, who hear the word and accept it; and these bear fruit: some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred.”
21 He said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand?	21 And he said to them: “Would someone enter with a lamp in order to place it under a basket or under a bed? Would it not be placed upon a lampstand?
22 For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light.	22 For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. Neither was anything done in secret, except that it may be made public.
23 Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear."	23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24 He also told them, "Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you.	24 And he said to them: “Consider what you hear. With whatever measure you have measured out, it shall be measured back to you, and more shall be added to you.
25 To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away."	25 For whoever has, to him it shall be given. And whoever has not, from him even what he has shall be taken away.”
26 He said,"This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land	26 And he said: “The kingdom of God is like this: it is as if a man were to cast seed on the land.
27 and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how.	27 And he sleeps and he arises, night and day. And the seed germinates and grows, though he does not know it.
28 Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.	28 For the earth bears fruit readily: first the plant, then the ear, next the full grain in the ear.
29 And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come."	29 And when the fruit has been produced, immediately he sends out the sickle, because the harvest has arrived.”
30 He said, "To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it?	30 And he said: “To what should we compare the kingdom of God? Or to what parable should we compare it?
31 It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth.	31 It is like a grain of mustard seed which, when it has been sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds which are in the earth.
32 But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade."	32 And when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all the plants, and it produces great branches, so much so that the birds of the air are able to live under its shadow.”
33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it.	33 And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as much as they were able to hear.
34 Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.	34 But he did not speak to them without a parable. Yet separately, he explained all things to his disciples.
35 On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, "Let us cross to the other side."	35 And on that day, when evening had arrived, he said to them, “Let us cross over.”
36 Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him.	36 And dismissing the crowd, they brought him, so that he was in one boat, and other boats were with him.
37 A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up.	37 And a great wind storm occurred, and the waves broke over the boat, so that the boat was being filled.
38 Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?"	38 And he was in the stern of the boat, sleeping on a pillow. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, does it not concern you that we are perishing?”
39 He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Quiet! Be still!" The wind ceased and there was great calm.	39 And rising up, he rebuked the wind, and he said to the sea: “Silence. Be stilled.” And the wind ceased. And a great tranquility occurred.
40 Then he asked them, "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?"	40 And he said to them: “Why are you afraid? Do you still lack faith?” And they were struck with a great fear. And they said to one another, “Who do you think this is, that both wind and sea obey him?”
41 They were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?"