4:1 Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.
4:1 Again he began to teach beside the sea. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the sea and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land.

4:2 And he taught them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them:
4:2 He began to teach them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them:

4:3 "Listen! A sower went out to sow.
4:3 "Listen! A sower went out to sow.

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

4:5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it had not much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil;
4:5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and it sprang up quickly, since it had no depth of soil.

4:6 and when the sun rose it was scorched, and since it had no root it withered away.
4:6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched; and since it had no root, it withered away.

4:7 Other seed fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.
4:7 Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain.

4:8 And other seeds fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."
4:8 Other seed fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirty and sixty and a hundredfold."

4:9 And he said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."
4:9 And he said, "Let anyone with ears to hear listen!"

4:10 And when he was alone, those who were about him with the twelve asked him concerning the parables.
4:10 When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables.

4:11 And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables;
4:11 And he said to them, "To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables;

4:12 so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand; lest they should turn again, and be forgiven."
4:12 in order that 'they may indeed look, but not perceive, and may indeed listen, but not understand; so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.'"

4:13 And he said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?
4:13 And he said to them, "Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables?

4:14 The sower sows the word.
4:14 The sower sows the word.

4:15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown; when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word which is sown in them.
4:15 These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them.

4:16 And these in like manner are the ones sown upon rocky ground, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy;
4:16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: when they hear the word, they immediately receive it with joy.

4:17 and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.
4:17 But they have no root, and endure only for a while; then, when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.

4:18 And others are the ones sown among thorns; they are those who hear the word,
4:18 And others are those sown among the thorns: these are the ones who hear the word,

4:19 but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.
4:19 but the cares of the world, and the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, and it yields nothing.

4:20 But those that were sown upon the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold."
4:20 And these are the ones sown on the good soil: they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty and sixty and a hundredfold."

4:21 And he said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not on a stand?
4:21 He said to them, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not on the lampstand?

4:22 For there is nothing hid, except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret, except to come to light.
4:22 For there is nothing hidden, except to be disclosed; nor is anything secret, except to come to light.

4:23 If any man has ears to hear, let him hear."
4:23 Let anyone with ears to hear listen!"

4:24 And he said to them, "Take heed what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you.
4:24 And he said to them, "Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you.

4:25 For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away."
4:25 For to those who have, more will be given; and from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away."

4:26 And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground,
4:26 He also said, "The kingdom of God is as if someone would scatter seed on the ground,

4:27 and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how.
4:27 and would sleep and rise night and day, and the seed would sprout and grow, he does not know how.

4:28 The earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
4:28 The earth produces of itself, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.

4:29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."
4:29 But when the grain is ripe, at once he goes in with his sickle, because the harvest has come."

4:30 And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?
4:30 He also said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it?

4:31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth;
4:31 It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth;

4:32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."
4:32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."

4:33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it;
4:33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it;

4:34 he did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
4:34 he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.

4:35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side."
4:35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, "Let us go across to the other side."

4:36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.
4:36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him.

4:37 And a great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.
4:37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped.

4:38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care if we perish?"
4:38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?"

4:39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
4:39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm.

4:40 He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?"
4:40 He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?"

4:41 And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?"
4:41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"