Mark 4:1-12

The Parable of the Sower

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1} Again^(A) He began to teach^(B) 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 on the shore facing the sea. ^{Tools
2} He taught them many things in parables,^(C) and in His teaching^(D) He said to them: ^{Tools
3} “Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow.^(E) ^{Tools
4} As he sowed, this occurred: Some seed fell along the path,^(F) and the birds came and ate^(G) it up. ^{Tools
5} Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it sprang up right away,^(H) since it didn’t have deep soil. ^{Tools
6} When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it didn’t have a root, it withered.^(I) ^{Tools
7} Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce a crop. ^{Tools
8} Still others fell on good ground and produced a crop that increased^(J) 30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.”^(K) ^{Tools
9} Then He said, “Anyone who has ears to hear should listen!”^(L)

Why Jesus Used Parables

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10} When He was alone with the Twelve,^(M) those who were around Him asked Him about the parables.^(N) ^{Tools
11} He answered them, “The secret^(O) of the kingdom of God^(P) has been given to you, but to those outside,^(Q) everything comes in parables ^{Tools
12} so that

they may look and look,
yet not perceive;
they may listen and listen,
yet not understand;^(R)
otherwise, they might turn back—
and be forgiven.”^(a)^(S)^(b)

Footnotes:

a. Mark 4:12: Other mss read and their sins be forgiven them

b. Mark 4:12: Is 6:9-10

Cross references:

A. Mark 4:1: Matthew 13:1-15; Luke 8:4-10

B. Mark 4:1: Matthew 28:20; Acts 4:2

C. Mark 4:2: Mark 12:1

D. Mark 4:2: Mark 11:18; Acts 2:42; Acts 17:19

E. Mark 4:3: Galatians 6:7

F. Mark 4:4: Mark 8:27

G. Mark 4:4: Galatians 5:15

H. Mark 4:5: Mark 10:52

I. Mark 4:6: Mark 3:1

J. Mark 4:8: 1 Peter 2:2

K. Mark 4:8: John 15:5; Colossians 1:6

L. Mark 4:9: Isaiah 6:9; Jeremiah 5:21; Ezekiel 12:2; Mark 8:18; Luke 14:35

M. Mark 4:10: Mark 11:11

N. Mark 4:10: Mark 12:1

O. Mark 4:11: 1 Corinthians 2:7

P. Mark 4:11: Mark 1:15

Q. Mark 4:11: Romans 9:27

R. Mark 4:12: Mark 7:18

S. Mark 4:12: Isaiah 6:9-10