Chapter 4
The Parable of the Sower
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[Once] again [Jesus] began to teach beside the sea, and [such] a large crowd gathered around Him that He got into… a boat [and] sat in [it], while all the people crowded… along the shore.
Καὶ πάλιν ἤρξατο διδάσκειν παρὰ τὴν θάλασσαν καὶ πλεῖστος ὄχλος συνάγεται πρὸς αὐτὸν ὥστε αὐτὸν ἐμβάντα εἰς πλοῖον καθῆσθαι ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ καὶ πᾶς ὁ ὄχλος ἦσαν πρὸς τὴν θάλασσαν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς Kai palin ērxato didaskein para tēn thalassan kai pleistos ochlos synagetai pros auton hōste auton embanta eis ploion kathēsthai en tē thalassē kai pas ho ochlos ēsan pros tēn thalassan epi tēs gēs — NA/TR · 1
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And He taught them many things in parables, and in His teaching He said -,
Καὶ ἐδίδασκεν αὐτοὺς πολλά ἐν παραβολαῖς καὶ ἐν αὐτοῦ τῇ διδαχῇ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς Kai edidasken autous polla en parabolais kai en autou tē didachē elegen autois — NA/TR · 2
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“Listen…! A farmer went out to sow his seed.
Ἀκούετε ἰδοὺ ὁ σπείρων ἐξῆλθεν σπεῖραι Akouete idou ho speirōn exēlthen speirai — NA/TR · 3
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And as he was sowing, some [seed] fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ σπείρειν μὲν ὃ ἔπεσεν παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ ἦλθεν καὶ κατέφαγεν αὐτό kai egeneto en tō speirein men ho epesen para tēn hodon kai ta peteina ēlthen kai katephagen auto — NA/TR · 4
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- Some fell on rocky ground, where vvv it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow…
Καὶ ἄλλο ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὸ πετρῶδες ὅπου οὐκ εἶχεν πολλήν γῆν καὶ ἐξανέτειλεν εὐθὺς διὰ γῆς μὴ τὸ ἔχειν βάθος Kai allo epesen epi to petrōdes hopou ouk eichen pollēn gēn kai exaneteilen euthys dia gēs mē to echein bathos — NA/TR · 5
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But when the sun rose, [the seedlings] were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
καὶ ὅτε ὁ ἥλιος ἀνέτειλεν ἐκαυματίσθη καὶ ἐξηράνθη διὰ τὸ ἔχειν μὴ ῥίζαν kai hote ho hēlios aneteilen ekaumatisthē kai exēranthē dia to echein mē rhizan — NA/TR · 6
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- Other [ seed ] fell among thorns, - [which] grew up and choked [the seedlings], and [they] yielded no crop.
Καὶ ἄλλο ἔπεσεν εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας καὶ αἱ ἄκανθαι ἀνέβησαν καὶ συνέπνιξαν αὐτό καὶ ἔδωκεν οὐκ καρπὸν Kai allo epesen eis tas akanthas kai hai akanthai anebēsan kai synepnixan auto kai edōken ouk karpon — NA/TR · 7
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Still other [seed] fell on - good soil, [where it] sprouted, grew up, and produced a crop— one bearing thirtyfold, another sixtyfold, and another a hundredfold.
Καὶ ἄλλα ἔπεσεν εἰς τὴν τὴν καλήν γῆν ἀναβαίνοντα καὶ αὐξανόμενα καὶ ἐδίδου καρπὸν καὶ ἓν ἔφερεν τριάκοντα καὶ ἓν ἑξήκοντα καὶ ἓν ἑκατόν Kai alla epesen eis tēn tēn kalēn gēn anabainonta kai auxanomena kai edidou karpon kai hen epheren triakonta kai hen hexēkonta kai hen hekaton — NA/TR · 8
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Then [Jesus] said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Καὶ ἔλεγεν Ὃς ἔχει ὦτα ἀκούειν ἀκουέτω Kai elegen Hos echei ōta akouein akouetō — NA/TR · 9
The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables
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As soon as… [Jesus] was vvv alone [with] the Twelve and those around Him, they asked Him [about] the parable.
Καὶ ὅτε ἐγένετο κατὰ μόνας τοῖς δώδεκα σὺν οἱ περὶ αὐτὸν ἠρώτων αὐτὸν τὰς παραβολάς Kai hote egeneto kata monas tois dōdeka syn hoi peri auton ērōtōn auton tas parabolas — NA/TR · 10
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- He replied -, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those on the outside everything is expressed in parables,
Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς τὸ μυστήριον τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Θεοῦ δέδοται Ὑμῖν δὲ ἐκείνοις τοῖς ἔξω τὰ πάντα γίνεται ἐν παραβολαῖς Kai elegen autois to mystērion tēs basileias tou Theou dedotai Hymin de ekeinois tois exō ta panta ginetai en parabolais — NA/TR · 11
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so that, ‘vvv they may be ever seeing [but] never perceiving, and vvv ever hearing [but] never understanding; otherwise… they might turn and be forgiven…’
ἵνα Βλέποντες βλέπωσιν καὶ μὴ ἴδωσιν Καὶ ἀκούοντες ἀκούωσιν καὶ μὴ συνιῶσιν Μή‿ ποτε ἐπιστρέψωσιν Καὶ ἀφεθῇ αὐτοῖς hina Blepontes blepōsin kai mē idōsin Kai akouontes akouōsin kai mē syniōsin Mē pote epistrepsōsin Kai aphethē autois — NA/TR · 12
The Parable of the Sower Explained
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Then [Jesus] said to them, “vvv Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand [any of] the parables?
Καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς Οὐκ οἴδατε ταύτην τὴν παραβολὴν καὶ πῶς γνώσεσθε πάσας τὰς παραβολὰς Kai legei autois Ouk oidate tautēn tēn parabolēn kai pōs gnōsesthe pasas tas parabolas — NA/TR · 13
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The farmer sows the word.
Ὁ σπείρων σπείρει τὸν λόγον Ho speirōn speirei ton logon — NA/TR · 14
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- [Some] are like the [seeds] along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as… they hear [it], Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
δέ οὗτοι εἰσιν οἱ παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ὅπου ὁ λόγος σπείρεται καὶ εὐθὺς ὅταν ἀκούσωσιν ὁ Σατανᾶς ἔρχεται καὶ αἴρει τὸν λόγον τὸν ἐσπαρμένον εἰς αὐτούς de houtoi eisin hoi para tēn hodon hopou ho logos speiretai kai euthys hotan akousōsin ho Satanas erchetai kai airei ton logon ton esparmenon eis autous — NA/TR · 15
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- [Some] are like the [seeds] sown on rocky ground. [They] hear the word [and] at once receive it with joy.
Καὶ οὗτοί εἰσιν ὁμοίως οἱ σπειρόμενοι ἐπὶ τὰ πετρώδη οἳ ὅταν ἀκούσωσιν τὸν λόγον εὐθὺς λαμβάνουσιν αὐτόν μετὰ χαρᾶς Kai houtoi eisin homoiōs hoi speiromenoi epi ta petrōdē hoi hotan akousōsin ton logon euthys lambanousin auton meta charas — NA/TR · 16
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But they themselves have… no root, [and] they remain for only a season. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, vvv they quickly fall away.
καὶ ἔχουσιν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς οὐκ ῥίζαν ἀλλὰ εἰσιν πρόσκαιροί εἶτα θλίψεως ἢ διωγμοῦ γενομένης διὰ τὸν λόγον εὐθὺς σκανδαλίζονται kai echousin en heautois ouk rhizan alla eisin proskairoi eita thlipseōs ē diōgmou genomenēs dia ton logon euthys skandalizontai — NA/TR · 17
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[Others]… are like the [seeds] sown among the thorns. [They]… hear the word,
Καὶ ἄλλοι εἰσὶν οἱ σπειρόμενοι εἰς τὰς ἀκάνθας οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ ἀκούσαντες τὸν λόγον Kai alloi eisin hoi speiromenoi eis tas akanthas houtoi eisin hoi akousantes ton logon — NA/TR · 18
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but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for other things come in [and] choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.
καὶ αἱ μέριμναι τοῦ αἰῶνος καὶ ἡ ἀπάτη τοῦ πλούτου καὶ αἱ ἐπιθυμίαι περὶ τὰ λοιπὰ εἰσπορευόμεναι συμπνίγουσιν τὸν λόγον καὶ γίνεται ἄκαρπος kai hai merimnai tou aiōnos kai hē apatē tou ploutou kai hai epithymiai peri ta loipa eisporeuomenai sympnigousin ton logon kai ginetai akarpos — NA/TR · 19
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Still [others] are like the [seeds] sown on - good soil. [They] hear the word, receive [it], and produce a crop— thirtyfold, - sixtyfold, [or] a hundredfold.
Καὶ ἐκεῖνοί εἰσιν οἱ σπαρέντες ἐπὶ τὴν τὴν καλὴν γῆν οἵτινες ἀκούουσιν τὸν λόγον καὶ παραδέχονται καὶ καρποφοροῦσιν ἓν τριάκοντα καὶ ἓν ἑξήκοντα καὶ ἓν ἑκατόν Kai ekeinoi eisin hoi sparentes epi tēn tēn kalēn gēn hoitines akouousin ton logon kai paradechontai kai karpophorousin hen triakonta kai hen hexēkonta kai hen hekaton — NA/TR · 20
The Lesson of the Lamp
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vvv [Jesus] also said to them, “Does [anyone] bring in a lamp vvv to put [it] under a basket or under a bed? Doesn’t he set it on a stand?
Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς ὅτι ἔρχεται ὁ λύχνος Μήτι ἵνα τεθῇ ὑπὸ τὸν μόδιον ἢ ὑπὸ τὴν κλίνην οὐχ ἵνα τεθῇ ἐπὶ τὴν λυχνίαν Kai elegen autois hoti erchetai ho lychnos Mēti hina tethē hypo ton modion ē hypo tēn klinēn ouch hina tethē epi tēn lychnian — NA/TR · 21
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For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing vvv concealed that will [not] be brought to light.
γάρ ἐστιν οὐ τι κρυπτὸν ἐὰν ἵνα μὴ φανερωθῇ οὐδὲ ἐγένετο ἀπόκρυφον ἀλλ’ ἵνα ἔλθῃ εἰς φανερόν gar estin ou ti krypton ean hina mē phanerōthē oude egeneto apokryphon all’ hina elthē eis phaneron — NA/TR · 22
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If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.
Εἴ τις ἔχει ὦτα ἀκούειν ἀκουέτω Ei tis echei ōta akouein akouetō — NA/TR · 23
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- He went on to say -, “Pay attention to what you hear. With [the] measure you [use], it will be measured to you, and even more will be added to you.
Καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς Βλέπετε τί ἀκούετε ἐν ᾧ μέτρῳ μετρεῖτε μετρηθήσεται ὑμῖν καὶ προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν Kai elegen autois Blepete ti akouete en hō metrō metreite metrēthēsetai hymin kai prostethēsetai hymin — NA/TR · 24
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For whoever has will be given [more]. [But] whoever vvv does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
γὰρ ὃς ἔχει δοθήσεται αὐτῷ καὶ ὃς οὐκ ἔχει καὶ ὃ ἔχει ἀρθήσεται ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ gar hos echei dothēsetai autō kai hos ouk echei kai ho echei arthēsetai ap’ autou — NA/TR · 25
The Seed Growing Secretly
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vvv [Jesus] also said, “The kingdom of God is like… a man who scatters seed on the ground.
Καὶ ἔλεγεν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστὶν Οὕτως ὡς ἄνθρωπος βάλῃ τὸν σπόρον ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς Kai elegen hē basileia tou Theou estin Houtōs hōs anthrōpos balē ton sporon epi tēs gēs — NA/TR · 26
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- Night and day he sleeps and wakes, and the seed sprouts and grows, [though] he knows not how.
καὶ νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν καθεύδῃ καὶ ἐγείρηται καὶ ὁ σπόρος βλαστᾷ καὶ μηκύνηται αὐτός οἶδεν οὐκ ὡς kai nykta kai hēmeran katheudē kai egeirētai kai ho sporos blasta kai mēkynētai autos oiden ouk hōs — NA/TR · 27
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All by itself the earth produces a crop— first [the] stalk, then [the] head, then grain [that] ripens within…
αὐτομάτη ἡ γῆ καρποφορεῖ πρῶτον χόρτον εἶτα στάχυν εἶτα σῖτον πλήρης ἐν τῷ στάχυϊ automatē hē gē karpophorei prōton chorton eita stachyn eita siton plērēs en tō stachui — NA/TR · 28
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And as soon as… the grain is ripe, he swings the sickle, because the harvest has come.
δὲ εὐθὺς ὅταν ὁ καρπός παραδοῖ ἀποστέλλει τὸ δρέπανον ὅτι ὁ θερισμός παρέστηκεν de euthys hotan ho karpos paradoi apostellei to drepanon hoti ho therismos parestēken — NA/TR · 29
The Parable of the Mustard Seed
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Then He asked, “To what can we compare the kingdom of God? With what parable shall we present it?
Καὶ ἔλεγεν Πῶς ὁμοιώσωμεν τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἢ ἐν τίνι παραβολῇ θῶμεν αὐτὴν Kai elegen Pōs homoiōsōmen tēn basileian tou Theou ē en tini parabolē thōmen autēn — NA/TR · 30
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It is like a mustard seed…, which is [the] smallest of all seeds sown… upon the earth.
ὡς κόκκῳ σινάπεως ὃς ὅταν ὂν μικρότερον πάντων τῶν σπερμάτων σπαρῇ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς hōs kokkō sinapeōs hos hotan on mikroteron pantōn tōn spermatōn sparē epi tēs gēs tōn epi tēs gēs — NA/TR · 31
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But after it is planted, it grows to be the largest of all garden plants and puts forth great branches, so that the birds of the air nest in its shade.
καὶ ὅταν σπαρῇ ἀναβαίνει καὶ γίνεται μεῖζον πάντων τῶν λαχάνων καὶ ποιεῖ μεγάλους κλάδους ὥστε τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ δύνασθαι κατασκηνοῦν ὑπὸ αὐτοῦ τὴν σκιὰν kai hotan sparē anabainei kai ginetai meizon pantōn tōn lachanōn kai poiei megalous kladous hōste ta peteina tou ouranou dynasthai kataskēnoun hypo autou tēn skian — NA/TR · 32
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- vvv With many such parables [Jesus] spoke the word to them, to the extent that they could understand.
Καὶ τοιαύταις πολλαῖς παραβολαῖς ἐλάλει τὸν λόγον αὐτοῖς καθὼς ἠδύναντο ἀκούειν Kai toiautais pollais parabolais elalei ton logon autois kathōs ēdynanto akouein — NA/TR · 33
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- vvv He did not tell them [anything]… without using a parable. But vvv privately He explained everything to His own disciples.
δὲ οὐκ ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς χωρὶς παραβολῆς δὲ κατ’ ἰδίαν ἐπέλυεν πάντα τοῖς ἰδίοις μαθηταῖς de ouk elalei autois chōris parabolēs de kat’ idian epelyen panta tois idiois mathētais — NA/TR · 34
Jesus Calms the Storm
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When that vvv vvv evening came, He said to [His disciples], “Let us cross to the other side.
Καὶ ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ γενομένης ὀψίας λέγει αὐτοῖς Διέλθωμεν εἰς τὸ πέραν Kai en ekeinē tē hēmera genomenēs opsias legei autois Dielthōmen eis to peran — NA/TR · 35
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After they had dismissed the crowd, they took [Jesus] with them…, since He was already in the boat. And there were other boats with Him.
καὶ ἀφέντες τὸν ὄχλον παραλαμβάνουσιν αὐτὸν ὡς ἦν ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ καὶ ἦν ἄλλα πλοῖα μετ’ αὐτοῦ kai aphentes ton ochlon paralambanousin auton hōs ēn en tō ploiō kai ēn alla ploia met’ autou — NA/TR · 36
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Soon a violent windstorm… came up, and the waves were breaking over the boat, so that [it] vvv was being swamped.
Καὶ μεγάλη λαῖλαψ ἀνέμου γίνεται καὶ τὰ κύματα ἐπέβαλλεν εἰς τὸ πλοῖον ὥστε τὸ πλοῖον ἤδη γεμίζεσθαι Kai megalē lailaps anemou ginetai kai ta kymata epeballen eis to ploion hōste to ploion ēdē gemizesthai — NA/TR · 37
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But [Jesus] was in the stern, sleeping on the cushion. [So] they woke Him and said -, “Teacher, vvv don’t You care… that we are perishing?
καὶ αὐτὸς ἦν ἐν τῇ πρύμνῃ καθεύδων ἐπὶ τὸ προσκεφάλαιον καὶ ἐγείρουσιν αὐτὸν καὶ λέγουσιν αὐτῷ Διδάσκαλε οὐ μέλει σοι ὅτι ἀπολλύμεθα kai autos ēn en tē prymnē katheudōn epi to proskephalaion kai egeirousin auton kai legousin autō Didaskale ou melei soi hoti apollymetha — NA/TR · 38
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Then [Jesus] got up [and] rebuked the wind and the sea. “Silence! He commanded. “Be still! And the wind died down, and it was perfectly calm.
Καὶ διεγερθεὶς ἐπετίμησεν τῷ ἀνέμῳ καὶ τῇ θαλάσσῃ Σιώπα εἶπεν πεφίμωσο καὶ ὁ ἄνεμος ἐκόπασεν καὶ ἐγένετο μεγάλη γαλήνη Kai diegertheis epetimēsen tō anemō kai tē thalassē Siōpa eipen pephimōso kai ho anemos ekopasen kai egeneto megalē galēnē — NA/TR · 39
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“Why are you so afraid? He asked -. “Do you still have no… faith?
Τί ἐστε δειλοί Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ἔχετε οὔπω πίστιν Ti este deiloi Kai eipen autois echete oupō pistin — NA/TR · 40
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- Overwhelmed with fear…, they asked… one another, “Who is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?
Καὶ ἐφοβήθησαν μέγαν φόβον καὶ ἔλεγον πρὸς ἀλλήλους Τίς ἄρα ἐστιν οὗτός ὅτι καὶ ὁ ἄνεμος καὶ ἡ θάλασσα ὑπακούει αὐτῷ Kai ephobēthēsan megan phobon kai elegon pros allēlous Tis ara estin houtos hoti kai ho anemos kai hē thalassa hypakouei autō — NA/TR · 41