The Gospel According to St. Mark

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 4 -

(Matthew 13:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)

And again he began to teach by the sea side; and a great multitude was gathered together unto him, so that he went up into a ship, and sat in the sea; and all the multitude was upon the land by the sea side.

And he taught them many things in parables, and said unto them in his doctrine:

Hear ye: Behold, the sower went out to sow.

And whilst he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the birds of the air came and ate it up.

And other some fell upon stony ground, where it had not much earth; and it shot up immediately, because it had no depth of earth.

And when the sun was risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

And some fell upon good ground; and brought forth fruit that grew up, and increased and yielded, one thirty, another sixty, and another a hundred.

And he said: He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables

(Isaiah 6:1–13; Matthew 13:10–17; Luke 8:9–10)

And when he was alone, the twelve that were with him asked him the parable.

And he said to them: To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but to them that are without, all things are done in parables:

That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand: lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

The Parable of the Sower Explained

(Matthew 13:18–23; Luke 8:11–15)

And he saith to them: Are you ignorant of this parable? and how shall you know all parables?

He that soweth, soweth the word.

And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown, and as soon as they have heard, immediately Satan cometh and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

And these likewise are they that are sown on the stony ground: who when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy.

And they have no root in themselves, but are only for a time: and then when tribulation and persecution ariseth for the word they are presently scandalized.

And others there are who are sown among thorns: these are they that hear the word,

And the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts after other things entering in choke the word, and it is made fruitless.

And these are they who are sown upon the good ground, who hear the word, and receive it, and yield fruit, the one thirty, another sixty, and another a hundred.

The Lesson of the Lamp

(Luke 8:16–18)

And he said to them: Doth a candle come in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?

For there is nothing hid, which shall not be made manifest: neither was it made secret, but that it may come abroad.

If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

And he said to them: Take heed what you hear. In what measure you shall mete, it shall be measured to you again, and more shall be given to you.

For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, that also which he hath shall be taken away from him.

The Seed Growing Secretly

And he said: So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the earth,

And should sleep, and rise, night and day, and the seed should spring, and grow up whilst he knoweth not.

For the earth of itself bringeth forth fruit, first the blade, then the ear, afterwards the full corn in the ear.

And when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

(Matthew 13:31–32; Luke 13:18–19)

And he said: To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? or to what parable shall we compare it?

It is as a grain of mustard seed: which when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that are in the earth:

And when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches, so that the birds of the air may dwell under the shadow thereof.

And with many such parables, he spoke to them the word, according as they were able to hear.

And without parable he did not speak unto them; but apart, he explained all things to his disciples.

Jesus Calms the Storm

(Psalm 107:1–43; Matthew 8:23–27; Luke 8:22–25)

And he saith to them that day, when evening was come: Let us pass over to the other side.

And sending away the multitude, they take him even as he was in the ship: and there were other ships with him.

And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that the ship was filled.

And he was in the hinder part of the ship, sleeping upon a pillow; and they awake him, and say to him: Master, doth it not concern thee that we perish?

And rising up, he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea: Peace, be still. And the wind ceased: and there was made a great calm.

And he said to them: Why are you fearful? have you not faith yet? And they feared exceedingly: and they said one to another: Who is this (thinkest thou) that both wind and sea obey him?

(Matthew 13:1–9; Luke 8:4–8)

Again he began to teach by the seaside. A great multitude was gathered to him, so that he entered into a boat in the sea and sat down. All the multitude were on the land by the sea.

He taught them many things in parables, and told them in his teaching,

“Listen! Behold, the farmer went out to sow.

As he sowed, some seed fell by the road, and the birds (a) came and devoured it.

Others fell on the rocky ground, where it had little soil, and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of soil.

When the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

Others fell into the good ground and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing. Some produced thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times as much.”

He said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”

The Purpose of Jesus’ Parables

(Isaiah 6:1–13; Matthew 13:10–17; Luke 8:9–10)

When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.

He said to them, “To you is given the mystery of God’s Kingdom, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables,

that ‘seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.’” (b)

The Parable of the Sower Explained

(Matthew 13:18–23; Luke 8:11–15)

He said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How will you understand all of the parables?

The farmer sows the word.

The ones by the road are the ones where the word is sown; and when they have heard, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them.

These in the same way are those who are sown on the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with joy.

They have no root in themselves, but are short-lived. When oppression or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they stumble.

Others are those who are sown among the thorns. These are those who have heard the word,

and the cares of this age, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

Those which were sown on the good ground are those who hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit, some thirty times, some sixty times, and some one hundred times.”

The Lesson of the Lamp

(Luke 8:16–18)

He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket (c) or under a bed? Isn’t it put on a stand?

For there is nothing hidden except that it should be made known, neither was anything made secret but that it should come to light.

If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.”

He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With whatever measure you measure, it will be measured to you; and more will be given to you who hear.

For whoever has, to him more will be given; and he who doesn’t have, even that which he has will be taken away from him.”

The Seed Growing Secretly

He said, “God’s Kingdom is as if a man should cast seed on the earth,

and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, though he doesn’t know how.

For the earth bears fruit by itself: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.

But when the fruit is ripe, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

The Parable of the Mustard Seed

(Matthew 13:31–32; Luke 13:18–19)

He said, “How will we liken God’s Kingdom? Or with what parable will we illustrate it?

It’s like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth,

yet when it is sown, grows up and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.”

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.

Without a parable he didn’t speak to them; but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

Jesus Calms the Storm

(Psalm 107:1–43; Matthew 8:23–27; Luke 8:22–25)

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let’s go over to the other side.”

Leaving the multitude, they took him with them, even as he was, in the boat. Other small boats were also with him.

A big wind storm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so much that the boat was already filled.

He himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and asked him, “Teacher, don’t you care that we are dying?”

He awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” The wind ceased and there was a great calm.

He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have no faith?”

They were greatly afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

Footnotes

(a)4:4 TR adds “of the air”

(b)4:12 ℘ Isaiah 6:9-10