Chapter 4

And again he began to teach by the water's edge. And as a great crowd gathered about him, he got into a boat and sat on board. And all the crowd remained on land facing the sea.

And he taught them many things in parables, and he said to them in his instruction,

"Hear! Behold, the sower went out to sow.

And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside, and the birds came and ate it up.

And other seed fell upon rocky ground, where it had not much earth; and it sprang up at once, because it had no depth of earth;

but when the sun arose it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.

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

And other seed fell upon good ground, and yielded fruit that grew up, made increase and produced, one thirty, another sixty, and another a hundredfold."

Then he said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

And when he was alone, those who were with him and the Twelve asked him about the parables.

And he said to them, "To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those outside, all things are treated in parables,

that 'Seeing they may see, but not perceive; and hearing they may hear, but not understand; Lest perhaps at any time they should be converted, and their sins be forgiven them. '"

And he said to them, "Do you not know this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?

The sower sows the word.

And those by the wayside are they in whom the word is sown; as soon as they have heard, Satan at once comes and takes away the word that has been sewn in their hearts.

And those likewise who are sown on the rocky ground are they who, when they have heard the word, receive it immediately with joy;

and they have no root in themselves, but continue only for a time; then, when trouble and persecution come because of the word, they at once fall away.

And those who are sewn among the thorns are they who listen to the word;

but the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desire about other things, entering in, choke the word, and it is made fruitless.

And those who are sown upon good ground are they who hear the word, and welcome it, and yield fruit, one thirty, another sixty, and another a hundredfold." Purpose of This Teaching

And he said to them, "Is a lamp brought to be put under the measure, or under the couch? Is it not rather to be put upon the lamp-stand?

For there is nothing hidden that will not be made manifest; nor is anything concealed that will not come to light.

If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear."

And he said to them, "Take heed what you hear. With what measure you measure, it shall be measured to you, and more shall be given to you.

For to him who has shall be given; and from him who does not have, even that which he has shall be taken away." Seed Grows of Itself

And he said, "Thus is the kingdom of God, as though a man should cast seed into the earth,

then sleep and rise, night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow without his knowing it.

For of itself the earth bears the crop, 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 Mustard Seed

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

It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the earth, is the smallest of all the seeds upon the earth;

yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than any herb, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the air can dwell beneath its shade."

And in many such parables he spoke the word to them, according as they were able to understand it;

but without a parable he did not speak to them. But privately he explained all things to his disciples. The Storm on the Lake

And he said to them on that day, when evening had come, "Let us cross over to the other side."

And sending away the crowd, they took him just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him.

And there arose a great squall, and the waves were beating into the boat, so that the boat was now filling.

And he himself was in the stern of the boat, on the cushion, asleep. And they woke him and said to him, "Master, does it not concern thee that we are perishing? "

Then rising up, he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind fell and there came a great calm.

And he said to them, "Why are you fearful? Are you still without faith?" And they feared exceedingly and said to one another, "Who, then, is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him? "