| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| | + | '''Mark Chapter 4''', from the [[Gospel of Mark]], is as follows below. |
| | + | |
| | Jesus returned to teaching again on the seashore, but the crowd was so overwhelming that he turned a boat into a makeshift pulpit while the people pressed to the shoreline. | | Jesus returned to teaching again on the seashore, but the crowd was so overwhelming that he turned a boat into a makeshift pulpit while the people pressed to the shoreline. |
| | | | |
| | He taught them many things, using parables. During one of His lessons, He said, "Listen. A farmer went out to sow a crop. As he sowed, some seed was scattered on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on stony ground, which lacked deep soil. It grew quickly, but once the sun was out, it was scorched and withered away, as its roots were too shallow. Some was scattered among weeds, which choked it, and it didn't produce fruit. But some seed fell upon good soil and produced a great deal of fruit, thirty, sixty, even one-hundred times the original investment." Then Jesus said to them, "let any man who has ears hear." | | He taught them many things, using parables. During one of His lessons, He said, "Listen. A farmer went out to sow a crop. As he sowed, some seed was scattered on the path, and birds came and ate it up. Some fell on stony ground, which lacked deep soil. It grew quickly, but once the sun was out, it was scorched and withered away, as its roots were too shallow. Some was scattered among weeds, which choked it, and it didn't produce fruit. But some seed fell upon good soil and produced a great deal of fruit, thirty, sixty, even one-hundred times the original investment." Then Jesus said to them, "let any man who has ears hear." |
| | | | |
| − | Privately a few along with the twelve Apostles asked Jesus about the parable. | + | Privately a few along with the twelve Apostles asked Jesus about the parable. He said to them, "You have been granted insight into the secrets of the Kingdom of God, but to others these things are done in parables, that they may see but not perceive and hear but not understand; otherwise they might convert, and then their sins would be forgiven." Then He asked them, "Don't you understand this parable? If not, how will you understand any other parables? The farmer plants the Truth. As for the people who are on the roadside, where the seeds are scattered, Satan comes as soon they have heard the truth, and takes it from their hearts. Likewise with those planted on the stony ground: when they hear the Truth, they receive It with joy, but they have little deep-down understanding of It, so they endure in the Truth only briefly. Afterward, when they must face oppression persecution for the sake of the Truth, all at once they have doubts about It. Then there are those planted among the thorns. They hear the word, but because of worldly concerns, the deceit of wealth, and other desires, the Truth is suffocated and cannot bear fruit. Finally are those planted in good ground. They hear the Truth, accept It, and produce good fruit in their turn, sometimes thirty, sixty, or even one hundred times more." |
| − | |
| + | |
| − | |-
| + | Then he asked them, "Do we light candles only to hide them under a bushel basket or a bed, rather than to place them on candlesticks? Nothing is hidden which will not be brought to light. Likewise any secret kept will soon become known. If a man is willing to listen, let him hear the Truth." |
| − | |11
| + | |
| − | |<span id="4:11"></span>And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
| + | |
| − | |He said to them, "You have been granted insight into the secrets of the Kingdom of God, but to others these things are done in parables,
| + | |
| − | |
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | |12
| |
| − | |<span id="4:12"></span>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.
| |
| − | |that they may see but not perceive and hear but not understand; otherwise they might convert, and then their sins would be forgiven."
| |
| − | |This verse, and the one preceding, is one of the earliest statements concerning the ''predestination'' and ''unconditional election'' of believers.
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | |13
| |
| − | |<span id="4:13"></span>And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
| |
| − | |Then He asked them, "Don't you understand this parable? If not, how will you understand any other parables?
| |
| − | |
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | |14
| |
| − | |<span id="4:14"></span>The sower soweth the word.
| |
| − | |"The farmer plants the Truth.
| |
| − | |
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | |15
| |
| − | |<span id="4:15"></span>And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
| |
| − | |"As for the people who are on the roadside, where the seeds are scattered, Satan comes as soon they have heard the truth, and takes it from their hearts.
| |
| − | |
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | |16
| |
| − | |<span id="4:16"></span>And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
| |
| − | |"Likewise with those planted on the stony ground: when they hear the Truth, they receive It with joy,
| |
| − | |
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | |17
| |
| − | |<span id="4:17"></span>And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
| |
| − | |"But they have little deep-down understanding of It, so they endure in the Truth only briefly. Afterward, when they must face oppression persecution for the sake of the Truth, all at once they have doubts about It.
| |
| − | |"Root in themselves" made clearer for modern English readers.
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | |18
| |
| − | |<span id="4:18"></span>And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
| |
| − | |"Then there are those planted among the thorns. They hear the word,
| |
| − | |
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | |19
| |
| − | |<span id="4:19"></span>And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
| |
| − | |"But because of worldly concerns, the deceit of wealth, and other desires, the Truth is suffocated and cannot bear fruit."
| |
| − | |The "deceit of wealth" is not the having of wealth but the trusting in wealth as a primary sustainer.
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | |20
| |
| − | |<span id="4:20"></span>And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
| |
| − | |"Finally are those planted in good ground. They hear the Truth, accept It, and produce good fruit in their turn, sometimes thirty, sixty, or even one hundred times more."
| |
| − | |
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | |21
| |
| − | |<span id="4:21"></span>And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
| |
| − | |Then he asked them, "Do we light candles only to hide them under a bushel basket or a bed, rather than to place them on candlesticks?
| |
| − | |The word rendered "bushel" is the Roman ''modius,'' the largest dry measure in use throughout the Roman Empire.
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | |22
| |
| − | |<span id="4:22"></span>For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
| |
| − | |"Nothing is hidden which will not be brought to light. Likewise any secret kept will soon become known.
| |
| − | |
| |
| − | |-
| |
| − | |23
| |
| − | |<span id="4:23"></span>If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
| |
| − | |"If a man is willing to listen, let him hear the Truth."
| |
| − | |
| |
| − | |-
| |
| | |24 | | |24 |
| | |<span id="4:24"></span>And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. | | |<span id="4:24"></span>And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. |