Mark 4 Once again He starts to continue teaching, beside the sea (or: along the lake-side). And a very great (most numerous) crowd is being progressively gathered toward Him, so that He, stepping into a little boat, takes a seat and continues sitting on the sea (lake; = just off shore) – and the crowd, facing toward the sea (lake), were all upon the land (= the shore).

JMNT⁽ⁱ⁾ ¹ Once again He starts to continue teaching, beside the sea (or: along the lake-side). And a very great (most numerous) crowd is being progressively gathered toward Him, so that He, stepping into a little boat, takes a seat and continues sitting on the sea (lake; = just off shore) – and the crowd, facing toward the sea (lake), were all upon the land (= the shore). ² Then He was continuing to teach them many things in parables (illustrations by comparison; [note: used for Hebrew masal in the LXX, so = a variety of figures of speech: riddle; proverb; ethical maxim; by-word; allegory; fable; enigmatic saying that is meant to stimulate intense thinking]) and was saying to them in the course of His teaching, ³ "You folks listen, and be hearing. Look and take notice (See and consider). The one habitually sowing (The sower) went out to continue sowing (scattering seed). ⁴ "And it happened, within the midst of the continued sowing, [that] some [seed] actually fell beside the path (or: alongside the road), and so the birds came and ate it down (devoured it). ⁵ "Then other [seed] fell upon the rocky place (or: an area of ground that is like stone; = hardpan; or: a rock shelf) – or, where it was not having (or: holding) much soil – and it at once (straightway) sprouted and shot up (rose and stood up out), because of the situation of not having a depth of soil. ⁶ "So when the sun rose back up again, it was burned (scorched), and because of the situation of not continuing to have a root (= because it cannot strike root), it was dried out and cause to wither. ⁷ "Still other [seed] fell into the thorns (thistles; prickly weeds), and the thorns ascended (mounted upward) and together choked (overwhelmed and crowded) it, and so it gave (yielded) no fruit. ⁸ "But still other [seeds] fell into the ideal soil – and, progressively ascending and being caused to continually grow and increase, it was continuing to give (yield) fruit (= a crop), and it kept on bearing into thirty-, in sixty-, even in one hundred- [fold] [other MSS: it was continuing to bear: one, thirty; one sixty; and one a hundred-{fold}]." ⁹ Then He continued saying, "The one continually in possession of (habitually having) ears to continue hearing, let him continue to listen and be hearing!" ¹⁰ Now when He came to be in a more private situation (in accord with ones [who are] alone [though with others]), those [sticking close] around Him – together with the twelve – began questioning Him on the parables (here: obscure illustrations). ¹¹ So He began saying to them, "The secret (mystery; [J. Jeremias: singular, = its present irruption]) of God's kingdom (or: of the sovereign reign of God as King) has been given and so stands as a gift to (or: for; in) you folks; yet to (for; in) those outside, everything (all things; the whole) continues to come to be birthed in parables (= are in obscure, illustrative riddles), ¹² "to the end that, 'continuously looking (observing), they may continually look (observe) and yet can (may; should; would) not see so as to perceive, and constantly (or: repeatedly) hearing, they may continually hear, and yet can (may; should; would) not make things flow together so as to comprehend or understand, nor can they at some point turn about (or: unless they turn upon [their path]) and the results (effects) of [their] sins and mistakes should be sent away (set aside; divorced; forgiven) for (or: in) them.'" [Isa. 6:9-10; note: this reading follows synagogue paraphrase, as witnessed in the Peshitta and the Targum, while differing from the Hebrew and LXX – J. Jeremias] ¹³ He further says to them, "Have you not seen, so as to know and perceive, this parable (obscure illustrative comparison)? (or: You folks have not seen this parable [= Heb. masal: dark saying; riddle].) So how will you folks come to personally know (have intimate and experiential understanding of) all the parables (illustrations, or, riddles)? ¹⁴ "The one habitually sowing (The sower) is continually sowing the Word (the idea; the thought; the reason; the message). ¹⁵ "Now these beside the path (road) are existing (or: are they [who are]) where the Word (thought; idea; message) is being repeatedly sown, yet whenever they may hear, the adversary (the opponent; adversarial situation; satan) is repeatedly coming and habitually takes away the Word (thought; idea; message) having been sown into them. [comment: the parallel passage in Matt. 13 pictures birds (vs. 4) and the explanation of these as "the worthless person or disadvantageous circumstance" (vs. 19) as that which takes away the seed/Word] ¹⁶ "And likewise these being repeatedly sown upon the rocky place are the ones who – whenever they may hear the Word (message; thought) – at once (straightway) are continuing to receive it with joy, ¹⁷ "and yet they are not continuing to have (possess) a root within themselves, but rather, continue existing being ones oriented toward the season or the opportune situation (or: are temporary folks). Then, at the next situation of pressure (tribulation; affliction; squeezing) or persecution occurring (coming into being; happening) because of the message (Word; thought; idea), they are immediately caused to progressively (or: to one-by-one) stumble from the bait or trap stick of the snare. ¹⁸ "Now there are others [who are] those being repeatedly sown into the thorns. These are those once hearing the Word (the message; the thought and idea), ¹⁹ "and then the anxieties (worries; cares; concerns; distractions) of the age, as well as the deceptive seduction of wealth (the riches) and the over-desires (or: full-rushing passions) concerning the rest – progressively making their way into [their lives and situations] – together progressively choke the Word (the thought, idea and message), and it comes to be increasingly unfruitful. ²⁰ "Finally, the ones being sown upon the ideal soil are those who continue listening so as to be constantly hearing the Word (the thought and idea; the message) and are habitually accepting it to their sides (= warmly welcoming it), they also are progressively producing a crop (continuously bearing fruit) – in [volumes or multiples of] thirty, in sixty, and in one hundred." ²¹ And He went on to say to them, "The Lamp is not normally (or: progressively) coming so that it can (or: may; should) be placed (or: set) under the basket for measuring grain (a peck measure) or under the bed (or: couch), is it? [Is it] not so that it can (or: may; should) be placed (or: set) upon the lampstand? ²² "Just so, there is not anything hidden except for the purpose that it should be set in clear light and manifested. Neither did it come to be hidden away except for the end that it should (or: could) come into a lighted condition (or: into a visible place where it is clearly seen and manifest). ²³ "If anyone continues possessing (or: proceeds in having) ears to continue hearing, let him continue listening so as to progressively hear!" ²⁴ He was further saying to them, "Habitually observe and take note of (face, look at and regard; pay attention to) what you folks are habitually listening to and hearing (or: are presently hearing). With what measure, rule, or standard you folks habitually measure (or: In the measure by which you repeatedly measure [people; situations; things] ormeasure out [to people]), it will habitually be measured in or for you (or: measured out to you); in fact, it will continue being placed toward you folks – or even added in you – or more (or: extra) will proceed being provided for you, ²⁵ "for it will continue being given to (or: for; in) him who habitually possesses (has and holds); and from him who is not habitually possessing (having and holding), even what he normally possesses will also proceed being lifted up and taken away." ²⁶ He was further continuing to say, "In this way and manner (or: Thus) is God's kingdom (or: the sovereign reign, influence and activity of God as King): [it is] as a person (man; human) [who] may cast (or: throw) the seed upon the soil (the land). ²⁷ "Then he can repeatedly be successively sleeping and then waking up to arise – night and day – and the seed can be progressively sprouting (germinating) and continuing to lengthen (= to grow); just how, he has not seen so does not know. ²⁸ "Spontaneously (Furiously, eagerly and with purpose in itself; Automatically and with self-excitement) the ground (soil; earth; land) progressively bears fruit and produces a crop: first a sprout (or: [the] blade of grass; herbage), then a stalk head (ear) and finally a full grain within the stalk head (ear). ²⁹ "Now at the time when the fruit may give from its side (or: whenever the crop may permit or deliver up; = be ripe), he at once progressively sends forth the sickle, because the harvest has stood at hand and provides itself (or: the reaping has taken its place at the side; or: the harvest is present and stands ready)." ³⁰ And He went on to say, "How should we compare (or: In what manner can we be likening) God's kingdom (the reign and action of God as King), or within what parable (illustrative comparison) can (or: should) we place it? ³¹ "As to a seed (kernel; grain) of a mustard plant, which, whenever it may be sown upon the ground (soil; earth) is existing being smaller than all the seeds of those upon the earth (or: the land). [comment: i.e., of those normally planted for a crop] ³² "But whenever it should be sown, it progressively ascends (grows up) and comes to be (is birthed to be) greater than all of the herbs and vegetables of the garden (things grown in a place that has been dug) and progressively produces (constructs) great branches, so that the birds of the heaven (or: sky; atmosphere) continue able to from time to time settle down as in a tent (= to roost or nest) under its shadow (or: shade)." ³³ So by means of many parables (illustrative comparisons) of this kind He continued speaking the message (the Word; the Logos; the thought and the idea) to them – according as they continued being able to continue hearing (or: continued having power to be repeatedly listening). ³⁴ Now apart from a parable (illustrative comparison) He was not in the habit of speaking to them. Yet privately and in accord to a person's own [ability] He was routinely loosening all things upon (or: habitually releasing all for; so: explaining and interpreting everything to) His own disciples (students; learners; apprentices). ³⁵ Then with it coming to be late on that day (= in the latter part of that day), He then says to them, "We should pass on through unto the other side (= the opposite shore)." ³⁶ So, abandoning (leaving behind) the crowd, they proceed taking Him along – as He was within the boat, and other boats were there with Him. ³⁷ Later a very great windstorm, fierce like a hurricane or whirlwind, was progressively birthed (brought into existence) and kept on dashing upon and breaking over into the boat, so that the boat is already starting to be filled up. ³⁸ Now He was in the stern, continuing fast asleep upon the cushion. So they progressively arouse and awaken Him, and continue saying to Him, "Teacher! Is it not a care or concern to You that we are in the process of being destroyed and are perishing?" ³⁹ When being thoroughly awakened, He at once spoke authoritatively yet respectfully to the wind, and said to the sea (lake), "Be progressively quiet and continue silent! Be as one having been muzzled, and remain so!" And so the wind instantly abated (ceased its labor and became exhausted) and a great calm was birthed (occurred; came to be). ⁴⁰ Then He said to them, "Why are you men continuing to be timid and filled with dread in this way? Are you not yet continuing to possess trust (or: have and hold faith and confidence)?" ⁴¹ And they suddenly became afraid – gripped [with] a great fear – and began saying to one another, "Who, really (or: then), is this Man, that even the wind and the sea (lake) pay attention, obey and continue obedient to Him?"