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Mark 4:1
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The Parable of the Sower

1 And aagain He began to teach by the sea. And a great multitude was gathered to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole multitude was on the land facing the sea.  
2 Then He taught them many things by parables, aand said to them in His teaching:  
3 “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow.
4 And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds1 of the air came and devoured it.  
5 Some fell on stony ground, where it did not have much earth; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of earth.
6 But when the sun was up it was scorched, and because it had no root it withered away.
7 And some seed fell among thorns; and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no1 crop.  
8 But other seed fell on good ground and yielded a crop that sprang up, increased and produced: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”
9 And He said1 to them, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”  

The Purpose of Parables

10 aBut when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable.  
11 And He said to them, “To you it has been given to aknow the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to bthose who are outside, all things come in parables,  
12 so that
a‘Seeing they may see and not perceive,
And hearing they may hear and not understand;
Lest they should turn,
And their sins be forgiven them.’ ”  

The Parable of the Sower Explained

13 And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables?
14 aThe sower sows the word.  
15 And these are the ones by the wayside where the word is sown. When they hear, Satan comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown in their hearts.
16 These likewise are the ones sown on stony ground who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17 and they have no root in themselves, and so endure only for a time. Afterward, when tribulation or persecution arises for the word’s sake, immediately they stumble.
18 Now these are the ones sown among thorns; they are the ones who hear the word,
19 and the acares of this world, bthe deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.  
20 But these are the ones sown on good ground, those who hear the word,1 accept it, and bear afruit: some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some a hundred.”  

Light Under a Basket

21 aAlso He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand?  
22 aFor there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.  


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Definitions of words in Mark 4:1:


Boat {International Standard Bible Encyclopedia}

By {Easton's Bible Dictionary}
By {International Standard Bible Encyclopedia}

He {International Standard Bible Encyclopedia}

In {International Standard Bible Encyclopedia}

Land {International Standard Bible Encyclopedia}

Sea {International Standard Bible Encyclopedia}

So {Easton's Bible Dictionary}
So {Hitchcock's Bible Names}
So {International Standard Bible Encyclopedia}

On {Easton's Bible Dictionary}
On {Hitchcock's Bible Names}



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