Mark 4:21–34

²¹And he said unto them, Is the lamp brought to be put under the bushel, or under the bed, and not to be put on the stand? ²²For there is nothing hid, save that it should be manifested; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light. ²³If any man hath ears to hear, let him hear. ²⁴And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete it shall be measured unto you; and more shall be given unto you. ²⁵For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath.

²⁶And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed upon the earth; ²⁷and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he knoweth not how. ²⁸The earth beareth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. ²⁹But when the fruit is ripe, straightway he putteth forth the sickle, because the harvest is come.

³⁰And he said, How shall we liken the kingdom of God? or in what parable shall we set it forth? ³¹It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown upon the earth, though it be less than all the seeds that are upon the earth, ³²yet when it is sown, groweth up, and becometh greater than all the herbs, and putteth out great branches; so that the birds of the heaven can lodge under the shadow thereof.

³³And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it; ³⁴and without a parable spake he not unto them: but privately to his own disciples he expounded all things.