Mark 4:1–12

The Parable of the Sower

4Again ^qHe began to teach ^rby the sea, and a very large crowd gathered around Him. So He got into a boat on the sea and sat down, while the whole crowd was on the shore facing the sea. ²He taught them many things in parables, ^sand in His teaching ^tHe said to them: ³“Listen! Consider the sower who went out to sow. ^u4As he sowed, this occurred: Some seed fell along the path, ^vand the birds came and ate ^wit up. ⁵Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn’t have much soil, and it sprang up right away, ^xsince it didn’t have deep soil. ⁶When the sun came up, it was scorched, and since it didn’t have a root, it withered. ^y7Other seed fell among thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it didn’t produce a crop. ⁸Still others fell on good ground and produced a crop that increased ^z30, 60, and 100 times what was sown.” ^a9Then He said, “Anyone who has ears to hear should listen!” ^b

Why Jesus Used Parables

¹⁰When He was alone with the Twelve, ^cthose who were around Him asked Him about the parables. ^d11He answered them, “The ^•secret ^eof the kingdom of God ^fhas been given to you, but to those outside, ^geverything comes in parables ¹²so that

they may look and look,

yet not perceive;

they may listen and listen,

yet not understand; ^h

otherwise, they might turn back—

and be forgiven.” ^ijk