1 A nd he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.

He began to teach again by the sea. And such a very large crowd gathered to Him that He got into a boat in the sea and sat down; and the whole crowd was by the sea on the land.

2 A nd he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

And He was teaching them many things in parables, and was saying to them in His teaching,

3 H earken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:

“Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow;

4 a nd it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up.

5 A nd some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:

Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil.

6 b ut when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.

7 A nd some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.

8 A nd other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.

Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

9 A nd he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

And He was saying, “ He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

10 A nd when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.

As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables.

11 A nd 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:

And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables,

12 t hat 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.

so that while seeing, they may see and not perceive, and while hearing, they may hear and not understand, otherwise they might return and be forgiven.” Explanation

13 A nd he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?

And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables?

14 T he sower soweth the word.

The sower sows the word.

15 A nd 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.

These are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them.

16 A nd these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy;

17 a nd 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.

and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.

18 A nd these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word,

19 a nd 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 the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

20 A nd 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.

And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

21 A nd 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?

And He was saying to them, “ A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand?

22 F or there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.

For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it would come to light.

23 I f any man have ears to hear, let him hear.

If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

24 A nd 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.

And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it will be measured to you; and more will be given you besides.

25 F or he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.” Parable of the Seed

26 A nd he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;

And He was saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil;

27 a nd should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he himself does not know.

28 F or the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head.

29 B ut when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” Parable of the Mustard Seed

30 A nd he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?

And He said, “How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or by what parable shall we present it?

31 I t is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:

It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil,

32 b ut when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and forms large branches; so that the birds of the air can nest under its shade.”

33 A nd with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.

With many such parables He was speaking the word to them, so far as they were able to hear it;

34 B ut without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

and He did not speak to them without a parable; but He was explaining everything privately to His own disciples. Jesus Stills the Sea

35 A nd the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.

On that day, when evening came, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.”

36 A nd when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.

Leaving the crowd, they took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him.

37 A nd there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.

And there arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up.

38 A nd he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

39 A nd he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still.” And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.

40 A nd he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

And He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 A nd they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

They became very much afraid and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”