1 A nd again he began to teach by the sea, and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he, having gone into the boat, sat in the sea, and all the multitude was near the sea, on the land,

Jesus began to teach by the sea-shore again. Many people gathered around Him. There were so many He had to get into a boat and sit down. The people were on the shore.

2 a nd he taught them many things in similes, and he said to them in his teaching:

He taught them many things by using picture-stories. As He taught, He said,

3 ` Hearken, lo, the sower went forth to sow;

“Listen! A man went out to plant seed.

4 a nd it came to pass, in the sowing, some fell by the way, and the fowls of the heaven did come and devour it;

As he planted the seed, some fell by the side of the road. Birds came and ate them.

5 a nd other fell upon the rocky ground, where it had not much earth, and immediately it sprang forth, because of not having depth of earth,

Some seed fell among rocks. It came up at once because there was so little ground.

6 a nd the sun having risen, it was scorched, and because of not having root it did wither;

But it dried up when the sun was high in the sky because it had no root.

7 a nd other fell toward the thorns, and the thorns did come up, and choke it, and fruit it gave not;

Some seed fell among thorns. The thorns grew and did not give the seed room to grow. This seed gave no grain.

8 a nd other fell to the good ground, and was giving fruit, coming up and increasing, and it bare, one thirty-fold, and one sixty, and one an hundred.'

Some seed fell on good ground. It came up and grew and gave much grain. Some gave thirty times as much grain. Some gave sixty times as much grain. Some gave one hundred times as much grain.”

9 A nd he said to them, `He who is having ears to hear -- let him hear.'

He said to them, “You have ears, then listen!”

10 A nd when he was alone, those about him, with the twelve, did ask him of the simile,

Those who were with Jesus and the twelve followers came to Him when He was alone. They asked about the picture-story.

11 a nd he said to them, `To you it hath been given to know the secret of the reign of God, but to those who are without, in similes are all the things done;

He said to them, “You were given the secrets about the holy nation of God. Everything is told in picture-stories to those who are outside the holy nation of God.

12 t hat seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest they may turn, and the sins may be forgiven them.'

They see, but do not know what it means. They hear, but do not understand. If they did, they might turn to God and have their sins forgiven.” Jesus Tells about the Man Who Planted the Seed

13 A nd he saith to them, `Have ye not known this simile? and how shall ye know all the similes?

Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this picture-story? Then how will you understand any of the picture-stories?

14 H e who is sowing doth sow the word;

What the man plants is the Word of God.

15 a nd these are they by the way where the word is sown: and whenever they may hear, immediately cometh the Adversary, and he taketh away the word that hath been sown in their hearts.

Those by the side of the road are the ones who hear the Word. As soon as they hear it, the devil comes and takes away the Word that is planted in their hearts.

16 ` And these are they, in like manner, who on the rocky ground are sown: who, whenever they may hear the word, immediately with joy do receive it,

The seed that fell among rocks is like people who receive the Word with joy when they hear it.

17 a nd have not root in themselves, but are temporary; afterward tribulation or persecution having come because of the word, immediately they are stumbled.

Their roots are not deep so they live only a short time. When sorrow and trouble come because of the Word, they give up and fall away.

18 ` And these are they who toward the thorns are sown: these are they who are hearing the word,

The seed that was planted among thorns is like some people who listen to the Word.

19 a nd the anxieties of this age, and the deceitfulness of the riches, and the desires concerning the other things, entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

But the cares of this life let thorns come up. A love for riches and always wanting other things let thorns grow. These things do not give the Word room to grow so it does not give grain.

20 ` And these are they who on the good ground have been sown: who do hear the word, and receive, and do bear fruit, one thirty-fold, and one sixty, and one an hundred.'

The seed that fell on good ground is like people who hear the Word and understand it. They give much grain. Some give thirty times as much grain. Some give sixty times as much grain. Some give one hundred times as much grain.” The Picture-Story of the Lamp

21 A nd he said to them, `Doth the lamp come that under the measure it may be put, or under the couch -- not that it may be put on the lamp-stand?

He said to them, “Is a lamp to be put under a pail or under a bed? Should it not be put on a lamp-stand?

22 f or there is not anything hid that may not be manifested, nor was anything kept hid but that it may come to light.

Everything that is hidden will be brought into the light. Everything that is a secret will be made known.

23 I f any hath ears to hear -- let him hear.'

You have ears, then listen!”

24 A nd he said to them, `Take heed what ye hear; in what measure ye measure, it shall be measured to you; and to you who hear it shall be added;

Jesus said to them, “Be careful what you listen to. The same amount you give will be given to you, and even more.

25 f or whoever may have, there shall be given to him, and whoever hath not, also that which he hath shall be taken from him.'

He who has, to him will be given. To him who does not have, even the little he has will be taken from him.” The Picture-Story of the Grain

26 A nd he said, `Thus is the reign of God: as if a man may cast the seed on the earth,

He said, “The holy nation of God is like a man who plants seed in the ground.

27 a nd may sleep, and may rise night and day, and the seed spring up and grow, he hath not known how;

He goes to sleep every night and gets up every day. The seed grows, but he does not know how.

28 f or of itself doth the earth bear fruit, first a blade, afterwards an ear, afterwards full corn in the ear;

The earth gives fruit by itself. The leaf comes first and then the young grain can be seen. And last, the grain is ready to gather.

29 a nd whenever the fruit may yield itself, immediately he doth send forth the sickle, because the harvest hath come.'

As soon as the grain is ready, he cuts it. The time of gathering the grain has come.” The Picture-Story of the Mustard Seed

30 A nd he said, `To what may we liken the reign of God, or in what simile may we compare it?

Jesus said, “In what way can we show what the holy nation of God is like? Or what picture-story can we use to help you understand?

31 A s a grain of mustard, which, whenever it may be sown on the earth, is less than any of the seeds that are on the earth;

It is like a grain of mustard seed that is planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds.

32 a nd whenever it may be sown, it cometh up, and doth become greater than any of the herbs, and doth make great branches, so that under its shade the fowls of the heaven are able to rest.'

After it is put in the ground, it grows and becomes the largest of the spices. It puts out long branches so birds of the sky can live in it.”

33 A nd with many such similes he was speaking to them the word, as they were able to hear,

As they were able to understand, He spoke the Word to them by using many picture-stories.

34 a nd without a simile he was not speaking to them, and by themselves, to his disciples he was expounding all.

Jesus helped His followers understand everything when He was alone with them. The Wind and Waves Obey Jesus

35 A nd he saith to them on that day, evening having come, `We may pass over to the other side;'

It was evening of that same day. Jesus said to them, “Let us go over to the other side.”

36 a nd having let away the multitude, they take him up as he was in the boat, and other little boats also were with him.

After sending the people away, they took Jesus with them in a boat. It was the same boat He used when He taught them. Other little boats went along with them.

37 A nd there cometh a great storm of wind, and the waves were beating on the boat, so that it is now being filled,

A bad wind storm came up. The waves were coming over the side of the boat. It was filling up with water.

38 a nd he himself was upon the stern, upon the pillow sleeping, and they wake him up, and say to him, `Teacher, art thou not caring that we perish?'

Jesus was in the back part of the boat sleeping on a pillow. They woke Him up, crying out, “Teacher, do You not care that we are about to die?”

39 A nd having waked up, he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, `Peace, be stilled;' and the wind did lull, and there was a great calm:

He got up and spoke sharp words to the wind. He said to the sea, “Be quiet! Be still.” At once the wind stopped blowing. There were no more waves.

40 a nd he said to them, `Why are ye so fearful? how have ye not faith?'

He said to His followers, “Why are you so full of fear? Do you not have faith?”

41 a nd they feared a great fear, and said one to another, `Who, then, is this, that even the wind and the sea do obey him?'

They were very much afraid and said to each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and waves obey Him!”