4:1 And again he began to teach by the sea. And a great crowd was gathered together to him, so that going on board ship he sat in the sea, and all the crowd were close to the sea on the land.

4:2 And he taught them many things in parables. And he said to them in his doctrine,

4:3 Hearken: Behold, the sower went forth to sow.

4:4 And it came to pass as he sowed, one fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured it.

4:5 And another fell on the rocky ground, where it had not much earth, and immediately it sprung up out [of the ground] because it had no depth of earth;

4:6 and when the sun arose it was burnt up, and because of its not having any root, it withered.

4:7 And another fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

4:8 And another fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing; and bore, one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred.

4:9 And he said, He that has ears to hear, let him hear.

4:10 And when he was alone, those about him with the twelve asked him [as to] the parables.

4:11 And he said to them, To you is given [to know] the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to them who are without, all things are done in parables,

4:12 that beholding they may behold and not see, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest it may be, they should be converted and they should be forgiven.

4:13 And he says to them, Do ye not know this parable? and how will ye be acquainted with all the parables?

4:14 The sower sows the word:

4:15 and these are they by the wayside where the word is sown, and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.

4:16 And these are they in like manner who are sown upon the rocky places, who when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy,

4:17 and they have no root in themselves, but are for a time: then, tribulation arising, or persecution on account of the word, immediately they are offended.

4:18 And others are they who are sown among the thorns: these are they who have heard the word,

4:19 and the cares of life, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things, entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

4:20 And these are they who have been sown on the good ground, such as hear the word and receive it, and bear fruit; one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred [fold].

4:21 And he said to them, Does the lamp come that it should be put under the bushel or under the couch? [Is it] not that it should be set upon the lamp-stand?

4:22 For there is nothing hidden which shall not be made manifest; nor does any secret thing take place, but that it should come to light.

4:23 If any one have ears to hear, let him hear.

4:24 And he said to them, Take heed what ye hear; with what measure ye mete, it shall be meted to you; and there shall be [more] added to you.

4:25 For whosoever has, to him shall be given; and he who has not, even what he has shall be taken from him.

4:26 And he said, Thus is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast the seed upon the earth,

4:27 and should sleep and rise up night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he does not know how.

4:28 The earth bears fruit of itself, first [the] blade, then an ear, then full corn in the ear.

4:29 But when the fruit is produced, immediately he sends the sickle, for the harvest is come.

4:30 And he said, How should we liken the kingdom of God, or with what comparison should we compare it?

4:31 As to a grain of mustard [seed], which, when it is sown upon the earth, is less than all seeds which are upon the earth,

4:32 and when it has been sown, mounts up and becomes greater than all herbs, and produces great branches, so that the birds of heaven can roost under its shadow.

4:33 And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear,

4:34 but without a parable spoke he not to them; and in private he explained all things to his disciples.

4:35 And on that day, when evening was come, he says to them, Let us go over to the other side:

4:36 and having sent away the crowd, they take him with [them], as he was, in the ship. But other ships also were with him.

4:37 And there comes a violent gust of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it already filled.

4:38 And *he* was in the stern sleeping on the cushion. And they awake him up and say to him, Teacher, dost thou not care that we are perishing?

4:39 And awaking up he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Silence; be mute. And the wind fell, and there was a great calm.

4:40 And he said to them, Why are ye [thus] fearful? how [is it] ye have not faith?