4: 1 And again he began to teach by the sea side. And there is gathered unto him a very great multitude, so that he entered into a boat, and sat in the sea; and all the multitude were by the sea on the land.
4: 2 And he taught them many things in parables, and said unto them in his teaching,
4: 3 Hearken: Behold, the sower went forth to sow:
4: 4 and it came to pass, as he sowed, some seed fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured it.
4: 5 And other fell on the rocky ground, where it had not much earth; and straightway it sprang up, because it had no deepness of earth:
4: 6 and when the sun was risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
4: 7 And other fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
4: 8 And others fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing; and brought forth, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.
4: 9 And he said, Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
4: 10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parables.
4: 11 And he said unto them, Unto you is given the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all things are done in parables:
4: 12 that seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest haply they should turn again, and it should be forgiven them.
4: 13 And he saith unto them, Know ye not this parable? And how shall ye know all the parables?
4: 14 The sower soweth the word.
4: 15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; and when they have heard, straightway cometh Satan, and taketh away the word which hath been sown in ⁵⁴them.
⁵⁴So B 2427 geo [ℵL 892 ℵC 579 (cop^sa)]. 1342 33 and a majority of lesser Gk. mss., (sy^s) vg arm read their hearts.

4: 16 And these in like manner are they that are sown upon the rocky places, who, when they have heard the word, straightway receive it with joy;
4: 17 and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, straightway they stumble.
4: 18 And others are they that are sown among the thorns; these are they that have heard the word,
4: 19 and the cares of the ⁵⁵world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
⁵⁵Gk. age,

4: 20 And those are they that were sown upon the good ground; such as hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.
4: 21 And he said unto them, Is the lamp brought to be put under the bushel basket, or under the bed, and not to be put on the lampstand?
4: 22 For there is nothing hid, save that it should be manifested; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light.
4: 23 If any man hath ears to hear, let him hear.
4: 24 And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete it shall be measured unto you; ⁵⁶and more shall be given unto you.
⁵⁶So BℵL 2427 892 ℵC vg. 1342 (33) and a majority of lesser Gk. mss., geo (arm) read and more shall be given unto you that hear. 579 it^e omit this clause.

4: 25 For he that ⁵⁷hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath.
⁵⁷Or perhaps, hath gained, (two times, or all three)

4: 26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed upon the earth;
4: 27 and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he knoweth not how.
4: 28 The earth ⁵⁸beareth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.
⁵⁸Or, yieldeth

4: 29 But when the fruit ⁵⁹is ripe, straightway he ⁶⁰putteth forth the sickle, because the harvest is come.
⁵⁹Or, alloweth,
⁶⁰Or, sendeth forth

4: 30 And he said, How shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or in what parable shall we set it forth?
4: 31 ⁶¹It 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,
⁶¹Or, As unto

4: 32 yet 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.
4: 33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it;
4: 34 and without a parable spake he not unto them: but privately to his own disciples he expounded all things.
4: 35 And on that day, when even was come, he saith unto them, Let us go over unto the other side.
4: 36 And leaving the multitude, they take him with them, even as he was, in the boat. And other boats were with him.
4: 37 And there ariseth a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the boat, insomuch that the boat was now filling.
4: 38 And he himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion: and they awake him, and say unto him, Teacher, carest thou not that we perish?
4: 39 And he awoke, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
4: 40 And he said unto them, ⁶²Why are ye fearful? Have ye not yet faith?
⁶²So BℵL 2427 892* ℵ 1342 cop^sa,bo vg. it^e reads Why are ye fearful? Do ye have faith? p⁴⁵ arm read Why are ye thus fearful? Have ye not yet faith? C 33 and a majority of lesser Gk. mss. read Why are ye thus fearful? How is it ye have not faith?

4: 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?