Mark 4:21-41

Amplified Bible

²¹ He said to them, “A lamp is not brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed, is it? Is it not [brought in] to be put on the lampstand?^{(A) 22} For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been kept secret, but that it would come to light [that is, things are hidden only temporarily, until the appropriate time comes for them to be known].^{(B) 23} If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear and heed My words.” ²⁴ Then He said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. By your own standard of measurement [that is, to the extent that you study spiritual truth and apply godly wisdom] it will be measured to you [and you will be given even greater ability to respond]—and more will be given to you besides. ²⁵ For ^[a]whoever has [a teachable heart], to him more [understanding] will be given; and whoever does not have [a yearning for truth], even what he has will be taken away from him.”^(C)

Parable of the Seed

²⁶ Then He said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who throws seed on the ground; ²⁷ and he goes to bed at night and gets up every day, and [in the meantime] the seed sprouts and grows; how [it does this], he does not know. ²⁸ The earth produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head [of grain], then the mature grain in the head. ²⁹ But when the crop ripens, he immediately puts in the sickle [to reap], because [the time for] the harvest has come.”

Parable of the Mustard Seed

³⁰ And He said, “How shall we ^[b]picture the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use to illustrate and explain it?^{(D) 31} It is like a mustard seed, which, when it is sown on the ground, even though it is ^[c]smaller than all the [other] seeds that are [sown] on the soil, ³² yet when it is sown, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden herbs; and it puts out large branches, so that the birds of the sky are able to make nests and live under its shade.”^(E)

³³ With many such parables, Jesus spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear and understand it; ³⁴ and He did not say anything to them without [using] a parable; He did, however, explain everything privately to His own disciples.

Jesus Stills the Sea

³⁵ On that [same] day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us go over to the other side [of the Sea of Galilee].” ³⁶ So leaving the crowd, they took Him with them, just as He was, in the boat. And other boats were with Him.^{(F) 37} And a ^[d]fierce windstorm began to blow, and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already being swamped. ³⁸ But Jesus was in the stern, asleep [with His head] on the [sailor’s leather] cushion. And they woke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are about to die?” ³⁹ And He got up and [sternly] rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Hush, be still (muzzled)!” And the wind died down [as if it had grown weary] and there was [at once] a great calm [a perfect peacefulness]. ⁴⁰ Jesus said to them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith and confidence [in Me]?” ⁴¹ They were filled with great fear, and said to each other, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?”