Mark 4:21-34

Mark 4

A Lamp and a Lampstand

²¹ He also said to them, “A lamp is not brought out to be put under a basket or under a bed, is it? Isn’t it placed on a lampstand? ²² For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing concealed that will not come to light. ²³ If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”

²⁴ He went on to tell them, “Pay attention to what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you. ²⁵ Yes, whoever has will be given more. And whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

Seed Sprouts and Grows

²⁶ He said, “The kingdom of God is like this: A man scatters seed on the ground, ²⁷ and while he sleeps and rises, night and day, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. ²⁸ The ground produces fruit on its own: first the blade, then the head, then the full grain in the head. ²⁹ When the crop is ready, he swings the sickle without delay, because the harvest has come.”

Mustard Seed

³⁰ Then he said, “To what should we compare the kingdom of God? Or with what parable may we picture it? ³¹ It is like a mustard seed, which when sown on the ground is one of the smallest of all the seeds planted in the ground. ³² Yet when it is planted, it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches so that the birds of the sky can nest under its shade.”

³³ With many similar parables he continued to speak the word to them, as much as they were able to hear. ³⁴ He did not speak to them without a parable. But when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.