1 And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land. 2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine, 3 Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow: 4 And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up. 5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
6 But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. 8 And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred. 9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. 10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them. 13 And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables? 14 The sower soweth the word. 15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.
16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; 17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. 18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word, 19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful. 20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred. (Mark 4:1-20 KJV)
The Parable of the Sower
Here is the revised passage with redundant sentences removed and old-fashioned language updated to modern American English. I have also kept the structure and meaning intact, and added Bible references where necessary:
The previous chapter began with Christ entering the synagogue (Mark 4:1); this chapter begins with Him teaching again by the seaside. He changed his approach so that everyone might be reached. To accommodate the refined people who preferred the synagogue, He taught there at times. But to reach the poor who couldn’t get into the synagogue, He also preached by the sea, where they could hear Him. Thus, we are debtors both to the wise and the unwise (Romans 1:14).
This time, a new method was used—He stood in a boat while the people stood on the shore. Since the Sea of Tiberias had no tides, the water remained calm. Christ’s preaching from a boat was symbolic of sending the gospel to the Gentiles and transferring the kingdom of God from the Jewish nation to others who would produce its fruit.
He taught the crowd many things using parables (Mark 4:2). People enjoy hearing stories or comparisons drawn from everyday life, and such language often captures the attention of careless listeners. However, unless they took the time to reflect on the meaning, the parables would only entertain, not instruct. “Though seeing, they may not perceive” (Mark 4:12). Christ deliberately used parables as a form of judgment, offering a glimpse of light to those who were interested, but leaving the indifferent in the dark. It is just for God to say of those who refuse to see, that they shall not see, and to hide truth from those who never truly seek it.
When He was alone, not only the twelve disciples but others around Him took the opportunity to ask about the parables (Mark 4:10). They found it worthwhile to be close to Christ. He explained to them that it was a special privilege to be made aware of the mysteries of the kingdom of God (Mark 4:11). While others were amused but unchanged, His followers grew in knowledge and understanding. Those who understand spiritual truths must acknowledge that this understanding is a gift from Christ, who both opens the Scriptures and the mind (Luke 24:27, 45).
He then gave the parable of the sower, as in Matthew 13:3. He began with “Listen!” and ended with “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Mark 4:3, 9). Christ’s words deserve attention, even when they are not immediately understood. With time and care, their depth and significance become clear.
Before explaining the parable, Christ asked them a question not found in Matthew: “Don’t you understand this parable? Then how will you understand any parable?” (Mark 4:13). Jesus meant to say that:
First, “If you don’t understand this one, which is straightforward, how will you understand more complex ones about the rejection of the Jews or the calling of the Gentiles?” We must be diligent in learning spiritual truths. If we can’t grasp the basics, how can we hope to master deeper matters? Second, he meant to say, “If you don’t grasp this parable, which is meant to help you benefit from hearing the Word, how will you benefit from anything else I teach?” This parable is essential because it teaches how to listen effectively so we can truly understand.
Before He explained the parable, Christ, first, pointed out how unfortunate it is for those who aren’t given insight into His teachings: “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but to those outside everything is said in parables” (Mark 4:11). Without understanding, they remain unconverted, and therefore unforgiven (Mark 4:12). Second, he highlighted how shameful it was that they needed the meaning explained so plainly. Those who want to grow in knowledge must first recognize their ignorance.
Having prepared them, He explained the parable of the sower, as found in Matthew.
First, in the church—the great field—God’s Word is shared broadly. “The sower sows the word” (Mark 4:14), scattering it across all types of ground, without knowing which soil will yield fruit. Christ once sowed it Himself; now He does so through His ministers. They must be wise and not discouraged by outward circumstances (Ecclesiastes 11:4, 6), trusting God who gives seed to the sower (2 Corinthians 9:10).
Second, though many hear the gospel, few truly receive it and bear fruit—only one in four soils does well. It’s sobering how much of God’s Word is lost or unfruitful. A time will come when we must give account for lost sermons. Many who heard Christ preach will be told, “Depart from me.” Those who think hearing alone is enough deceive themselves (James 1:22).
Third, many respond emotionally to the Word at first but gain no lasting benefit. Their response is a flash in the pan, like “thorns crackling under a pot.” The Bible mentions hypocrites who “delight to know God’s ways” (Isaiah 58:2), Herod who heard John “gladly” (Mark 6:20), people who rejoiced in John’s light (John 5:35), and those to whom Ezekiel was “like a lovely song” (Ezekiel 33:32). Yet, like the seed on rocky ground, they bear no lasting fruit.
Fourth, the Word fails to leave a lasting impact because people’s hearts are not ready. Some are careless and forgetful, while others allow sin to overpower conviction. Either way, the Word produces no lasting change.
Fifth, the devil is active among careless listeners. Like birds snatching seed from a path, Satan removes the Word before it takes root. If the heart is like a trampled path—unplowed and exposed—it becomes easy prey. As Abram drove away the birds from his sacrifice (Genesis 15:11), so should we resist Satan’s attempts to rob us of truth.
Sixth, some people don’t abandon the faith openly but continue with a lifeless profession. They remain in a fruitless state, and though more respectable than others, their end is the same.
Seventh, shallow impressions won’t endure trials. Like footprints on the beach washed away by the tide, superficial religion disappears in hardship. When persecution comes, many who seemed devout fall away. They were never rooted in heart-work, which is essential. True Christianity is inward.
Eighth, many are hindered by worldly abundance. Valuable lessons about humility, love, and heaven-mindedness are choked by wealth and pleasure. Many who might have borne fruit are ruined by materialism, like Pharaoh’s thin cows devouring the fat ones (Genesis 41:17-21).
Ninth, even those without great wealth may be ruined by indulging bodily desires. Mark includes “the desires for other things” (Mark 4:19), referring to an appetite for pleasure or sensual satisfaction.
Tenth, God expects fruit from those who hear the gospel—lives shaped by its truth. This fruit includes daily exercises of Christian virtue and obedience. It will be counted to our credit.
Lastly, good fruit comes only from good seed sown in good soil. If the heart is humble, holy, and heavenly-minded, there will be fruit—sometimes a hundredfold, like Isaac’s harvest (Genesis 26:12).