The big picture
Mark 4 opens in verse 1 with “And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 21 with “And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and…”, and closes in verse 41 with “And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that…” Repeated or prominent terms include hear, some, word, sown, earth. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
Mark · King James Version · 41Mark 4:1-7
1–7: He began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him…
Mark 4:1–7 opens with “And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude…” and reaches “And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus teaching parables from the boat and later sleeping during the storm before rebuking wind and sea, with particular weight carried by fell, some, earth.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered…” The line’s distinctive content terms include multitude, began, entered. Its relationship to verses 2 shows what work it does in this passage.
Mark 4:1-7
King James Version1And 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.
2And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,
3Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:
4And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
5And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
6But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.
7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.
Mark 4:8-14
8–14: Other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and…
Mark 4:8–14 opens with “And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought…” and reaches “The sower soweth the word.” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus teaching parables from the boat and later sleeping during the storm before rebuking wind and sea, with particular weight carried by hear, know, some.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and…” The number thirty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
Mark 4:8-14
King James Version8And 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.
9And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
10And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
11And 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:
12That 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.
13And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?
14The sower soweth the word.
Mark 4:15-21
15–21: These are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they…
Mark 4:15–21 opens with “And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan…” and reaches “And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus teaching parables from the boat and later sleeping during the storm before rebuking wind and sea, with particular weight carried by word, sown, immediately.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and…” Naming Satan keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
Mark 4:15-21
King James Version15And 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.
16And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;
17And 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.
18And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,
19And 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.
20And 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.
21And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?
Mark 4:22-28
22–28: For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any…
Mark 4:22–28 opens with “For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but…” and reaches “For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus teaching parables from the boat and later sleeping during the storm before rebuking wind and sea, with particular weight carried by hear, seed, abroad.
Context that brings the passage to life
“For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come…” This line supplies a reason, result, or conclusion. It should stay attached to the claim or action that gives it meaning.
“If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” The line’s distinctive content terms include hear, ears. Its relationship to verses 22 and 24 shows what work it does in this passage.
Mark 4:22-28
King James Version22For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad.
23If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
24And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.
25For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.
26And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
27And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
28For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
Mark 4:29-35
29–35: When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle…
Mark 4:29–35 opens with “But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest…” and reaches “And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus teaching parables from the boat and later sleeping during the storm before rebuking wind and sea, with particular weight carried by earth, sown, spake.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 1 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.” The line’s distinctive content terms include fruit, harvest, immediately. Its relationship to verses 30 shows what work it does in this passage.
Mark 4:29-35
King James Version29But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
30And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?
31It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
32But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
33And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.
34But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
35And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.
Mark 4:36-41
36–41: When they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in…
Mark 4:36–41 opens with “And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there…” and reaches “And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on Jesus teaching parables from the boat and later sleeping during the storm before rebuking wind and sea, with particular weight carried by wind, ship, arose.
Context that brings the passage to life
This block contains 3 explicit questions. They are more than punctuation: they reveal where a voice is searching, challenging, afraid, or trying to understand.
“And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him…” The line’s distinctive content terms include little, multitude, ship. Its relationship to verses 37 shows what work it does in this passage.
Mark 4:36-41
King James Version36And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.
37And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.
38And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
39And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
40And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?
41And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Details worth noticing
The opening image
Mark 4:1 begins with “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…”
Where the chapter turns
Mark 4:21 forms a natural hinge: “And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick?”
The final note
Mark 4:41 leaves the reader with “And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
A word trail through the chapter
The words hear, some, word, sown, earth, fruit help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What opportunity exists before the murder?
Cain receives a warning and a call to resist sin in verse 7. Anger is not treated as an irresistible excuse.
What do the two speeches about vengeance reveal?
God limits retaliation against Cain; Lamech celebrates escalation.
KJV words made clear
- behold
- look, or pay close attention
- unto
- to
- thou
- you
- hath
- has
- spake
- spoke
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.