Chapter 4

  And again he began to teach by the sea. And a great crowd was gathered together to him, so that going on board ship he sat in the sea, and all the crowd were close to the sea on the land.  

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  And he taught them many things in parables. And he said to them in his doctrine,  

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  Hearken: Behold, the sower went forth to sow.  

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  And it came to pass as he sowed, one fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured it.  

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  And another fell on the rocky ground, where it had not much earth, and immediately it sprung up out [of the ground] because it had no depth of earth;  

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  and when the sun arose it was burnt up, and because of its not having any root, it withered.  

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  And another fell among the thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.  

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  And another fell into the good ground, and yielded fruit, growing up and increasing; and bore, one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred.  

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  And he said, He that has ears to hear, let him hear.  

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  And when he was alone, those about him with the twelve asked him [as to] the parables.  

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  And he said to them, To you is given [to know] the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to them who are without, all things are done in parables,  

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  that beholding they may behold and not see, and hearing they may hear and not understand, lest it may be, they should be converted and they should be forgiven.  

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  And he says to them, Do ye not know this parable? and how will ye be acquainted with all the parables?  

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  The sower sows the word:  

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  and these are they by the wayside where the word is sown, and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.  

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  And these are they in like manner who are sown upon the rocky places, who when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy,  

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  and they have no root in themselves, but are for a time: then, tribulation arising, or persecution on account of the word, immediately they are offended.  

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  And others are they who are sown among the thorns: these are they who have heard the word,  

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  and the cares of life, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things, entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.  

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  And these are they who have been sown on the good ground, such as hear the word and receive it, and bear fruit; one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred [fold].  

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  And he said to them, Does the lamp come that it should be put under the bushel or under the couch? [Is it] not that it should be set upon the lamp-stand?  

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  For there is nothing hidden which shall not be made manifest; nor does any secret thing take place, but that it should come to light.  

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  If any one have ears to hear, let him hear.  

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  And he said to them, Take heed what ye hear; with what measure ye mete, it shall be meted to you; and there shall be [more] added to you.  

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  For whosoever has, to him shall be given; and he who has not, even what he has shall be taken from him.  

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  And he said, Thus is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast the seed upon the earth,  

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  and should sleep and rise up night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he does not know how.  

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  The earth bears fruit of itself, first [the] blade, then an ear, then full corn in the ear.  

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  But when the fruit is produced, immediately he sends the sickle, for the harvest is come.  

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  And he said, How should we liken the kingdom of God, or with what comparison should we compare it?  

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  As to a grain of mustard [seed], which, when it is sown upon the earth, is less than all seeds which are upon the earth,  

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  and when it has been sown, mounts up and becomes greater than all herbs, and produces great branches, so that the birds of heaven can roost under its shadow.  

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  And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear,  

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  but without a parable spoke he not to them; and in private he explained all things to his disciples.  

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  And on that day, when evening was come, he says to them, Let us go over to the other side:  

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  and having sent away the crowd, they take him with [them], as he was, in the ship. But other ships also were with him.  

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  And there comes a violent gust of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it already filled.  

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  And he was in the stern sleeping on the cushion. And they awake him up and say to him, Teacher, dost thou not care that we are perishing?  

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  And awaking up he rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, Silence; be mute. And the wind fell, and there was a great calm.  

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  And he said to them, Why are ye [thus] fearful? how [is it] ye have not faith?  

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  And they feared [with] great fear, and said one to another, Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?  

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