\subsection{Mark 4}
\subsubsection{Parable of the Sower}
\VS{1} And again he began to be teaching by the sea. And [an] exceedingly great crowd 
was gathered to him, so that having embarked he was sitting in [a] boat in the 
sea, and the crowd was on the land facing the sea. 
\VS{2} And he was 
teaching them many [things] in parables, and he was saying to them in his teaching: 
\VS{3} Be listening: Behold the [one] sowing came out to sow. 
\VS{4} And it came 
to pass while sowing some fell beside the road, and the birds came and 
devoured it. 
\VS{5} And other [seed] fell upon the rocky [places], where it was not having 
much soil\fnGe{}, and immediately it sprang up because it was not having depth of 
earth\fnGe{}. 
\VS{6} And when the sun rose it was burned up, and because it was not 
having root it was withered. 
\VS{7} And other [seed] fell into thorns, and the 
thorns came up and choked it, and it gave no fruit. 
\VS{8} And others fell 
into the good soil\fnGe{} and coming up and growing it was giving fruit and it was 
bearing to thirty[fold] and within sixty and within hundred[fold]. 
\VS{9} And he was saying: He who has ears to be hearing, let him be 
hearing\fnImperative{}. 

\subsubsection{The Purpose of Parables}
\VS{10} And when he came to be alone, those around him with the twelve were 
asking him with regard to the parables. 
\VS{11} And he was saying to them: 
To you the mystery of the Kingdom of God has been given, to those outside 
all things come\footnote{or ``are given'' } in parables, 
\VS{12} in order that\footnote{Isa.6:9-10}

\begin{verse}
Looking they look and may not see \\
And hearing they hear and may not understand \\
Lest ever they turn around and he forgive them.
\end{verse}

\VS{13} And he says to them: You do not know this parable, how also will you 
know all the parables? 
\VS{14} The sower sows the word. 
\VS{15} But these 
are those beside the road, how the word is sown, and when they hear, 
immediately Satan comes and takes the word having been sown in them. 
\VS{16} And these being sown upon the rocky [places] are likewise, which when they hear the 
word, immediately they receive it with joy. 
\VS{17} And they have no root in 
themselves, but are temporary, then [when] tribulation or persecution comes 
because of the word, they stumble. 
\VS{18} And these are those being sown 
into the thorns, these are those having heard the word, 
\VS{19} and [when] the 
cares of the age and the deceitfulness of wealth and the lusts [about] the rest 
enter, they choke the word, and it becomes fruitless. 
\VS{20} And these are 
those having been sown upon the good soil\fnGe{}, which hear the word and receive 
[it] and bear fruit in thirty and in sixty and in a hundred. 

\subsubsection{The Parable of the Lamp}
\VS{21} And he says 
to them that: Does [a] lamp come in order that it be placed under the bushel or 
under the bed? Is it not in order that it be placed upon the lampstand? 
\VS{22} For is anything hidden if not in order that it be revealed? 
\VS{23} If anyone has ears to be hearing, let him be hearing\fnImperative{}. 
\VS{24} And he says to them: Be watching what you are hearing. With what 
measure you measure it shall be measured to you, and shall be put to you. 
\VS{25} For whoever has, it shall be given to him, and whoever does not 
have, even what he has shall be taken away.

\subsubsection{The Parable of the Growing Seed} 
\VS{26} And he was saying: The 
Kingdom of God is thus, as [a] man throws the seed upon the earth\fnGe{} 
\VS{27} and 
he sleeps and gets up night and day, the seed sprouts and grows when he did 
not know it. 
\VS{28} By itself the land bears fruit, first grass, then [an] 
ear, then full grain on the ear. 
\VS{29} When the fruit permits, immediately 
he sends the sickle because the harvest has come.

\subsubsection{The Parable of the Mustard Seed} 
\VS{30} And he was saying: 
How shall I liken the Kingdom of God? or by means of what shall I set it 
forth in [a] parable? 
\VS{31} As with [a] grain of mustard, which when sown upon 
the ground, being smaller than all the seeds upon the ground, 
\VS{32} and when 
sown, it comes up and becomes [the] greater of all the herbs, and it produces 
great branches, so that the birds of heaven are able to be dwelling under 
its shadow. 

\subsubsection{The Use of Parables}
\VS{33} And he was speaking to them the word with many such 
parables, just as they were able to be hearing, 
\VS{34} but without parables 
he was not speaking to them, but privately he was explaining everything to 
his own disciples. 

\subsubsection{Stilling of a Storm}
\VS{35} And he says to them in that day, evening having 
come: Go through to the other side. 
\VS{36} And the crowd having departed 
they took him with them as he was in the boat, and another boat was with 
him. 
\VS{37} And there comes [a] great hurricane of wind, and the waves were 
casting into the boat, so that already the boat was being filled. 
\VS{38} 
And he himself was in the stern upon the cushion sleeping. And they rouse 
him and say to him: Teacher, is it of no concern to you that we are 
perishing? 
\VS{39} And having been awakened he rebuked the wind and said to 
the sea: Be still, be silent. And the wind ceased, and there came [a] great 
calm. 
\VS{40} And he said to them: Are you such cowards in this manner? How 
do you have no faith? 
\VS{41} And they were afraid with [a] great fear, and 
were saying to one another: What then is this [one], that even the wind and the 
sea obey him?