THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK

THE NEW TESTAMENT
TRANSLATED FROM
THE SYRIAC PESHITO VERSION BY JAMES MURDOCK

Chapter 4

(Mar 4:1) And again he began to teach by the side of the sea. And great multitudes were assembled about him; so that he embarked and sat in a ship on the sea, and all the multitude stood on the land by the side of the sea.

(Mar 4:2) And he taught them much by similitudes. And in his teaching, he said:

(Mar 4:3) Hear ye: Behold a sower went forth to sow.

(Mar 4:4) And as he sowed, some [seed] fell on the side of the path; and a bird came, and devoured it.

(Mar 4:5) And other [seed] fell on a rock, so that it had not much earth; and it soon shot up, because it had no depth of earth.

(Mar 4:6) But when the sun was up, it wilted; and because it had no root, it dried up.

(Mar 4:7) And other [seed] fell among thorns. And the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruits.

(Mar 4:8) And other [seed] fell on good ground, and came up, and grew, and yielded fruits; some thirty, some sixty, and some a hundred.

(Mar 4:9) And he said: Whoever hath ears to hear, let him hear.

(Mar 4:10) And when they were by themselves, those with him, together with the twelve, asked him [concerning] this similitude.

(Mar 4:11) And Jesus said to them: To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to them without, all is in similitudes:

(Mar 4:12) that when they see, they may see and not see, and when they hear, they may hear and not understand; lest they should be converted, and their sins be forgiven them.

(Mar 4:13) And he said to them: Do ye not understand this similitude? And how will ye understand all similitudes?

(Mar 4:14) The sower that sowed, sowed the word.

(Mar 4:15) And those by the side of the path, are they in whom the word is sown; and as soon as they have heard [it], Satan cometh, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

(Mar 4:16) And those sown on the rock, are they who, when they hear the word, immediately with joy receive it.

(Mar 4:17) And they have no root in them, but are temporary; and when there is affliction or persecution on account of the word, they are quickly stumbled.

(Mar 4:18) And those sown among thorns, are they that hear the word,

(Mar 4:19) and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the residue of other lusts enter in and choke the word, and it is without fruits.

(Mar 4:20) And those sown on good ground are they that hear the word, and receive it, and bear fruits, by thirties, and by sixties, and by hundreds.

(Mar 4:21) And he said to them: Is a lamp brought to be placed under a bushel, or under a bed? Is it not to be placed on a light-stand?

(Mar 4:22) For there is nothing hid, which will not be exposed; and nothing concealed, which will not be made manifest.

(Mar 4:23) If any one have ears to hear, let him hear.

(Mar 4:24) And he said to them: Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye measure, it shall be measured to you: and there shall more be given to you who hear.

(Mar 4:25) For to him that hath, will more be given; and from him that hath not, even what he hath, will be taken from him.

(Mar 4:26) And he said: So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground,

(Mar 4:27) and should sleep and rise, by night and by day, and the seed should grow and shoot up, he knoweth not how.

(Mar 4:28) For the earth bringeth forth the fruit; first the plant, and subsequently the ear, and at last the complete wheat in the ear.

(Mar 4:29) And when the fruit is ripe, immediately cometh the sickle, because the harvest hath arrived.

(Mar 4:30) And he said: To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? and with what similitude shall we compare it?

(Mar 4:31) It is like a grain of mustard seed which, when it is sown in the earth, is the least of all seeds sown on the earth;

(Mar 4:32) and when it is sown it springeth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and produceth great branches, so that birds can lodge under its shadow.

(Mar 4:33) And by many such similitudes, similitudes such as they could hear, Jesus discoursed with the people.

(Mar 4:34) And without similitudes he did not converse with them: but to his disciples, between himself and them, he explained every thing.

(Mar 4:35) And he said to them, the same day at evening: Let us pass over to the other side.

(Mar 4:36) And they sent away the multitudes: and they conducted him in the ship as he was. And there were also with him other little ships.

(Mar 4:37) And there was a great tempest and wind: and the waves beat upon the ship, and it was near being filled.

(Mar 4:38) And Jesus was asleep on a pillow in the hinder part of the ship. And they came and awoke him, and said to him: Our Rabbi, carest thou not, that we perish?

(Mar 4:39) And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea: Cease; be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

(Mar 4:40) And he said to them: Why were ye so fearful? and why have ye not faith?

(Mar 4:41) And they feared with great fear: and they said, one to another: Who is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!