Helpfinder Sampler - Flipbook - Page 22
MAR K 4
watched him closely. If he healed the man’s
hand, they planned to accuse him of working
on the Sabbath.
3 Jesus said to the man with the deformed
hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.”
4 Then he turned to his critics and asked, “Does
the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is
it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life
or to destroy it?” But they wouldn’t answer him.
5 He looked around at them angrily and was
deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he
said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the
man held out his hand, and it was restored! 6 At
once the Pharisees went away and met with the
supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus.
Crowds Follow Jesus
7 Jesus went out to the lake with his disciples,
and a large crowd followed him. They came
from all over Galilee, Judea, 8 Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even
from as far north as Tyre and Sidon. The news
about his miracles had spread far and wide, and
vast numbers of people came to see him.
9 Jesus instructed his disciples to have a
boat ready so the crowd would not crush him.
10 He had healed many people that day, so all
the sick people eagerly pushed forward to
touch him. 11 And whenever those possessed
by evil* spirits caught sight of him, the spirits
would throw them to the ground in front of him
shrieking, “You are the Son of God!” 12 But Jesus
sternly commanded the spirits not to reveal who
he was.
Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles
13 Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and
called out the ones he wanted to go with him.
And they came to him. 14 Then he appointed
twelve of them and called them his apostles.*
They were to accompany him, and he would
send them out to preach, 15 giving them authority to cast out demons. 16 These are the twelve
he chose:
17
18
19
Simon (whom he named Peter),
James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus
nicknamed them “Sons of Thunder”*),
Andrew,
Philip,
Bartholomew,
Matthew,
Thomas,
James (son of Alphaeus),
Thaddaeus,
Simon (the zealot*),
Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).
Jesus and the Prince of Demons
20 One time Jesus entered a house, and the
crowds began to gather again. Soon he and his
disciples couldn’t even find time to eat. 21 When
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his family heard what was happening, they
tried to take him away. “He’s out of his mind,”
they said.
22 But the teachers of religious law who had
arrived from Jerusalem said, “He’s possessed by
Satan,* the prince of demons. That’s where he
gets the power to cast out demons.”
23 Jesus called them over and responded with
an illustration. “How can Satan cast out Satan?” he asked. 24 “A kingdom divided by civil
war will collapse. 25 Similarly, a family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 26 And if Satan
is divided and fights against himself, how can
he stand? He would never survive. 27 Let me illustrate this further. Who is powerful enough
to enter the house of a strong man and plunder
his goods? Only someone even stronger—someone who could tie him up and then plunder
his house.
28 “I tell you the truth, all sin and blasphemy
can be forgiven, 29 but anyone who blasphemes
the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. This is a
sin with eternal consequences.” 30 He told them
this because they were saying, “He’s possessed
by an evil spirit.”
The True Family of Jesus
31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see
him. They stood outside and sent word for him
to come out and talk with them. 32 There was a
crowd sitting around Jesus, and someone said,
“Your mother and your brothers* are outside
asking for you.”
33 Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are
my brothers?” 34 Then he looked at those around
him and said, “Look, these are my mother and
brothers. 35 Anyone who does God’s will is my
brother and sister and mother.”
Parable of the Farmer Scattering Seed
Once again Jesus began teaching by the
lakeshore. A very large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then
he sat in the boat while all the people remained
on the shore. 2 He taught them by telling many
stories in the form of parables, such as this one:
3 “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some
seed. 4 As he scattered it across his field, some of
the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came
and ate it. 5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with
underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow. 6 But the plant soon
wilted under the hot sun, and since it didn’t
have deep roots, it died. 7 Other seed fell among
thorns that grew up and choked out the tender
plants so they produced no grain. 8 Still other
4
3:11 Greek unclean; also in 3:30. 3:14 Some manuscripts do
not include and called them his apostles. 3:17 Greek whom he
named Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder. 3:18 Greek
the Cananean, an Aramaic term for Jewish nationalists.
3:22 Greek Beelzeboul; other manuscripts read Beezeboul;
Latin version reads Beelzebub. 3:32 Some manuscripts add
and sisters.
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seeds fell on fertile soil, and they sprouted,
grew, and produced a crop that was thirty, sixty,
and even a hundred times as much as had been
planted!” 9 Then he said, “Anyone with ears to
hear should listen and understand.”
10 Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve
disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables
meant.
11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret* of the Kingdom of God. But
I use parables for everything I say to outsiders,
12 so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:
‘When they see what I do,
they will learn nothing.
When they hear what I say,
they will not understand.
Otherwise, they will turn to me
and be forgiven.’*”
13 Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you
understand all the other parables? 14 The farmer
plants seed by taking God’s word to others.
15 The seed that fell on the footpath represents
those who hear the message, only to have Satan
come at once and take it away. 16 The seed on the
rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. 17 But
since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t
last long. They fall away as soon as they have
problems or are persecuted for believing God’s
word. 18 The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, 19 but all
too quickly the message is crowded out by the
worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the
desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.
20 And the seed that fell on good soil represents
those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred
times as much as had been planted!”
Parable of the Lamp
21 Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a
lamp and then put it under a basket or under a
bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand,
where its light will shine. 22 For everything that
is hidden will eventually be brought into the
open, and every secret will be brought to light.
23 Anyone with ears to hear should listen and
understand.”
24 Then he added, “Pay close attention to
what you hear. The closer you listen, the more
understanding you will be given*—and you will
receive even more. 25 To those who listen to my
teaching, more understanding will be given.
But for those who are not listening, even what
little understanding they have will be taken
away from them.”
4:11 Greek mystery. 4:12 Isa 6:9-10 (Greek version). 4:24 Or
The measure you give will be the measure you get back.
Parable of the Growing Seed
26 Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of God is like a
farmer who scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night
and day, while he’s asleep or awake, the seed
sprouts and grows, but he does not understand
how it happens. 28 The earth produces the crops
on its own. First a leaf blade pushes through,
then the heads of wheat are formed, and finally
the grain ripens. 29 And as soon as the grain is
ready, the farmer comes and harvests it with a
sickle, for the harvest time has come.”
Parable of the Mustard Seed
30 Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom
of God? What story should I use to illustrate it?
31 It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground.
It is the smallest of all seeds, 32 but it becomes
the largest of all garden plants; it grows long
branches, and birds can make nests in its
shade.”
33 Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they
could understand. 34 In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables;
but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.
Jesus Calms the Storm
35 As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples,
“Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” 36 So
they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats
followed). 37 But soon a fierce storm came up.
High waves were breaking into the boat, and it
began to fill with water.
38 Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat
with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke
him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that
we’re going to drown?”
39 When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind
and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great
calm. 40 Then he asked them, “Why are you
afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
41 The disciples were absolutely terrified.
• Success
M ARK 4: 19
When we turn our eyes from the Lord to
worldly attractions, we divert not only our
eyes but also our energy. Our lust, pride,
and desire for possessions will smother
our spiritual successes and other areas
of achievement as well. The best way
to keep other things from crowding
out God’s Word is to keep God’s Word
regularly before us.
