Open Bible Data Home About News OET Key
OET OET-RV OET-LV ULT UST BSB MSB BLB AICNT OEB WEBBE WMBB NET LSV FBV TCNT T4T LEB BBE Moff JPS Wymth ASV DRA YLT Drby RV SLT Wbstr KJB-1769 KJB-1611 Bshps Gnva Cvdl TNT Wycl SR-GNT UHB BrLXX BrTr Related Topics Parallel Interlinear Reference Dictionary Search
InterlinearVerse GEN EXO LEV NUM DEU JOB JOS JDG RUTH 1 SAM 2 SAM PSA AMOS HOS 1 KI 2 KI 1 CHR 2 CHR PROV ECC SNG JOEL MIC ISA ZEP HAB JER LAM YNA (JNA) NAH OBA DAN EZE EZRA EST NEH HAG ZEC MAL LAO GES LES ESG DNG 2 PS TOB JDT WIS SIR BAR LJE PAZ SUS BEL MAN 1 MAC 2 MAC 3 MAC 4 MAC YHN (JHN) MARK MAT LUKE ACTs YAC (JAM) GAL 1 TH 2 TH 1 COR 2 COR ROM COL PHM EPH PHP 1 TIM TIT 1 PET 2 PET 2 TIM HEB YUD (JUD) 1 YHN (1 JHN) 2 YHN (2 JHN) 3 YHN (3 JHN) REV
Mark C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9 C10 C11 C12 C13 C14 C15 C16
Mark 4 V1 V3 V5 V7 V9 V11 V13 V15 V17 V19 V21 V23 V25 V27 V29 V31 V35 V37 V39 V41
OET (OET-LV) And with_ many _such parables, he_was_speaking the message to_them, as they_were_able to_be_hearing,
OET (OET-RV) And so as much as they could handle it, Yeshua shared the good message with them via many similar word pictures.
This parable compares the kingdom of God to a mustard seed. The parable illustrates how God’s kingdom will grow from a very small beginning to a very large size.
It is good to translate this section before you decide on a heading for it.
Here are some other possible headings for this section:
The parable about a mustard seed
Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a tiny seed that grows into a big shrub/bush
The mustard seed parable/story/illustration
There are parallel passages for this section in Matthew 13:31–34 and Luke 13:18–19.
With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them,
¶ Many parables like that one are what Jesus used when he spoke/taught the word of God to the people,
¶ Jesus spoke/taught God’s message to the crowds with/using many similar parables,
With many such parables Jesus spoke the word to them: The phrase With many such parables is emphasized in the Greek by being first in the clause. English can emphasize phrases in the same way, so the BSB put this phrase first. If you have a natural way to emphasize this phrase, you may want to do so.
parables: The Greek word that the BSB translates as parables is literally “comparisons.” Parables teach a lesson or truth by showing how it is like something that people already know about. In this chapter Jesus used several types of parables, including a symbolic story, metaphors, and wise sayings.
Here are some ways to translate parables in this context:
Use a general term in your language that can be used to describe the different types of parables in this chapter. Some English examples are:
illustrations
metaphors
Use a descriptive term. For example:
symbolic sayings/words/stories
Use more than one word or descriptive term for the different types of parables that Jesus used. For example:
such stories and illustrations (NLT96)
symbols and sayings
See also parable, Type 2, in the Glossary.
the word: The phrase the word refers to “the word of God” or “God’s message.” This same phrase occurs in 4:14. Translate it here in the same way as you did there.
them: The word them refers here to the crowds who listened to Jesus. It does not refer only to the disciples. You may want to make that clear in your translation. For example:
the people (GNT)
the crowd (NCV)
to the extent that they could understand.
as much as they could accept/understand.
as long as they were willing to listen to them.
He spoke as many parables as they could pay attention to.
to the extent that they could understand: The Greek word that the BSB translates as understand is literally “hear,” as in the RSV. In this context, the word “hear” is used figuratively to mean “receive” or “understand.” The people were certainly capable of literally hearing what Jesus said.These figurative meanings do not conflict with the statement in 4:34b that Jesus later explained everything to his disciples. Most scholars mention that there were differing degrees of understanding. Jesus continued to teach people as long as they were willing to listen and had at least a limited understanding of what he was trying to say. Later, he explained the meaning of the parables in greater depth to his disciples.
This figurative meaning may be expressed in different ways. For example:
so far as they were able to receive it (REB)
so far as they were capable of understanding it (NJB)
as long as they were willing to listen
Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy
τὸν λόγον
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί τοιαύταις παραβολαῖς πολλαῖς ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς τόν λόγον καθώς ἠδύναντο ἀκούειν)
Mark is using the term word to mean the gospel, which Jesus preached using words. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [the gospel]
Note 2 topic: writing-pronouns
αὐτοῖς
˱to˲_them
The pronoun them refers to the people who were there with him, not just the disciples. If this is not clear for your readers, you could refer to these people more directly. Alternate translation: [to the crowds] or [to the people who were near him]
Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
καθὼς ἠδύναντο ἀκούειν
(Some words not found in SR-GNT: Καί τοιαύταις παραβολαῖς πολλαῖς ἐλάλει αὐτοῖς τόν λόγον καθώς ἠδύναντο ἀκούειν)
Here Mark could mean that: (1) Jesus told his audience as much as he knew that they could hear. Alternate translation: [teaching them all the things that they were able to hear] (2) Jesus spoke to his audience in a way that he knew they could hear. Alternate translation: [teaching them in a way that they could hear]
Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / explicit
ἀκούειν
˓to_be˒_hearing
Here Mark uses the word hear to refer to both hearing and understanding. If it would be helpful in your language, you could make that idea more explicit. Alternate translation: [to realize what he meant]
4:1-34 In this section Mark collects a number of Jesus’ teaching parables.
OET (OET-LV) And with_ many _such parables, he_was_speaking the message to_them, as they_were_able to_be_hearing,
OET (OET-RV) And so as much as they could handle it, Yeshua shared the good message with them via many similar word pictures.
Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.
Acknowledgements: The SR Greek text, lemmas, morphology, and VLT gloss are all thanks to the CNTR.