MARK 4:28 Parallel Verse View

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Text critical issues=small word differences Clarity of original=clear Importance to us=normal (All still tentative.)

OET (OET-RV) The earth is designed to multiply the seed: first a sprout appears, then a bigger plant, and then the full head of grain.

Key: khaki:verbs, light-green:nominative/subject, orange:accusative/object, cyan:dative/indirect object.
Note: Automatic aligning of the OET-RV to the LV is done by some temporary software, hence the RV alignments are incomplete (and may occasionally be wrong).

ULT The soil produces a crop of its own accord: first a blade, then a head, then a mature grain in the head.

UST The plants grew out of the ground on their own. First, the stalks grew. Then, the parts where the seeds would appear grew. Finally, the grain seeds grew in that part.

BSB All by itself the earth produces a crop—first [the] stalk, then [the] head, then grain [that] ripens within.

MSB For[fn] all by itself the earth produces a crop—first [the] stalk, then [the] head, then grain [that] ripens within.

BLB Of itself, the earth brings forth fruit--first a plant, then an ear, then full grain in the ear.

AICNT The earth bears fruit automatically, first grass, then the stalk, then full grain in the stalk.

OEB The ground bears the crop of itself – first the blade, then the ear, and then the full grain in the ear;

WEBBE For the earth bears fruit by itself: first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.

WMBB (Same as above)

NET By itself the soil produces a crop, first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.

LSV for of itself the earth bears fruit, first a blade, afterward an ear, afterward full grain in the ear;

FBV The earth produces a harvest by itself. First a shoot appears, then the heads of grain, and then the heads of grain ripen.

TCNT [fn]For the earth produces a crop by itself: first the stalk, then the head, then the full grain in the head.

4:28 For the ¦ The CT

T4T First the stalks appeared. Then the heads appeared. Then the full kernels in the heads appeared.

LEB By itself the soil produces a crop: first the grass, then the head of grain, then the full grain in the head.

BBE The earth gives fruit by herself; first the leaf, then the head, then the full grain.

Moff (For the earth bears crops by itself, the blade first, the ear of corn next, and then the grain full in the ear.)

Wymth Of itself the land produces the crop— first the blade, then the ear; afterwards the perfect grain is seen in the ear.

ASV The earth beareth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.

DRA For the earth of itself bringeth forth fruit, first the blade, then the ear, afterwards the full corn in the ear.

YLT for of itself doth the earth bear fruit, first a blade, afterwards an ear, afterwards full corn in the ear;

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

RV The earth beareth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear.
(The earth beareth/bears fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear. )

SLT For the earth bears fruit spontaneously; first the grass, then the ear, then the full wheat in the ear.

Wbstr For the earth bringeth forth fruit of itself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

KJB-1769 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
( For the earth bringeth/brings forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear. )

KJB-1611 For the earth bringeth foorth fruite of herselfe, first the blade, then the eare, after that the full corne in the eare.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Bshps For the earth bringeth foorth fruite of her selfe, first the blade, then the eare, after that, the full corne in the eare.
(Modernised spelling is same as from KJB-1769 above, apart from punctuation)

Gnva For the earth bringeth foorth fruite of it selfe, first the blade, then the eares, after that full corne in the eares.
(For the earth bringeth/brings forth fruit of itself, first the blade, then the ears, after that full corn in the ears. )

Cvdl (For the earth bryngeth forth frute of her selfe: first the grasse, afterwarde the eare, then the full wheate in the eare)
((For the earth bringeth/brings forth fruit of herself: first the grass, afterward the ear, then the full wheat in the ear))

TNT For the erth bringeth forthe frute of her silfe: fyrst the blade then the eares after that full corne in the eares.
(For the earth bringeth/brings forth fruit of herself: first the blade then the ears after that full corn in the ears. )

Wycl For the erthe makith fruyt, first the gras, aftirward the ere, and aftir ful fruyt in the ere.
(For the earth maketh/makes fruit, first the grass, afterward the ere, and after full fruit in the ere.)

Luth Denn die Erde bringt von ihr selbst zum ersten das Gras, danach die Ähren, danach den vollen Weizen in den Ähren.
(Because the earth/land/ground brings from you(pl)/their/her himself/itself for_the first the grass, after/thereafter/then the ears_of_grain, after/thereafter/then the full wheat in the ears_of_grain.)

ClVg Ultro enim terra fructificat, primum herbam, deinde spicam, deinde plenum frumentum in spica.
(Ultro because earth/land bears_fruit, first grass, then/next ear_of_corn, then/next full corn in/into/on ear_of_corn. )

UGNT αὐτομάτη ἡ γῆ καρποφορεῖ: πρῶτον χόρτον, εἶτα στάχυν, εἶτα πλήρης σῖτον ἐν τῷ στάχυϊ.
(automataʸ haʸ gaʸ karpoforei: prōton ⱪorton, eita staⱪun, eita plaʸraʸs siton en tōi staⱪui.)

SBL-GNT ⸀αὐτομάτη ἡ γῆ καρποφορεῖ, πρῶτον χόρτον, ⸂εἶτα στάχυν, εἶτα⸃ ⸂πλήρης σῖτον⸃ ἐν τῷ στάχυϊ.
(⸀automataʸ haʸ gaʸ karpoforei, prōton ⱪorton, ⸂eita staⱪun, eita⸃ ⸂plaʸraʸs siton⸃ en tōi staⱪui.)

RP-GNT Αὐτομάτη γὰρ ἡ γῆ καρποφορεῖ, πρῶτον χόρτον, εἶτα στάχυν, εἶτα πλήρη σῖτον ἐν τῷ στάχυϊ.
(Automataʸ gar haʸ gaʸ karpoforei, prōton ⱪorton, eita staⱪun, eita plaʸraʸ siton en tōi staⱪui.)

TC-GNT Αὐτομάτη [fn]γὰρ ἡ γῆ καρποφορεῖ, πρῶτον χόρτον, [fn]εἶτα στάχυν, εἶτα [fn]πλήρη σῖτον ἐν τῷ στάχυϊ.
(Automataʸ gar haʸ gaʸ karpoforei, prōton ⱪorton, eita staⱪun, eita plaʸraʸ siton en tōi staⱪui. )

4:28 γαρ ¦ — CT

4:28 ειτα … ειτα ¦ ειτεν … ειτεν WH

4:28 πληρη ¦ πληρης ECM NA SBL

Key for above GNTs: red:words differ (from our SR-GNT base).

SOTN SIL Open Translation Notes:

Section 4:26–29: Jesus told the parable of the sprouting seeds

This parable compares the kingdom of God to seeds. Seeds are planted, they sprout and grow and produce their own seeds (4:27–29a). The man who planted the seeds expects all this to happen but does not know how it happens (4:27c, 29b–c). In the same way, the followers of Jesus will grow in number and spiritual maturity, but people outside of the kingdom of God do not know how that happens. The identity of the man in the parable is not a part of the teaching of the parable. The man should not be compared to God in your translation.

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 of the sprouting seeds

Jesus compared the kingdom of God to plants growing from seeds to harvest

There are no direct parallel passages for this section. Some similar terms are used in Matthew 13:24–30.

4:28a

All by itself the earth produces a crop—

The soil/ground, on its own, causes the seeds to become plants:
The soil itself makes the seeds grow.

All by itself the earth produces a crop: The Greek words that the BSB translates as All by itself the earth produces a crop is literally: “The soil on its own bears fruit.” This expression indicates that the soil causes the seeds to become plants and causes them to grow. The man does not help the soil in this process.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

The soil itself makes the plants grow and bear fruit (GNT)

The land on its own causes the seeds to become plants and mature

4:28b–c

first the stalk, then the head, then grain that ripens within: These events describe the steps in the overall growth of the grain plant mentioned in 4:28a.

The BSB indicates the connection between 4:28a and 4:28b–c with the long dash (—) at the end of 4:28a. It does not make 4:28b–c a complete sentence. Other English versions begin a new sentence here. For example, the GW says:

First the green blade appears, then the head, then the head full of grain.

Connect 4:28b–c to 4:28a in a way that is natural in your language.

4:28b

first the stalk, then the head,

first the stalk, then the head/pod,
First the blade grows/appears, and then the head grows/appears,

first the stalk: The Greek word that the BSB translates as the stalk is literally “grass.” (Since wheat plants are similar to grass, the young plants look like grass at first.) In this context, this word refers to the first thing that grows out of the ground from the seed. This is called the “shoot,” “blade,” or “stalk.”

There is no verb here in the Greek. If you translate this as a sentence, you should use a verb that refers to a young plant coming out of the ground. Here are some examples:

first it grows stalks/shoots

First the green blade appears (GW)

First a leaf blade pushes through (NLT)

the head: The Greek word that the BSB literally translates as head refers to the beginning of the head of grain (4:28c). Use a proper expression for that meaning. Here are some examples:

the pod

the top

It may be more natural in your language to include the stalk upon which the head forms. For example:

the stalk and the head

4:28c

then grain that ripens within.

then full heads of grain.
then the mature grain in the head grows/appears.

grain that ripens within: The Greek word that the BSB translates as grain that ripens within refers to a fully-formed head of grain. At this point, the individual grains/kernels have grown. The wheat or grain is almost ready for harvest.

Here are some other ways to translate this:

the head full of grain (GNT)

the full kernel in the head (NIV)

mature grain in the head

There is no verb in the Greek here. If you translate this phrase as a sentence, you should include a verb similar to the verb that the BSB translates as “produces” in 4:28a. For example:

and finally the grain ripens (NLT)

the kernels/seeds develop/mature

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / personification

ἡ γῆ καρποφορεῖ

(Some words not found in SR-GNT: αὐτομάτη Ἡ γῆ καρποφορεῖ πρῶτον χόρτον εἶτα στάχυν εἶτα πλήρης σῖτον ἐν τῷ στάχυϊ)

Here, Jesus speaks of The soil as if it were a person who could produce a crop. He means that the plants grow out of the soil and produce a crop. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [The crop grows from the soil] or [Each plant sprouts out of the soil to produce a crop]

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / idiom

αὐτομάτη

automatic

Here, the phrase of its own accord indicates that the soil produced the crop without help or assistance from anyone. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use a comparable phrase or state the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: [by itself] or [without any help]

Note 3 topic: translate-unknown

χόρτον

˓a˒_blade

Here, the word blade refers to a leaf of the grain plant. This is the first part of the plant that comes up through the soil. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use the name of something similar in your area or you could use a more general term. Alternate translation: [a leaf] or [a sprout]

Note 4 topic: translate-unknown

στάχυν & τῷ στάχυϊ

˓a˒_head_of_grain & the head_of_grain

The head is the topmost part of the grain plant. The head holds the mature grain or seeds of the plant, which are the parts that people eat. If it would be helpful in your language, you could state this more explicitly. Alternate translation: [the top of the grain plant … the top of the grain plant] or [the edible part of the grain plant … the edible part of the grain plant]

πλήρης σῖτον

full grain

Alternate translation: [full-grown grain] or [grain that is ready to eat]

Parallel MARK 4:28

Section 4:26–29: Jesus told the parable of the sprouting seeds

4:28a

4:28b–c

4:28b

4:28c