Mark 4:27 kjv
And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
Mark 4:27 nkjv
and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how.
Mark 4:27 niv
Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.
Mark 4:27 esv
He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.
Mark 4:27 nlt
Night and day, while he's asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens.
Mark 4 27 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Mk 4:11 | And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God... | The Kingdom's true nature is a revealed mystery. |
| 1 Cor 3:6-7 | I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. | God is the source of spiritual growth, not human labor. |
| Isa 55:11 | So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. | God's Word has inherent power and efficacy. |
| Heb 4:12 | For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword... | The vitality and dynamic nature of the divine Word. |
| Lk 8:11 | Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. | Jesus identifies the seed directly as the Word of God. |
| 1 Pet 1:23 | having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever... | Spiritual rebirth comes through the enduring Word. |
| Jas 1:21 | Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. | The Word is planted and contains salvific power. |
| Jn 3:27 | John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.” | All effective spiritual work is heaven-granted. |
| Phil 2:13 | for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. | God's work within believers drives their spiritual activity. |
| Rom 11:33 | Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! | God's ways are beyond human comprehension. |
| Deut 29:29 | The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever... | There are aspects of God's work that remain hidden. |
| Psa 127:1 | Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. | Human efforts are futile without divine enablement. |
| Zech 4:6 | ...’Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts. | Spiritual outcomes are by God's Spirit, not human force. |
| Mt 13:31-32 | Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field... | Illustrates the small beginnings and significant growth of the Kingdom. |
| Mk 4:30-32 | Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it?... | The Mustard Seed parable in Mark emphasizes organic growth. |
| Jas 5:7-8 | Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it... | Christian patience reflects the farmer's patient waiting for growth. |
| Hab 2:3 | For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry. | God's plans unfold in His perfect timing, requiring patient waiting. |
| Eccl 11:5 | As you do not know the way of the wind, or how the bones grow in the womb of her who is pregnant, so you do not know the works of God who makes everything. | Human inability to fully comprehend natural and divine processes. |
| Rom 9:16 | So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. | Spiritual fruitfulness is God's initiative, not human will or effort. |
| Psa 119:105 | Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. | God's Word illuminates and empowers life. |
| Jer 23:29 | “Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?" | The powerful, transformative nature of God's Word. |
| Mt 13:23 | But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces... | The Word, when received well, naturally produces fruit. |
Mark 4 verses
Mark 4 27 Meaning
The verse describes the farmer's routine of sleeping and rising daily while the sown seed independently germinates and develops, without the farmer understanding the precise mechanics of its growth. This illustrates a profound truth about the Kingdom of God: once the "seed" (God's Word) is sown, its growth and expansion are not primarily dependent on human effort or comprehension but rather on a mysterious, inherent, and divine power that works spontaneously.
Mark 4 27 Context
Mark chapter 4 is dedicated to Jesus teaching parables about the Kingdom of God. It commences with the foundational Parable of the Sower, which describes how the "Word" (the Kingdom message) is received differently depending on the "soil" (the hearer's heart). The Parable of the Growing Seed, where Mark 4:27 is found, directly follows, offering another dimension to the Kingdom's nature. This parable focuses less on the reception and more on the inherent power and mysterious growth of the sown Word itself. For the original agrarian audience, these parables grounded spiritual truths in familiar agricultural experiences, portraying God's Kingdom as an organic entity that expands by divine power rather than human force. This subtle shift would counter any contemporary expectations of an immediate, outwardly impressive Kingdom built solely through visible human actions.
Mark 4 27 Word analysis
- and sleeps (καὶ καθεύδῃ - kai katheudy): "Sleeps" signifies a natural, routine human action—taking rest from labor. In the context of the parable, it highlights that the farmer does not continually tend to the seed; his direct work concludes with the sowing, underscoring that the subsequent growth occurs independently of his constant involvement.
- and rises (καὶ ἐγείρηται - kai egeirētai): This indicates the farmer's return to his daily activities. Paired with "sleeps," it establishes a rhythm of normal life, further emphasizing that the seed's development is separate from the farmer's focused, waking efforts or active interventions after sowing.
- night and day (νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν - nykta kai hēmeran): This phrase points to the continuous passage of time and the ongoing, natural cycle of life. It implies that the unseen, mysterious growth of the seed (and the Kingdom) proceeds ceaselessly, unaffected by human awareness or active participation.
- and the seed (καὶ ὁ σπόρος - kai ho sporos): "The seed" unequivocally refers to the Word of God or the message of the Kingdom of God, consistent with Jesus' own explanation in Luke 8:11. It contains within itself the innate power and potential for spiritual life and development.
- sprouts (βλαστάνῃ - blastanē): This Greek word describes the initial act of germination—when the tiny plant first pushes through the soil. It signifies the commencement of new life from within the seed, portraying the start of the Kingdom's impact.
- and grows (καὶ μηκύνηται - kai mēkynetai): Meaning to lengthen or increase, this term signifies the progressive development and enlargement of the plant. It illustrates the ongoing, vital expansion and maturation of the Kingdom of God after its initial emergence.
- how he himself does not know (ὡς οὐκ οἶδεν αὐτός - hōs ouk oiden autos): This critical clause emphasizes the mystery of the growth process. The "how" points to the methods and underlying forces that are beyond human understanding and control. It highlights the divine, sovereign, and incomprehensible nature of the Kingdom's unfolding, attributing its expansion to God rather than human ingenuity or full comprehension.
Words-group by words-group analysis
- "and sleeps and rises night and day": This phrase depicts the farmer engaged in his normal, daily routine. It signifies that once the spiritual "seed" (God's Word) is sown, its growth does not rely on human, tireless observation or ceaseless intervention. The sower fulfills their responsibility of sowing, then God sovereignly orchestrates the vital process of growth, even during periods of human rest or attention elsewhere.
- "and the seed sprouts and grows": This segment shifts focus entirely to the inherent power and self-generating capacity of the seed itself. The passive-sounding description ("sprouts and grows") indicates an internal, organic process at work. This parallels the organic, living, and often imperceptible advancement of God's Kingdom through the innate power of His Word, not through a mechanistic system driven solely by human effort.
- "how he himself does not know": This profound declaration highlights a crucial theological truth: the mechanisms and deeper workings of God's Kingdom expansion are often mysterious and beyond human intellect. It underscores divine sovereignty and wisdom, providing comfort to those who faithfully sow the Word without necessarily seeing or understanding every step of the resultant spiritual growth. It curbs human pride by indicating that the success is not due to human wisdom, but divine power.
Mark 4 27 Bonus section
This verse implicitly challenges any human-centric view of ministry or Kingdom building that might overemphasize strategies, techniques, or relentless visible activity. Instead, it re-establishes God's sovereign agency as the primary force behind spiritual life and expansion. The analogy of organic growth, in contrast to mechanical processes, underscores that spiritual fruitfulness is a vital, living phenomenon, driven by God's life-giving power. The very mystery described – "how he himself does not know" – offers an invitation to humility and trust, liberating believers from anxiety over immediate results or needing to comprehend every aspect of God's unseen work. It means that effective Kingdom work is rooted in faithful obedience (sowing) and patient expectation (trusting God's power), rather than constant intervention or total understanding.
Mark 4 27 Commentary
Mark 4:27 powerfully reveals that the propagation and development of God's Kingdom is a divine enterprise, not primarily a human one. Once the "seed" of God's Word is faithfully sown, its inherent vitality, activated by divine power, ensures its growth. The farmer's normal routine, marked by sleeping and rising, underscores that his role is primarily the initial planting, not the generation or ongoing meticulous maintenance of life within the seed. The verse specifically notes that the farmer doesn't understand how the growth occurs, emphasizing the mysterious and sovereign nature of God's work in the hearts of individuals and the world. This parable offers profound reassurance: the Kingdom's progress does not hinge on human understanding or control, but on God's mysterious, unwavering power. It teaches patience, trusts in divine timing, and alleviates the burden on believers to "produce" spiritual fruit, reminding them that their faithful act of sowing the Word is enough, as God gives the increase. For example, when you share your faith with someone, you are sowing the seed; their ultimate response and spiritual transformation are a divine work beyond your full comprehension. Likewise, Christian parents nurture and instruct their children in the faith, yet trust God for the child's own spiritual awakening. Ministers preach and teach, but God draws souls to Himself.