Mark 4:4 kjv
And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.
Mark 4:4 nkjv
And it happened, as he sowed, that some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds of the air came and devoured it.
Mark 4:4 niv
As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
Mark 4:4 esv
And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
Mark 4:4 nlt
As he scattered it across his field, some of the seed fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate it.
Mark 4 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Matt 13:3-4 | "...a sower went forth to sow... some fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up." | Direct parallel of the parable. |
| Lk 8:5 | "...A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it." | Direct parallel, adds "trodden down." |
| Mark 4:15 | "And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word..." | Explanation of the "way side" and "fowls." |
| Matt 13:19 | "When any one heareth the word... and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown..." | Identifies the "fowls" as the "wicked one." |
| Lk 8:12 | "Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts..." | Explicitly names "the devil" and purpose. |
| Lk 8:11 | "Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God." | Identifies the "seed." |
| 1 Pet 1:23 | "Being born again... by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever." | The regenerative power of God's Word. |
| Heb 4:12 | "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword..." | The potency and efficacy of the Word. |
| Isa 55:10-11 | "For as the rain cometh down... so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth... it shall accomplish that which I please." | God's Word achieves its purpose, if received. |
| Rom 10:17 | "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." | Hearing the Word is essential for faith. |
| Eze 36:26 | "A new heart also will I give you... and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh..." | Contrast to the hardened heart of the "way side." |
| Isa 6:10 | "Make the heart of this people fat... lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart..." | Illustrates spiritual dullness/unreceptiveness. |
| Prov 1:7 | "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." | Unwillingness to receive wisdom. |
| Gen 15:11 | "And when the fowls came down upon the carcases, Abram drove them away." | Birds as agents of defilement/consumption to be resisted. |
| Rev 19:17 | "And I saw an angel standing in the sun... 'Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; that ye may eat the flesh...'" | Birds as scavengers of the ungodly, symbolic of judgment/devourers. |
| John 8:44 | "Ye are of your father the devil... He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth..." | Describes the Devil's nature and opposition to truth. |
| 2 Cor 4:4 | "In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ... should shine unto them." | Satan's work in hindering spiritual perception. |
| Eph 6:12 | "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world..." | The spiritual enemies who snatch the Word. |
| 1 Pet 5:8 | "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." | The Devil's destructive intent. |
| James 1:21 | "Receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls." | Encouragement for receptive hearts. |
| Acts 17:11 | "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind..." | Example of receptive listeners, contrasting "way side." |
| Heb 2:1 | "Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip." | Warning against spiritual neglect. |
| 1 Sam 3:10 | "Speak, Lord; for thy servant heareth." | Posture of willing obedience and receptivity. |
Mark 4 verses
Mark 4 4 Meaning
The verse describes the initial scenario in Jesus' Parable of the Sower, where some of the broadcast seed lands on a hard, trodden "way side" or path. Due to the impenetrable ground, the seed lies exposed on the surface and is quickly consumed by birds. Spiritually, this depicts individuals who hear God's word but possess a hardened, unreceptive heart, preventing the message from taking root. Consequently, evil forces, personified by the "fowls of the air," immediately snatch the word away, leaving no lasting impression or opportunity for spiritual understanding and growth.
Mark 4 4 Context
Mark chapter 4 inaugurates Jesus' teaching in parables to large crowds by the Sea of Galilee, a method designed to convey truths about the Kingdom of God. The Parable of the Sower (Mk 4:3-9) is presented as a foundational illustration, explicitly termed by Jesus as key to understanding all other parables (Mk 4:13). Its immediate historical and cultural context is the agrarian society of ancient Galilee, where listeners would be intimately familiar with the varied conditions of soil and their direct impact on crop yield. Paths regularly traversed fields, their compacted soil preventing seed from sprouting. This verse specifically introduces the first, most superficial reception of the divine message, preparing the disciples and us for Jesus' later detailed explanation of its spiritual significance and the diverse human responses to the Gospel.
Mark 4 4 Word analysis
And it came to pass (Greek: kai egeneto): This phrase, common in both the Old Testament (Septuagint) and New Testament narratives, functions as a transition, introducing a new event or a key development in the story. It signifies the commencement of the sower's actions and the unfolding of the parable's events.
as he sowed (Greek: σπείροντος, speirontos): From speirō, meaning "to sow," "to scatter seed." It describes the continuous, deliberate action of the sower. The sower represents Jesus (and, by extension, those who proclaim God's truth), generously casting the "seed" (the word of God) widely, without prejudice, across various types of ground, signifying the universal availability of the divine message.
some (Greek: ὃ μὲν, ho men): Refers to a portion or a certain quantity of the overall seed that was sown. It immediately sets up the narrative to describe varied outcomes for the seed, introducing the idea of different responses to the Word.
fell (Greek: ἔπεσεν, epesen): A straightforward verb meaning "to fall," indicating the unresisted descent and landing of the seed. This highlights the sower's broadcast method where some seed lands where it cannot root, due to the nature of the ground, not a flaw in the seed.
by the way side (Greek: παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν, para tēn hodon): Literally "alongside the road" or "next to the path." This describes a hard, beaten track that would often run through or alongside cultivated fields. Such ground is trodden down, impenetrable to seed, representing a hardened or indifferent heart that cannot allow the spiritual "seed" to penetrate or take root.
and the fowls (Greek: τὰ πετεινά, ta peteina): Refers to birds, particularly scavenger birds common in agricultural settings. These creatures were a literal threat to newly sown crops. Spiritually, as Jesus Himself explains (Mk 4:15; Matt 13:19; Lk 8:12), they symbolize Satan or "the wicked one," the spiritual enemy who seeks to steal the Word.
of the air (Greek: τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, tou ouranou): Literally "of the sky" or "heaven." This specifies the birds' natural habitat, reinforcing their nature as swift, opportunistic predators who descend to devour.
came (Greek: ἦλθεν, ēlthen): Indicates the immediate arrival of the birds, emphasizing the swiftness and readiness of the spiritual enemy to act. There is no delay in their predatory work.
and devoured it up (Greek: κατέφαγεν αὐτό, katephagen auto): From katesthiō, "to eat down," "to consume entirely" or "to eat up." This suggests a thorough and destructive act, leaving nothing of the seed behind. Symbolically, it signifies the complete removal of the divine word from the unreceptive heart by evil forces, erasing any possibility of spiritual life or fruit from that hearing.
Words-group analysis:
- As he sowed, some fell by the way side: This phrase establishes the contrast between the generous and indiscriminate sowing of the seed (the divine word) and the varying conditions of the soil (human hearts). It implies that the impediment to growth is not with the sower or the seed's quality, but solely with the receiving medium, immediately focusing the listener's attention on the importance of receptivity.
- The fowls of the air came and devoured it up: This paints a vivid picture of immediate spiritual intervention against the Word. The speed of the "fowls'" arrival and their complete consumption of the seed illustrates Satan's rapid and thorough action in snatching the word from hardened hearts, preventing any understanding, belief, or transformation before it can even begin.
Mark 4 4 Bonus section
The parable, being foundational, emphasizes that Jesus, as the Sower, distributes the Word impartially. The varying outcomes thus place the responsibility squarely on the hearer's "soil," or heart condition, not on the sower's effort or the seed's inherent power. The image of the "way side" suggests a heart that is frequently "trodden on" by worldly concerns, external pressures, or hardened by continuous sin, making it impenetrable. The immediacy with which the "fowls" appear implies the ever-present spiritual battle for the Word. Satan does not wait for a perfect moment; he acts quickly to remove the seed of truth, underscoring the urgency for immediate and intentional reception of God's message.
Mark 4 4 Commentary
Mark 4:4 sets the stage for the first unproductive outcome in Jesus' pivotal Parable of the Sower, highlighting the critical role of a heart's receptivity to God's word. The sower's generous, widespread scattering of seed underscores the universal and abundant proclamation of the Gospel. The seed landing on the "way side"—a compacted, trodden path—vividly symbolizes a hardened, impervious heart, where the divine message cannot penetrate or take root. This spiritual insensitivity may stem from indifference, worldliness, or active resistance to truth. The swift appearance and consumption of the seed by "the fowls of the air" explicitly represent Satan's immediate and relentless work to snatch away the heard word. He aims to prevent any understanding, belief, or salvation from developing, especially in those hearts already lacking openness. Thus, the verse serves as a crucial warning that mere exposure to the Word is insufficient; spiritual truth must be received and guarded with a soft, vigilant heart lest it be swiftly lost.