Mark 4:27
And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
Mark 4:27 in other translations
| BSB | Night and day he sleeps and wakes, and the seed sprouts and grows, though he knows not how. |
|---|---|
| WEB | and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, though he doesn’t know how. |
| ASV | and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should spring up and grow, he knoweth not how. |
| YLT | and may sleep, and may rise night and day, and the seed spring up and grow, he hath not known how; |
| DARBY | and should sleep and rise up night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he does not know how. |
| BBE | And went to sleep and got up, night and day, and the seed came to growth, though he had no idea how. |
| Webster | And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. |
What does Mark 4:27 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Mark 4:26-27
26-27. So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day--go about his other ordinary occupations, leaving it to the well-known laws of vegetation under the genial influences of heaven. This is the sense of "the earth bringing forth fruit of herself," in Mr 4:27.
Barnes' Notes
He knoweth not how. This is still true. After all the researches of philosophers, not one has been able to tell the way in which grain grows. They can observe one fact after another; they can see the changes; they can see the necessity of rains and suns, of care and shelter, but beyond this they cannot go. So in religion. We can mark the change; we can see the need of prayer, and examination, and searching the Scriptures, and the ordinances of religion, but we cannot tell in what way the religious principle is strengthened. As God unseen, yet by the use of proper means, makes the grass to flourish, so God unseen, but by proper means, nourishes the soul, and the plants of piety spring up, and bloom, and bear fruit. See Jn 3:8.
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Mark 4:21-34
These declarations were intended to call the attention of the disciples to the word of Christ. By his thus instructing them, they were made able to instruct others; as candles are lighted, not to be covered, but to be placed on a candlestick, that they may give light to a room. This parable of the good seed, shows the manner in which the kingdom of God makes progress in the world. Let but the word of Christ have the…
Mark 4:27 in the original Greek
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Mark 4:27
- Ecclesiastes 11:5
As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
- 2 Thessalonians 1:3
We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
- Ecclesiastes 8:17
Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the sun: because though a man labour to seek it out, yet he shall not find it; yea further; though a wise man think to know it, yet shall he not be able to find it.
- 1 Corinthians 15:37-38
And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
- John 3:7-8
Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
- 2 Peter 3:18
But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Context
- Mark 4:26
And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;
- Mark 4:27
And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.
- Mark 4:28
For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.
Mark 4:27 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Y duerme, y se levanta de noche y de día, y la simiente brota y crece como él no sabe. |
|---|---|
| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | et dormait et se levait de nuit et de jour, et que la semence germe et croisse sans qu’il sache comment. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | und schläft und aufsteht, Nacht und Tag, und der Same sprießt hervor und wächst, er weiß selbst nicht wie. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | et dormiat, et exsurgat nocte et die, et semen germinet, et increscat dum nescit ille. |