Mark 4 · Verse 32

Mark 4:32

But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.
Mark 4:32, King James Version

Mark 4:32 in other translations

BSBBut after it is planted, it grows to be the largest of all garden plants and puts forth great branches, so that the birds of the air nest in its shade.”
WEByet when it is sown, grows up and becomes greater than all the herbs, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of the sky can lodge under its shadow.”
ASVyet when it is sown, groweth up, and becometh greater than all the herbs, and putteth out great branches; so that the birds of the heaven can lodge under the shadow thereof.
YLTand whenever it may be sown, it cometh up, and doth become greater than any of the herbs, and doth make great branches, so that under its shade the fowls of the heaven are able to rest.'
DARBYand when it has been sown, mounts up and becomes greater than all herbs, and produces great branches, so that the birds of heaven can roost under its shadow.
BBEBut when it is planted, it comes up, and becomes taller than all the plants, and puts out great branches, so that the birds of heaven are able to take rest in its shade.
WebsterBut when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under its shade.

What does Mark 4:32 mean?

Barnes' Notes
Verse 32.

(h) "becometh greater" Prov 4:18, Isa 11:9, Dan 2:44, Mal 1:11

Albert Barnes, 1834 · 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…

Read the full comment on Mark 4:21-34 →

Mark 4:32 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.

καὶkaiandG2532
ὅτανhotanwhenG3752
σπαρῇ,sparēait may be sown,G4687
ἀναβαίνειanabaineiit grows upG305
καὶkaiandG2532
γίνεταιginetaibecomesG1096
μεῖζονmeizongreaterG3173
πάντωνpantōnthan allG3956
τῶνtōntheG3588
λαχάνωνlachanōngarden plantsG3001
καὶkaiandG2532
ποιεῖpoieiit producesG4160
κλάδουςkladousbranchesG2798
μεγάλουςmegalousgreatG3173
ὥστεhōsteso thatG5620
δύνασθαιdunasthaito be ableG1410
ὑπὸhupounderG5259
τὴνtēntheG3588
σκιὰνskianshadowG4639
αὐτοῦautouof itG846
τὰtatheG3588
πετεινὰpeteinabirdsG4071
τοῦtouof theG3588
οὐρανοῦouranouairG3772
κατασκηνοῦν.¶kataskēnounto perch.G2681

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Mark 4:32

  • Daniel 4:20-22

    The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight thereof to all the earth; Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the heaven had their habitation: It is thou, O king, that art grown and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth.

  • Daniel 4:10-14

    Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the earth: The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; …

  • Ezekiel 31:3-10

    Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs. The waters made him great, the deep set him up on high with her rivers running round about his plants, and sent out her little rivers unto all the trees of the field. Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth. All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations. …

  • Psalms 80:9-11

    Thou preparedst room before it, and didst cause it to take deep root, and it filled the land. The hills were covered with the shadow of it, and the boughs thereof were like the goodly cedars. She sent out her boughs unto the sea, and her branches unto the river.

  • Psalms 91:1

    He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

  • Isaiah 11:9

    They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

  • Song of Solomon 2:3

    As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

  • Isaiah 32:2

    And a man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

  • Lamentations 4:20

    The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.

  • Proverbs 4:18

    But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
and becometh.
Pr 4:18; Isa 11:9
shooteth.
Ps 80:9-11; Eze 31:3-10; Da 4:10-14,20-22
lodge.
Ps 91:1; So 2:3; Isa 32:2; La 4:20

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Mark 4:31

    It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:

  • Mark 4:32

    But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

  • Mark 4:33

    And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.

Read all of Mark 4

Mark 4:32 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Mas después de sembrado, sube, y se hace la mayor de todas las legumbres, y echa grandes ramas, de tal manera que las aves del cielo puedan morar bajo su sombra.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
et après qu’il est semé, il monte et devient plus grand que toutes les herbes, et jette de grandes branches, de sorte que les oiseaux du ciel peuvent demeurer sous son ombre.
German
Elberfelder 1871
und, wenn es gesät ist, aufschießt und größer wird als alle Kräuter und große Zweige treibt, so daß unter seinem Schatten die Vögel des Himmels sich niederlassen können.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
et cum seminatum fuerit, ascendit, et fit majus omnibus oleribus, et facit ramos magnos, ita ut possint sub umbra ejus aves cæli habitare.