Mark 4:1
What does Mark 4:1 mean?
A plain-English look at Mark 4:1 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.
What Mark 4:1 means
Jesus once again taught a large crowd by the very edge of the Sea of Galilee. To manage the immense number of people pressing in, He entered a fishing boat anchored offshore and taught them from there, while the multitude remained on the land along the water's edge. This scene underscores Jesus' popularity and the lengths people would go to hear Him, as well as His practical approach to ministry, using available resources to effectively reach His audience.
Parallel translations
WEB
World English Bible · 2000And again he began to teach by the sea side. And there is gathered unto him a very great multitude, so that he entered into a boat, and sat in the sea; and all the multitude were by the sea on the land.
KJV
King James Version · 1611And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.
ASV
American Standard Version · 1901And again he began to teach by the sea side. And there is gathered unto him a very great multitude, so that he entered into a boat, and sat in the sea; and all the multitude were by the sea on the land.
BBE
Bible in Basic English · 1949And again he was teaching by the seaside. And a very great number of people had come to him, so that he got into a boat on the sea and took his seat; and all the people were on the land by the seaside.
YLT
Young's Literal Translation · 1862And again he began to teach by the sea, and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he, having gone into the boat, sat in the sea, and all the multitude was near the sea, on the land,
DRA
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752And again he began to teach by the sea side; and a great multitude was gathered together unto him, so that he went up into a ship and sat in the sea: and all the multitude was upon the land by the sea side.
DBY
Darby Bible · 1890And again he began to teach by the sea. And a great crowd was gathered together to him, so that going on board ship he sat in the sea, and all the crowd were close to the sea on the land.
Context
This verse opens a significant teaching session in Jesus' ministry. It immediately follows a series of encounters where Jesus' authority was questioned and His family sought to intervene. This setting by the sea is typical of His Galilean ministry and sets the stage for a major discourse on the Kingdom of God, beginning with the foundational Parable of the Sower.
v.1This passage
v.2And he taught them many things in parables, and said unto them in his teaching,
Cross references
Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
- Luke 5:1
Now it came to pass, while the multitude pressed upon him and heard the word of God, that he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret;
- Luke 8:4
And when a great multitude came together, and they of every city resorted unto him, he spake by a parable:
- Mark 3:7
And Jesus with his disciples withdrew to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed; and from Judæa,
- Matthew 13:1
On that day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.
- Mark 2:13
And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.
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