---
title: "Mark 4 – Catholic Bible (CPDV) & Latin Vulgate · Bless"
url: https://blessbible.app/bible/mark/4/
description: "The parable of the sower. Christ stills the tempest at sea. Mark 4 in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin Vulgate."
---

# Mark 4

Mark 4 is chapter 4 of 16 in the Gospel of Mark. Here are all 40 verses in the Catholic Public Domain Version, with the Latin of the Clementine Vulgate beside them.

> The parable of the sower. Christ stills the tempest at sea.
>
> — Bp. Richard Challoner, chapter summary

## Mark 4 (Catholic Public Domain Version)

1. And again, he began to teach by the sea. And a great crowd was gathered to him, so much so that, climbing into a boat, he was seated on the sea. And the entire crowd was on the land along the sea.
2. And he taught them many things in parables, and he said to them, in his doctrine:
3. “Listen. Behold, the sower went out to sow.
4. And while he was sowing, some fell along the way, and the birds of the air came and ate it.
5. Yet truly, others fell upon stony ground, where it did not have much soil. And it rose up quickly, because it had no depth of soil.
6. And when the sun was risen, it was scorched. And because it had no root, it withered away.
7. And some fell among thorns. And the thorns grew up and suffocated it, and it did not produce fruit.
8. And some fell on good soil. And it brought forth fruit that grew up, and increased, and yielded: some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred.”
9. And he said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10. And when he was alone, the twelve, who were with him, questioned him about the parable.
11. And he said to them: “To you, it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to those who are outside, everything is presented in parables:
12. ‘so that, seeing, they may see, and not perceive; and hearing, they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they may be converted, and their sins would be forgiven them.’”
13. And he said to them: “Do you not understand this parable? And so, how will you understand all the parables?
14. He who sows, sows the word.
15. Now there are those who are along the way, where the word is sown. And when they have heard it, Satan quickly comes and takes away the word, which was sown in their hearts.
16. And similarly, there are those who were sown upon stony ground. These, when they have heard the word, immediately accept it with gladness.
17. But they have no root in themselves, and so they are for a limited time. And when next tribulation and persecution arises because of the word, they quickly fall away.
18. And there are others who are sown among thorns. These are those who hear the word,
19. but worldly tasks, and the deception of riches, and desires about other things enter in and suffocate the word, and it is effectively without fruit.
20. And there are those who are sown upon good soil, who hear the word and accept it; and these bear fruit: some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred.”
21. And he said to them: “Would someone enter with a lamp in order to place it under a basket or under a bed? Would it not be placed upon a lampstand?
22. For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. Neither was anything done in secret, except that it may be made public.
23. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24. And he said to them: “Consider what you hear. With whatever measure you have measured out, it shall be measured back to you, and more shall be added to you.
25. For whoever has, to him it shall be given. And whoever has not, from him even what he has shall be taken away.”
26. And he said: “The kingdom of God is like this: it is as if a man were to cast seed on the land.
27. And he sleeps and he arises, night and day. And the seed germinates and grows, though he does not know it.
28. For the earth bears fruit readily: first the plant, then the ear, next the full grain in the ear.
29. And when the fruit has been produced, immediately he sends out the sickle, because the harvest has arrived.”
30. And he said: “To what should we compare the kingdom of God? Or to what parable should we compare it?
31. It is like a grain of mustard seed which, when it has been sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds which are in the earth.
32. And when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all the plants, and it produces great branches, so much so that the birds of the air are able to live under its shadow.”
33. And with many such parables he spoke the word to them, as much as they were able to hear.
34. But he did not speak to them without a parable. Yet separately, he explained all things to his disciples.
35. And on that day, when evening had arrived, he said to them, “Let us cross over.”
36. And dismissing the crowd, they brought him, so that he was in one boat, and other boats were with him.
37. And a great wind storm occurred, and the waves broke over the boat, so that the boat was being filled.
38. And he was in the stern of the boat, sleeping on a pillow. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, does it not concern you that we are perishing?”
39. And rising up, he rebuked the wind, and he said to the sea: “Silence. Be stilled.” And the wind ceased. And a great tranquility occurred.
40. And he said to them: “Why are you afraid? Do you still lack faith?” And they were struck with a great fear. And they said to one another, “Who do you think this is, that both wind and sea obey him?”

## Mark 4 in Latin (Clementine Vulgate, 1592)

1. Et iterum cœpit docere ad mare: et congregata est ad eum turba multa, ita ut navim ascendens sederet in mari, et omnis turba circa mare super terram erat:
2. et docebat eos in parabolis multa, et dicebat illis in doctrina sua:
3. Audite: ecce exiit seminans ad seminandum.
4. Et dum seminat, aliud cecidit circa viam, et venerunt volucres cæli, et comederunt illud.
5. Aliud vero cecidit super petrosa, ubi non habuit terram multam: et statim exortum est, quoniam non habebat altitudinem terræ:
6. et quando exortus est sol, exæstuavit: et eo quod non habebat radicem, exaruit.
7. Et aliud cecidit in spinas: et ascenderunt spinæ, et suffocaverunt illud, et fructum non dedit.
8. Et aliud cecidit in terram bonam: et dabat fructum ascendentem et crescentem, et afferebat unum triginta, unum sexaginta, et unum centum.
9. Et dicebat: Qui habet aures audiendi, audiat.
10. Et cum esset singularis, interrogaverunt eum hi qui cum eo erant duodecim, parabolam.
11. Et dicebat eis: Vobis datum est nosse mysterium regni Dei: illis autem, qui foris sunt, in parabolis omnia fiunt:
12. ut videntes videant, et non videant: et audientes audiant, et non intelligant: nequando convertantur, et dimittantur eis peccata.
13. Et ait illis: Nescitis parabolam hanc? Et quomodo omnes parabolas cognoscetis?
14. Qui seminat, verbum seminat.
15. Hi autem sunt, qui circa viam, ubi seminatur verbum, et cum audierint, confestim venit Satanas, et aufert verbum, quod seminatum est in cordibus eorum.
16. Et hi sunt similiter, qui super petrosa seminantur: qui cum audierint verbum, statim cum gaudio accipiunt illud:
17. et non habent radicem in se, sed temporales sunt: deinde orta tribulatione et persecutione propter verbum, confestim scandalizantur.
18. Et alii sunt qui in spinas seminantur: hi sunt qui verbum audiunt,
19. et ærumnæ sæculi, et deceptio divitiarum, et circa reliqua concupiscentiæ introëuntes suffocant verbum, et sine fructu efficitur.
20. Et hi sunt qui super terram bonam seminati sunt, qui audiunt verbum, et suscipiunt, et fructificant, unum triginta, unum sexaginta, et unum centum.
21. Et dicebat illis: Numquid venit lucerna ut sub modio ponatur, aut sub lecto? nonne ut super candelabrum ponatur?
22. Non est enim aliquid absconditum, quod non manifestetur: nec factum est occultum, sed ut in palam veniat.
23. Si quis habet aures audiendi, audiat.
24. Et dicebat illis: Videte quid audiatis. In qua mensura mensi fueritis, remetietur vobis, et adjicietur vobis.
25. Qui enim habet, dabitur illi: et qui non habet, etiam quod habet auferetur ab eo.
26. Et dicebat: Sic est regnum Dei, quemadmodum si homo jaciat sementem in terram,
27. et dormiat, et exsurgat nocte et die, et semen germinet, et increscat dum nescit ille.
28. Ultro enim terra fructificat, primum herbam, deinde spicam, deinde plenum frumentum in spica.
29. Et cum produxerit fructus, statim mittit falcem, quoniam adest messis.
30. Et dicebat: Cui assimilabimus regnum Dei? aut cui parabolæ comparabimus illud?
31. Sicut granum sinapis, quod cum seminatum fuerit in terra, minus est omnibus seminibus, quæ sunt in terra:
32. et cum seminatum fuerit, ascendit, et fit majus omnibus oleribus, et facit ramos magnos, ita ut possint sub umbra ejus aves cæli habitare.
33. Et talibus multis parabolis loquebatur eis verbum, prout poterant audire:
34. sine parabola autem non loquebatur eis: seorsum autem discipulis suis disserebat omnia.
35. Et ait illis in illa die, cum sero esset factum: Transeamus contra.
36. Et dimittentes turbam, assumunt eum ita ut erat in navi: et aliæ naves erant cum illo.
37. Et facta est procella magna venti, et fluctus mittebat in navim, ita ut impleretur navis.
38. Et erat ipse in puppi super cervical dormiens: et excitant eum, et dicunt illi: Magister, non ad te pertinet, quia perimus?
39. Et exsurgens comminatus est vento, et dixit mari: Tace, obmutesce. Et cessavit ventus: et facta est tranquillitas magna.
40. Et ait illis: Quid timidi estis? necdum habetis fidem? et timuerunt timore magno, et dicebant ad alterutrum: Quis, putas, est iste, quia et ventus et mare obediunt ei?

## Catechism of the Catholic Church

Paragraph numbers and the Catechism's own section headings (never quoted); text at vatican.va.
- cf. CCC ¶ 2707: Meditation ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- CCC ¶ 546: The Mysteries of Christ's Life ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 543: The Mysteries of Christ's Life ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))
- cf. CCC ¶ 546: The Mysteries of Christ's Life ([vatican.va index](https://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM))

## Bishop Challoner's notes

Bp. Richard Challoner, notes on the Douay-Rheims (1750); they comment on its older wording.
- Verse 12: “That seeing they may see” … in punishment of their wilfully shutting their eyes, (St. Matt. 13. 15,) God justly withdrew those lights and graces, which otherwise he would have given them, for their effectual conversion.

## Read at Mass (US)

- Wed, Jan 27, 2027: Wednesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time — Gospel, Mark 4:1-20
- Thu, Jan 28, 2027: St. Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church — Gospel, Mark 4:21-25
- Fri, Jan 29, 2027: Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time — Gospel, Mark 4:26-34
- Sat, Jan 30, 2027: Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time — Gospel, Mark 4:35-41

6 more dates through December 31, 2028, in the [liturgical calendar](https://blessbible.app/calendar/).

Citations as published in the USCCB liturgical calendar (principal Mass, first option).

Source: Catholic Public Domain Version (Ronald L. Conte Jr., 2009), public domain; Latin: Clementine Vulgate (1592).