The Meaning of Mark 4:20 Explained

Mark 4:20

KJV: And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

YLT: 'And these are they who on the good ground have been sown: who do hear the word, and receive, and do bear fruit, one thirty-fold, and one sixty, and one an hundred.'

Darby: And these are they who have been sown on the good ground, such as hear the word and receive it, and bear fruit; one thirty, and one sixty, and one a hundred fold.

ASV: And those are they that were sown upon the good ground; such as hear the word, and accept it, and bear fruit, thirtyfold, and sixtyfold, and a hundredfold.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  these  are  they which are sown  on  good  ground;  such as  hear  the word,  and  receive  [it], and  bring forth fruit,  some  thirtyfold,  some  sixty,  and  some  an hundred. 

What does Mark 4:20 Mean?

Context Summary

Mark 4:10-41 - Growth In God's Kingdom
How quick the Master was to observe the meaning of natural symbols! To Him all things were unfoldings of eternal mystery, and the ways of men unconsciously mirrored the unseen. Are there bushels in your life? Use them as lamp stands, not as coverings. All secrets come out; beware of what you say. All measures come back to us; take care how you mete. The mysterious co-operation of God in nature, and the gradual process of growth, are analogous to the co-working of the Holy Spirit with all faithful sowers of the Word, and the imperceptible stages through which the soul reaches maturity.
The stilling of the storm, Mark 4:35-41. They that bear Christ's company must prepare for squalls. Yet, why should we fear, when the Master is on board, who can impress His commands on wind and sea-to the wind, Peace; to the sea, Be still! "The Lord on high is mightier than the waves of the sea." A moment ago he was so weary as to sleep amid the storm, but at a word of appeal from those He loves, He shows Himself able to save to the uttermost. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 4

1  The parable of the sower,
14  and the meaning thereof
21  We must communicate the light of our knowledge to others
26  The parable of the seed growing secretly;
30  and of the mustard seed
35  Jesus stills the storm on the sea

Greek Commentary for Mark 4:20

Bear fruit [καρποπορουσιν]
Same word in Matthew 13:23 and Luke 8:15. Mark gives the order from thirty, sixty, to a hundred, while Matthew 13:23 has it reversed. [source]
Such as []
A good rendering of the pronoun οἵτινες , which indicates the class of hearers. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 4:20

Hebrews 12:6 Receiveth [παραδέχεται]
Admits to filial privileges: acknowledges as his own. Of receiving the word of God, Mark 4:20; of receiving delegates from a body, Acts 15:4; of adopting or approving customs, Acts 16:21. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 4:20 mean?

And these are those upon the soil - good having been sown such as hear the word receive [it] bring forth fruit one thirtyfold sixty a hundred
Καὶ ἐκεῖνοί εἰσιν οἱ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τὴν καλὴν σπαρέντες οἵτινες ἀκούουσιν τὸν λόγον παραδέχονται καρποφοροῦσιν ἓν τριάκοντα ἑξήκοντα ἑκατόν

ἐκεῖνοί  these 
Parse: Demonstrative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἐκεῖνος  
Sense: he, she it, etc.
οἱ  those 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἐπὶ  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
γῆν  soil 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: γῆ  
Sense: arable land.
τὴν  - 
Parse: Article, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
καλὴν  good 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: καλός  
Sense: beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable.
σπαρέντες  having  been  sown 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Passive, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ἐπισπείρω 
Sense: to sow, scatter, seed.
οἵτινες  such  as 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Nominative Masculine Plural
Root: ὅστις  
Sense: whoever, whatever, who.
ἀκούουσιν  hear 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἀκουστός 
Sense: to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf.
λόγον  word 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: λόγος  
Sense: of speech.
παραδέχονται  receive  [it] 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Plural
Root: παραδέχομαι  
Sense: to receive, take up, take upon one’s self.
καρποφοροῦσιν  bring  forth  fruit 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: καρποφορέω  
Sense: to bear fruit.
ἓν  one 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: εἷς  
Sense: one.
τριάκοντα  thirtyfold 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: τριάκοντα  
Sense: thirty.
ἑξήκοντα  sixty 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ἑξήκοντα  
Sense: sixty.
ἑκατόν  a  hundred 
Parse: Adjective, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ἑκατόν  
Sense: a hundred.