The Meaning of Mark 4:4 Explained

Mark 4:4

KJV: And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.

YLT: and it came to pass, in the sowing, some fell by the way, and the fowls of the heaven did come and devour it;

Darby: And it came to pass as he sowed, one fell by the wayside, and the birds came and devoured it.

ASV: and it came to pass, as he sowed, some'seed fell by the way side, and the birds came and devoured it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  it came to pass,  as  he sowed,  some  fell  by  the way side,  and  the fowls  of the air  came  and  devoured  it  up. 

What does Mark 4:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Mark 4:1-9 - Brother To All Who Will
The Pharisees circulated this infamous charge-not because they believed it, but to satisfy the questions that were being asked on all sides. What they affirmed they knew to be untrue; but for selfish reasons they would not confess what they really thought. Such denial of truth is a deadly and unpardonable sin, because it injures the sensitiveness of conscience and produces moral death.
Family ties, Mark 3:31-35. The family of Jesus needed to be taught, though with the utmost delicacy, that they must not attempt to control His public ministry. All who love God and do His will are welcomed into the divine family circle and become blood relations of the Son of God.
The sower, Mark 4:1-9. Note the perils of the hearer, that you may guard against the waste of precious seed. There is a grave peril in the effect of light, fanciful, wandering thoughts. There is great peril also in a mere emotional response-the "straightway springing up" which has no root, because the heart is hard. There is danger lest the cares of the poor, the riches of the wealthy, and the too eager pursuit of things by other classes may drain away the strength of the soul, so that the Word of God shall be a slender stalk, without an ear or fruit. It is not enough to hear the Word, we must accept it and bear fruit; otherwise the plowing, sowing, and all the operations of nature are in vain. Live up to what you know. Obedience is the key to understanding. [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

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

And it came to pass as - he sowed some - fell along the road came the birds devoured it
καὶ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ σπείρειν μὲν ἔπεσεν παρὰ τὴν ὁδόν ἦλθεν τὰ πετεινὰ κατέφαγεν αὐτό

ἐγένετο  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
τῷ  - 
Parse: Article, Dative Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
σπείρειν  he  sowed 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: ἐπισπείρω 
Sense: to sow, scatter, seed.
  some 
Parse: Personal / Relative Pronoun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: ὅς 
Sense: who, which, what, that.
μὲν  - 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: μέν  
Sense: truly, certainly, surely, indeed.
ἔπεσεν  fell 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: πίπτω 
Sense: to descend from a higher place to a lower.
παρὰ  along 
Parse: Preposition
Root: παρά  
Sense: from, of at, by, besides, near.
ὁδόν  road 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Feminine Singular
Root: ὁδός 
Sense: properly.
ἦλθεν  came 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
πετεινὰ  birds 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: πετεινόν  
Sense: flying, winged.
κατέφαγεν  devoured 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: κατεσθίω 
Sense: to consume by eating, to eat up, devour.

What are the major concepts related to Mark 4:4?

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