KJV: 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:
YLT: As a grain of mustard, which, whenever it may be sown on the earth, is less than any of the seeds that are on the earth;
Darby: As to a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown upon the earth, is less than all seeds which are upon the earth,
ASV: It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown upon the earth, though it be less than all the seeds that are upon the earth,
κόκκῳ | to a grain |
Parse: Noun, Dative Masculine Singular Root: κόκκος Sense: a grain. |
|
σινάπεως | of mustard |
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular Root: σίναπι Sense: mustard, the name of a plant which in oriental countries grows from a very small seed and attains to the height of a tree, 0 feet (3 m) and more; hence a very small quantity of a thing is likened to a mustard seed, and also a thing which grows to a remarkable size. |
|
σπαρῇ | it has been sown |
Parse: Verb, Aorist Subjunctive Passive, 3rd Person Singular Root: ἐπισπείρω Sense: to sow, scatter, seed. |
|
ἐπὶ | upon |
Parse: Preposition Root: ἐπί Sense: upon, on, at, by, before. |
|
γῆς | earth |
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular Root: γῆ Sense: arable land. |
|
μικρότερον | smallest |
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Singular, Comparative Root: μικρός Sense: small, little. |
|
πάντων | of all |
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Neuter Plural Root: πᾶς Sense: individually. |
|
σπερμάτων | seeds |
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Plural Root: σπέρμα Sense: from which a plant germinates. |
|
τῶν | which [are] |
Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Plural Root: ὁ Sense: this, that, these, etc. |
Greek Commentary for Mark 4:31
Second aorist passive subjunctive of σπειρω speirō Alone in Mark and repeated in Mark 4:32. [source]
Comparative adjective with the ablative case after it. Hyperbole, of course, but clearly meaning that from a very small seed a large plant grows, the gradual pervasive expansive power of the kingdom of God. [source]
This phrase is repeated in Mark 4:32. Here the emphasis is on ὅταν , when. It is small at the time when it is sown. In Mark 4:32 the emphasis is on σπαρῇ , it is sown. It begins to grow great from the time when it is sown. [source]
A little detail peculiar to Mark. [source]