Mark 4

Sat on the sea — the Greek says he sat in the boat on the sea, and the crowd faced him from the land.

Parable (παραβολή, parabolē) is a thing thrown alongside — a comparison, not only a story.

Hear! stands alone as a command, and it opens and closes the parable.

Beside the way — the path, not the field.

At once — this book's word, now in a parable.

Scorched and withered — two verbs for one death.

Choked here is συμπνίγω (sympnigō) — a prefixed form. This edition keeps the three of this root apart; English must spell the prefixes out.

Thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold — this book counts upward, Matthew 13:8 counts downward.

Let him hear closes what verse 3 opened.

Those around him with the twelve — a wider circle than the twelve alone.

Mystery (μυστήριον, mystērion) is something disclosed, not something unknowable. Those outside is the word of 3:31.

So that may also be read “in such a way that”, and the manuscripts differ — the line is the hardest in the chapter and is left as it stands.

The disciples' not-knowing is put as a question, and this book keeps it in view.

The word stands alone, as at 2:2 — the shortest line in the chapter.

Takes away (αἴρω, airō) is the verb of 2:9 and 15:24 — to lift and carry off.

The reading of the parable turns the soils into people; the writer makes no apology for the turn.

Caused to stumble renders σκανδαλίζω (skandalizō), from the stick of a trap.

These are the ones who heard — the tense changes from the others.

Deceit of riches — the Greek word can also be “delight”, and readings of it differ.

Welcome (παραδέχομαι, paradechomai) is stronger than receive.

Modios is a Roman dry measure kept as sound. Couch (κλίνη, klinē) is not the pallet of 2:4.

Hidden … made manifest — the hiding is said to be for the sake of the showing.

Verse 9 is repeated, with if anyone in place of whoever.

With the measure you measure — the same root three times in one line.

Even what he has will be taken from him — the Greek is blunter than it reads in English.

This parable stands only in this book.

How, he himself does not know — the not-knowing is the point of the parable.

Of itself renders αὐτομάτη (automatē), used once in the four Gospels — of its own accord.

Sends the sickle — the Greek verb is the one used of sending a person.

How shall we liken — the question is put in the first person plural.

Smaller than all the seeds — the claim is about sowing, and it is left as it stands.

Garden herbs (λάχανα, lachana) are kitchen plants; the tree of the other tellings is not here.

As they were able to hear — the teaching is measured to the hearers.

Unfolding (ἐπιλύω, epilyō) is to loose a knot; it is used once in the four Gospels.

The other side — the crossing that ends in chapter 5 among the tombs.

As he was — only this book keeps the phrase, and only this book names the other boats.

Squall (λαῖλαψ, lailaps) names a sudden storm-burst, not a steady wind.

On the cushion — the article says “the” cushion, as if the reader knows it. Only this book has it.

Be muzzled is the verb spoken to the demon at 1:25, now spoken to the sea, and it stands in the perfect — “be muzzled and stay so”.

Cowardly (δειλός, deilos) is a harder word than afraid.

Feared a great fear keeps the Greek doubling, and the fear comes after the calm, not before it.