Mark 4:31

Amplified Bible

"It is like a mustard seed, which, when it is sown on the ground, even though it is smaller than all the [other] seeds that are [sown] on the soil,

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
It’s like a mustard seed

King James Version (1611)
It is like a graine of mustard seed: which when it is sowen in the earth, is lesse then all the seedes that be in the earth.

King James Version
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:

English Standard Version
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth,

New American Standard Bible
"It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is the smallest of all the seeds that are upon the soil,

New Century Version
The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, the smallest seed you plant in the ground.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smaller than all the seeds that are upon the soil,

Legacy Standard Bible
It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the soil, though it is smallest of all the seeds that are upon the soil,

Berean Standard Bible
It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds sown upon the earth.

Contemporary English Version
It is like what happens when a mustard seed is planted in the ground. It is the smallest seed in all the world.

Complete Jewish Bible
It is like a mustard seed, which, when planted, is the smallest of all the seeds in the field;

Darby Translation
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,

Easy-to-Read Version
God's kingdom is like a mustard seed, which is smaller than any other seed on earth that you can plant.

Geneva Bible (1587)
It is like a graine of mustarde seede, which when it is sowen in the earth, is the least of all seedes that be in the earth:

George Lamsa Translation
It is just like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth.

Good News Translation
It is like this. A man takes a mustard seed, the smallest seed in the world, and plants it in the ground.

Lexham English Bible
It is like a mustard seed that when sown on the ground, although it is the smallest of all the seeds that are on the ground,

Literal Translation
It is like a grain of mustard, which, when it is sown on the earth, it is lesser than all the seeds of those on the earth.

American Standard Version
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,

Bible in Basic English
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is put in the earth, is smaller than all the seeds on the earth,

Hebrew Names Version
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the eretz, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the eretz,

International Standard Version
It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. Although it is the smallest ofsmaller than">[fn] all the seeds on earth,

Etheridge Translation
It is like a grain of mustard, which, when sown in the earth, is smaller than all seeds which are in the earth:

Murdock Translation
It is like a grain of mustard seed which, when it is sown in the earth, is the least of all seeds sown on the earth;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
It is like a grayne of mustarde seede, whiche when it is sowen in the earth, is lesse then all seedes that be in the earth.

English Revised Version
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,

World English Bible
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which when it is sown in the earth, is one of the least of the seeds that are in the earth.

Weymouth's New Testament
It is like a mustard-seed, which, when sown in the earth, is the smallest of all the seeds in the world;

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
As a corne of seneuei, which whanne it is sowun in the erthe, is lesse than alle seedis that ben in the erthe;

Update Bible Version
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown on the earth, though it is less than all the seeds that are on the earth,

Webster's Bible Translation
[It is] like a grain of mustard-seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that are in the earth.

New English Translation
It is like a mustard seed that when sown in the ground, even though it is the smallest of all the seeds in the ground—

New King James Version
It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth;

New Living Translation
It is like a mustard seed planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds,

New Life Bible
It is like a grain of mustard seed that is planted in the ground. It is the smallest of all seeds.

New Revised Standard
It is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth;

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
As a grain of mustard seed, - which, whensoever it may be sown upon the earth, is less than all the seeds that are upon the earth;

Douay-Rheims Bible
It is as a grain of mustard seed: which when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that are in the earth:

Revised Standard Version
It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth;

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
It is lyke a grayne of mustard seed which when it is sowe in the erth is the leest of all seedes that be in the erth:

Young's Literal Translation
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;

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
It is like a grayne of mustarde sede, which wha it is sowe vpo the londe, is the leest amonge all sedes of the earth.

Mace New Testament (1729)
it is like a grain of mustard-seed, which when sown in the earth, is less than any other grain that is sown there.

Simplified Cowboy Version
It is like a tiny little mustard seed. It may start out tiny,

Contextual Overview

²¹He said to them, "A lamp is not brought in to be put under a basket or under a bed, is it? Is it not [brought in] to be put on the lampstand? ²²"For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been kept secret, but that it would come to light [that is, things are hidden only temporarily, until the appropriate time comes for them to be known]. ²³"If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear and heed My words." ²⁴Then He said to them, "Pay attention to what you hear. By your own standard of measurement [that is, to the extent that you study spiritual truth and apply godly wisdom] it will be measured to you [and you will be given even greater ability to respond]—and more will be given to you besides. ²⁵"For whoever has [a teachable heart], to him more [understanding] will be given; and whoever does not have [a yearning for truth], even what he has will be taken away from him." ²⁶Then He said, "The kingdom of God is like a man who throws seed on the ground; ²⁷and he goes to bed at night and gets up every day, and [in the meantime] the seed sprouts and grows; how [it does this], he does not know. ²⁸"The earth produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head [of grain], then the mature grain in the head. ²⁹"But when the crop ripens, he immediately puts in the sickle [to reap], because [the time for] the harvest has come." ³⁰And He said, "How shall we picture the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use to illustrate and explain it?

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

like: Matthew 13:31-33, Luke 13:18, Luke 13:19

mustard seed: Mustard, ףיםבני [Strong's G4615], is a well-known plant of the tetradynamia siliquosa class, distinguished by its yellow cruciform flowers, with expanding calyx, and its pods smooth, square, and close to the stem. Its seed was probably the smallest known to the Jews; and though its ordinary height does not exceed four feet, yet a species grows to the height of from three to five cubits, with a tapering, ligneous stalk, and spreading branches.

is less than: Genesis 22:17, Genesis 22:18, Psalms 72:16-19, Isaiah 2:2, Isaiah 2:3, Isaiah 9:7, Isaiah 49:6, Isaiah 49:7, Isaiah 53:2, Isaiah 53:12, Isaiah 54:1-3, Isaiah 60:22, Ezekiel 17:22-24, Daniel 2:34, Daniel 2:35, Daniel 2:44, Daniel 2:45, Amos 9:11-15, Micah 4:1, Micah 4:2, Zechariah 2:11, Zechariah 8:20-23, Zechariah 12:8, Zechariah 14:6-9, Malachi 1:11, Acts 2:41, Acts 4:4, Acts 5:14, Acts 19:20, Acts 21:20, Revelation 11:15, Revelation 20:1-6

Reciprocal: Jonah 1:16 - feared Matthew 17:20 - a grain Mark 4:28 - first

Gill's Notes on the Bible

It is like a grain of mustard seed,.... That is, the kingdom of God spoken of in the preceding verse, is like unto a grain of mustard seed; by which is meant, either the Gospel, or the Gospel church state, or the grace of God in the hearts of his people, and it may include them all: the Gospel is so called, because it treats of the two latter; but more especially, because it brings life and immortality to light, or points to the kingdom of heaven, directs the way unto it, and shows what qualifies persons for it, and gives them a claim unto it: and the Gospel church state may be so called, because here Christ dwells, and rules as king; the members of it are his subjects, and the ordinances of it are his laws, to which they are obedient: and the grace of God in the hearts of his people may be so called, because it is a governing principle in them; it reigns through righteousness unto eternal life, and by it Christ reigns in and over them: now the kingdom of God in each of these senses, may be compared to a grain of mustard seed, for the smallness of it, as follows;

which when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth. The Gospel was first preached by very few persons, and these of no figure and account, especially at their first setting out. John the Baptist came preaching the kingdom of God, clothed with a garment of camel's hair, and with a leathern girdle about his loins; our Lord himself made no pompous appearance, there was no form nor comeliness in him; he was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefs, and of a mean descent and occupation; his disciples were fishermen, and illiterate persons; those to whom it was preached, and by whom it was received at first were but few, and these were the poor and the unlearned, and publicans and sinners. The Gospel church state at first, consisted of very few persons, of Christ and his twelve apostles; and at his death, the number of the disciples at Jerusalem, men and women, were but an hundred and twenty; the several Gospel churches formed in the Gentile world, rose from small beginnings; from the conversion of a very few persons, and these the filth of the world, and the offscouring of all things. The grace of God in the hearts of his people at first, is very little; it can scarcely be discerned by themselves, and is ready to be despised by others; their light and knowledge, their faith and experience being so exceeding small.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 13:31-32.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 31. A grain of mustard seed — See on Matthew 13:31; Matthew 13:32.