Mark 4:5

5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.

Mark 4:5 in Other Translations

KJV
5 And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:
ESV
5 Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil.
NLT
5 Other seed fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seed sprouted quickly because the soil was shallow.
MSG
5 Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots,
CSB
5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it didn't have much soil, and it sprang up right away, since it didn't have deep soil.

Mark 4:5 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 4:5

And some fell on stony ground
The word was preached to some persons who had hearts of stone, and which remained so:

where it had not much earth;
and so could be received only in a notional and superficial way, but could take no place, so as to produce any good effect:

and immediately it sprung up;
a sudden and hasty profession of the word was made, without a powerful experience of it:

because it had no depth of earth;
if it had, it would have been longer in coming up; more work would have been done by it, which would have required more time, before a profession of it had been made.

Mark 4:5 In-Context

3 “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed.
4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.
5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow.
6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root.
7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain.
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