Samuel 7: 4-17
7:4 Therefore, the sons of Israel took away the Baals and Ashtaroth, and they served the Lord alone.
7:5 And Samuel said, “Gather all of Israel at Mizpah, so that I may pray for you to the Lord.”
7:6 And they convened at Mizpah. And they drew water, and they poured it out in the sight of the Lord. And on that day they fasted, and in that place they said, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.
7:7 And the Philistines heard that the sons of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah. And the princes of the Philistines ascended against Israel. And when the sons of Israel had heard this, they were afraid before the face of the Philistines.
7:8 And they said to Samuel, “May you not cease to cry out to the Lord our God on our behalf, so that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
7:9 Then Samuel took one suckling lamb, and he offered it whole, as a holocaust to the Lord. And Samuel cried out to the Lord on behalf of Israel, and the Lord heeded him.
7:10 Then it happened that, while Samuel was offering the holocaust, the Philistines began the battle against Israel. But the Lord thundered with a great crash, on that day, over the Philistines, and he terrified them, and they were cut down before the face of Israel.
7:11 And the men of Israel, departing from Mizpah, pursued the Philistines, and they struck them down as far as the place which was below Bethcar.
7:12 Then Samuel took a single stone, and he placed it between Mizpah and Shen. And he called the name of this place: The Stone of Assistance. And he said, “For in this place the Lord gave assistance to us.”
7:13 And the Philistines were humbled, and they no longer drew near, so that they might enter into the borders of Israel. And so, the hand of the Lord was over the Philistines during all the days of Samuel.
7:14 And the cities that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron as far as Gath, with their borders. And he freed Israel from the hand of the Philistines. And there was peace between Israel and the Amorites.
7:15 And Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life.
7:16 And he went each year, traveling around to Bethel, and to Gilgal, and to Mizpah, and he judged Israel in the above-stated places.
7:17 And he returned to Ramah. For his house was there, and he judged Israel there. And then he built an altar to the Lord there.
Mark 4: 1- 20
4:1 And again, he began to teach by the sea. And a great crowd was gathered to him, so much so that, climbing into a boat, he was seated on the sea. And the entire crowd was on the land along the sea.
4:2 And he taught them many things in parables, and he said to them, in his doctrine:
4:3 “Listen. Behold, the sower went out to sow.
4:4 And while he was sowing, some fell along the way, and the birds of the air came and ate it.
4:5 Yet truly, others fell upon stony ground, where it did not have much soil. And it rose up quickly, because it had no depth of soil.
4:6 And when the sun was risen, it was scorched. And because it had no root, it withered away.
4:7 And some fell among thorns. And the thorns grew up and suffocated it, and it did not produce fruit.
4:8 And some fell on good soil. And it brought forth fruit that grew up, and increased, and yielded: some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred.”
4:9 And he said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.”
4:10 And when he was alone, the twelve, who were with him, questioned him about the parable.
4:11 And he said to them: “To you, it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God. But to those who are outside, everything is presented in parables:
4:12 ‘so that, seeing, they may see, and not perceive; and hearing, they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they may be converted, and their sins would be forgiven them.’ ”
4:13 And he said to them: “Do you not understand this parable? And so, how will you understand all the parables?
4:14 He who sows, sows the word.
4:15 Now there are those who are along the way, where the word is sown. And when they have heard it, Satan quickly comes and takes away the word, which was sown in their hearts.
4:16 And similarly, there are those who were sown upon stony ground. These, when they have heard the word, immediately accept it with gladness.
4:17 But they have no root in themselves, and so they are for a limited time. And when next tribulation and persecution arises because of the word, they quickly fall away.
4:18 And there are others who are sown among thorns. These are those who hear the word,
4:19 but worldly tasks, and the deception of riches, and desires about other things enter in and suffocate the word, and it is effectively without fruit.
4:20 And there are those who are sown upon good soil, who hear the word and accept it; and these bear fruit: some thirty, some sixty, and some one hundred.”