Mark 4:30-36

³⁰Jesus also said, “To what can we liken the kingdom of God?

³¹By what can we illustrate it? Perhaps by the growth of a mustard seed. This seed, when sown in the ground, though it is smaller than all other seeds,

³²yet, when sown, shoots up, and becomes larger than any other herb, and puts out great branches, so that even the wild birds can roost in its shelter.”

³³With many such parables Jesus used to speak to the people of his message, as far as they were able to receive it;

³⁴and to them he never used to speak except in parables; but in private to his own disciples he explained everything.

³⁵In the evening of the same day, Jesus said to them, “Let us go across.”

³⁶So, leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him.