Mark 4:15

Some are like the seeds along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — Jesus is explaining the parable of the sower to his disciples, identifying the "along the path" seed as those who hear the word but lose it to Satan.

The words — para (παρά), a preposition meaning "along, beside, near," gives the image of proximity rather than depth: the word is near the person but not in them.

The thread — Matthew 13:19 parallels this with "the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in the heart," and Mark 4:4 supplies the parable's own image of birds devouring the seed. 1 Peter 5:8 extends the same adversary into a standing warning.

Why it lands — The verse removes any assumption that hearing equals receiving; the word can be present and still be taken. It asks the reader to recognize that passive hearing is not a safe posture.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Greek words

King James Version

And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

Cross-references

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Matthew 13:19 When anyone hears the message of the kingdom but does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.
Mark 4:4 And as he was sowing, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it.
Luke 8:12 The seeds along the path are those who hear, but the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
2 Corinthians 2:11 in order that Satan should not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes.
2 Corinthians 4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing.
Isaiah 53:1 Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
Luke 14:18 But one after another they all began to make excuses. The first one said, ‘I have bought a field, and I need to go see it. Please excuse me.’
Acts 5:3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and withhold some of the proceeds from the land?
Job 1:6 One day the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them.