Mark 4:4

4 While he was planting, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and ate it up.

Mark 4:4 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 4:4

And it came to pass, as he sowed
Whilst he was preaching the, Gospel, casting about the precious seed of the word, he was laden with:

some fell by the way side;
the common beaten path: the word was dispensed among some men comparable to it, on whom it lighted, but made no impression; there it lay, though not long, and was not inwardly received, and took no root, and consequently was of no effect:

and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up;
the devils, who have their abode in the air, especially the prince of the posse of them; and the Syriac version reads it in the singular number, "and the fowl came"; that ravenous bird of prey, Satan, who goes about seeking what he may devour; and for this purpose attends where the word is preached, to hinder its usefulness as much as in him lies.

Mark 4:4 In-Context

2 Jesus taught them many things, using stories. He said,

3 "Listen! A farmer went out to plant his seed.

4 While he was planting, some seed fell by the road, and the birds came and ate it up.

5 Some seed fell on rocky ground where there wasn't much dirt. That seed grew very fast, because the ground was not deep.

6 But when the sun rose, the plants dried up because they did not have deep roots.