This verse quietly reveals that the kingdom of God, like a seed, grows by its own inherent life force, not by the constant, visible intervention of the sower. It highlights God's mysterious, internal work in bringing forth spiritual fruit, emphasizing that the deepest growth happens when we are not actively overseeing it, but trusting in its unfolding.
He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is explaining how his kingdom grows, using the analogy of a farmer who sows seed. After planting, the farmer goes about his daily life—sleeping and waking—while the seed inexplicably grows and matures on its own, a process he doesn't fully understand. This illustrates that while the kingdom is preached and spread, its actual growth and spiritual transformation are God's mysterious work.
Ever wonder how things really grow? In this parable, Jesus points to a process so mysterious, even the farmer doesn't understand it.
Jesus tells us the kingdom of God is like a seed that sprouts and grows, but the farmer 'knows not how.' This isn't about the farmer's ignorance, but about the inherent mystery of life and growth that God orchestrates.
The Natural Mystery
Even in the natural world, the process of a seed growing into a mature plant is astonishing. We can observe it, provide the right conditions, but the exact way life unfolds from a tiny seed remains beyond our full comprehension. This is God's design, a secret work.
The Spiritual Mystery
Similarly, when the 'seed' of God's kingdom is planted in our hearts through His Word, its growth is also a mysterious, God-led process. While we participate by hearing, obeying, and applying, the inner transformation and spiritual maturity are ultimately God's work. We can't fully explain how faith deepens, love grows, or character changes, because it’s God's life at work within us.
The farmer goes about his daily life – sleeping and rising – while the seed does its mysterious work. What can this teach us about our own responsibilities?
The parable highlights the farmer's daily rhythm: 'he sleeps and rises night and day.' This emphasizes that while the growth is mysterious and God's work, the farmer still has a role and responsibilities.
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Diligence in Daily Life
This rhythm isn't about neglecting the seed, but about living a life of faithful, ordinary action. The farmer doesn't hover over the field, obsessing about how it grows. Instead, he does his daily tasks, trusting the process. This mirrors our role in God's kingdom: to be faithful in our daily lives, sowing the seed of God's word and living according to its principles, without demanding immediate, visible results or understanding every step of the process.
Trust in God's Timing
His 'sleeping and rising' also speaks of trust. He trusts that the seed will grow, even when he's not actively working on it. He knows there's a time for sowing and a time for harvest. This reminds us to trust God with the outcomes of our efforts, knowing He is sovereign and works according to His perfect timing.
Understand the original words
auxanō · Greek Verb
The process of spiritual development and vitality; biblically, it signifies the supernatural work of God in causing the gospel to bear fruit in a believer's life, independent of human manipulation.
paradidōmi / karpos · Greek Adjective
The state of being mature or fully developed; in a spiritual sense, it denotes the completion of God’s purposes in a life or the readiness of the world for God’s judgment and final gathering of His people.
drepanon · Greek Noun
A curved blade used for reaping; in biblical prophecy and imagery, it frequently symbolizes the final judgment of God where He separates the righteous from the wicked at the end of the age.
therismos · Greek Noun
The ultimate gathering of crops, symbolizing the culmination of God's redemptive history when He will gather His people to Himself and execute judgment upon the earth.
This passage highlights that planting and watering are human efforts, but God is the one who brings the growth, directly echoing the idea in Mark that the sower 'knows not how' the seed grows.
John 3:8Jesus uses the analogy of the wind, which cannot be seen or controlled by humans, to describe the mysterious and sovereign work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration, paralleling the 'knowing not how' aspect of the seed's growth.
Colossians 2:18-19This passage warns against false humility that worships angels and claims insights not based on Christ, the 'head,' from whom all 'growth' comes. It contrasts human striving with the divinely orchestrated, often unseen, growth of God's kingdom.
Matthew 13:31-32The parable of the mustard seed, though different in focus, also emphasizes the unseen, organic, and eventual powerful growth of the kingdom of God from a tiny beginning, suggesting a process beyond human comprehension and control.
vincentMark 4:27: "And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how."
Grow (μηκύνηται)Lit., lengthen; be extended by the seed lengthening out into blade and stalk.He knoweth not how (ὡς οὐκ οἶδεν αὐτός)The Greek order is very lively: how knoweth not he.
bengelMark 4:27: "And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how."
Mark 4:27 . Καθεύδῃ καὶ ἐγείρηται , should sleep and rise ) With these two verbs are connected by Chiasmus [See Append.] the nouns night and day [sleep referring to night; rise , to day ]. Moreover, sometimes night is wont to be put before day, as in Genesis 1 [The evening and the morning were the first day, Mark 4:5 ].— οὐκ οἶδεν αὐτὸς , he knoweth not himself ) After the safeguar…
This verse quietly reveals that the kingdom of God, like a seed, grows by its own inherent life force, not by the constant, visible intervention of the sower. It highlights God's mysterious, internal work in bringing forth spiritual fruit, emphasizing that the deepest growth happens when we are not actively overseeing it, but trusting in its unfolding.
Jesus is explaining how his kingdom grows, using the analogy of a farmer who sows seed. After planting, the farmer goes about his daily life—sleeping and waking—while the seed inexplicably grows and matures on its own, a process he doesn't fully understand. This illustrates that while the kingdom is preached and spread, its actual growth and spiritual transformation are God's mysterious work.
Jesus is explaining how his kingdom grows, using the analogy of a farmer who sows seed. After planting, the farmer goes about his daily life—sleeping and waking—while the seed inexplicably grows and matures on its own, a process he doesn't fully understand. This illustrates that while the kingdom is preached and spread, its actual growth and spiritual transformation are God's mysterious work.
"He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how. The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, be…" — This verse quietly reveals that the kingdom of God, like a seed, grows by its own inherent life force, not by the constant, visible intervention of the sower. It highlights God's mysterious, internal…
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Last reviewed October 2026
