2 Corinthians, Chapter 12, verses 20-21

²⁰ although he feareth he shall to his grief find many offenders and public disorders there

²⁰For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

²¹And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

2 Corinthians, Chapter 13, verses 1-2

¹ He threateneth severity, and the power of his apostleship against obstinate sinners

¹This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.

²I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare:

Mark, Chapter 4, verses 24-34

²¹ We must communicate the light of our knowledge to others, ²⁶ The parable of the seed growing secretly, ³⁰ and of the mustard seed

²⁴And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.

²⁵For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.

²⁶And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground;

²⁷And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how.

²⁸For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.

²⁹But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.

³⁰And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it?

³¹It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:

³²But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it.

³³And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it.

³⁴But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.

Read more:Mark, Chapter 4

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Wesley's Notes

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Comments on the part

4:24 Take heed what ye hear - That is, attend to what you hear, that it may have its due influence upon you. With what measure you mete - That is, according to the improvement you make of what you have heard, still farther assistance shall be given.And to you that hear - That is, with improvement.

4:25 He that hath - That improves whatever he has received, to the good of others, as well as of his own soul. Mat 13:12; Luk 8:18.

4:26 So is the kingdom of God - The inward kingdom is like seed which a man casts into the ground - This a preacher of the Gospel casts into the heart. And he sleeps and rises night and day - That is, he has it continually in his thoughts. Meantime it springs and grows up he knows not how - Even he that sowed it cannot explain how it grows. For as the earth by a curious kind of mechanism, which the greatest philosophers cannot comprehend, does as it were spontaneously bring forth first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in the ear: so the soul, in an inexplicable manner, brings forth, first weak graces, then stronger, then full holiness: and all this of itself, as a machine, whose spring of motion is within itself. Yet observe the amazing exactness of the comparison. The earth brings forth no corn (as the soul no holiness) without both the care and toil of man, and the benign influence of heaven.

4:29 He putteth in the sickle - God cutteth down and gathereth the corn into his garner.

4:30 Mat 13:31; Luk 13:18.

4:33 He spake the word as they were able to hear it - Adapting it to the capacity of his hearers; and speaking as plain as he could without offending them. A rule never to be forgotten by those who instruct others.


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Orthodox readings for 1 September 2026

2 Corinthians, Chapter 12, verses 20-21

2 Corinthians, Chapter 13, verses 1-2

Mark, Chapter 4, verses 24-34