Markus 4:15

4:15 These are the ones on the path where the word is sown: Whenever they hear, immediately Satan ¹  comes and snatches the word ²  that was sown in them.

Markus 4:19

4:19 but ³  worldly cares, the seductiveness of wealth, ⁴  and the desire for other things come in and choke the word, ⁵  and it produces nothing.

[4:15]  ¹ sn Interestingly, the synoptic parallels each use a different word for Satan here: Matt 13:19 has “the evil one,” while Luke 8:12 has “the devil.” This illustrates the fluidity of the gospel tradition in often using synonyms at the same point of the parallel tradition.

[4:15]  ² sn The word of Jesus has the potential to save if it germinates in a person’s heart, something the devil is very much against.

[4:19]  ³ tn Grk “and.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[4:19]  ⁴ tn Grk “the deceitfulness of riches.” Cf. BDAG 99 s.v. ἀπάτη 1, “the seduction which comes from wealth.”

[4:19]  ⁵ sn That is, their concern for spiritual things is crowded out by material things.