Mark 4:19 Meaning and Explanation
“And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and desires for other things grow up and choke the word, leaving it fruitless.
What Does Mark 4:19 Mean?
Jesus names three thorns: the anxious cares of this age, the lying promises of wealth, and the restless wanting of other things. None of them is a scandal; all of them are respectable. They enter in, He says, like guests who quietly take over the house, and together they strangle the word.
Riches deceive by promising what only God gives: security, identity, rest. Cares choke by demanding the attention the word was meant to have. The strangling is slow, which is why it goes unnoticed; no one renounces the faith, the heart just fills. The remedy is regular weeding, naming the worries and wants before God until the word again has room, and asking Christ for the one thing thorns can never give: a fruitful life.
Mark 4:19 in the Original Language
sympnigo (συμπνίγω), 'choke' -- to press in around something until it is strangled.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 4:19
What does Mark 4:19 mean?
The cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and desires for other things grow up and choke the word, leaving it fruitless.