Mark 4 : 20

Greek employs an articular substantival participle construction (οἱ ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τὴν καλὴν σπαρέντες) with double article for emphasis on 'good soil.' Latin mirrors this with a relative clause (qui super terram bonam seminati sunt). Syriac uses a prepositional phrase with passive participle (ܕܒܐܪܥܐ ܛܒܬܐ ܐܙܕܪܥܘ) without articles, reflecting its anarthrous grammar—semantically equivalent but syntactically streamlined.

Greek οἵτινες (qualitative relative pronoun 'such as') and Latin qui (simple relative) introduce the relative clause explicitly. The Peshitta omits any relative marker, employing instead a direct participial construction (ܕܫܡܥܝܢ 'who hear') with the relative particle ܕ prefixed to the verb—a common Syriac strategy that collapses the relative pronoun into the verbal prefix.

Greek παραδέχονται (G3858, 'receive, accept') and Latin suscipiunt both denote receptive acceptance. Syriac ܡܩܒܠܝܢ (from ܩܒܠ) is the standard cognate for 'receive,' semantically aligned but reflecting the Semitic root QBL versus the Greek compound παρα-δέχομαι.

Greek καρποφοροῦσιν (compound verb 'bear fruit') and Latin fructificant (denominative from fructus) are single-word expressions. Syriac employs a periphrastic construction ܘܝܗܒܝܢ ܦܐܪܐ ('and they give fruit'), using the verb YHB 'give' + noun—a typical Semitic idiom for fruit-bearing, semantically equivalent but analytically structured.

Greek repeats ἓν ('one') before each yield figure (τριάκοντα, ἑξήκοντα, ἑκατόν) with coordinating καί, as does Latin (unum triginta, unum sexaginta, et unum centum). Syriac omits the distributive 'one' entirely, using only the preposition ܒ ('in/by') prefixed to each numeral (ܒܬܠܬܝܢ ܘܒܫܬܝܢ ܘܒܡܐܐ), a more compact idiomatic expression of proportional yield without loss of meaning.