⁹ And He said, “Go, and tell this people:

¹³ Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while ^(A)seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. ¹⁴ And ^[a]in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,

^16 (D)But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. ¹⁷ For truly I say to you that ^(E)many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

¹⁰ As soon as He was alone, ^[a]His followers, along with the twelve disciples, began asking Him about the parables. ¹¹ And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but for ^(A)those who are outside, everything comes ^(B)in parables, ¹² so that ^(C)while seeing they may see, and not perceive, and while hearing, they may hear, and not understand, otherwise they might return and it would be forgiven them.”

^9 (A)Now His disciples began asking Him what this parable ^[a]meant. ¹⁰ And He said, “^(B)To you it has been granted to know the ^[b]mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest they are told in parables, so that ^[c](C)while seeing they may not see, and ^[d]while hearing they may not understand.

³⁷ But though He had performed so many ^[a]signs in their sight, they still were not believing in Him. ³⁸ This happened so that the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke would be fulfilled: “^(A)Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” ³⁹ For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again, ⁴⁰ “^(B)He has blinded their eyes and He ^(C)hardened their heart, so that they will not see with their eyes and understand with their heart, and ^[b]be converted, and so I will not heal them.” ⁴¹ These things Isaiah said because ^(D)he saw His glory, and ^(E)he spoke about Him.

²³ When they had set a day for ^[a]Paul, people came to him at ^(A)his lodging in large numbers; and he was explaining to them by solemnly ^(B)testifying about the kingdom of God and trying to persuade them concerning Jesus, ^(C)from both the Law of Moses and from the Prophets, from morning until evening. ^24 (D)Some were being persuaded by the things said by Paul, but others would not believe. ²⁵ And when they disagreed with one another, they began leaving after Paul said one parting statement: “The Holy Spirit rightly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your fathers, ²⁶ saying,

²⁸ Therefore, let it be known to you that ^(H)this salvation of God has been sent ^(I)to the Gentiles; they will also listen.”^[f]

The Narrow and Wide Gates

¹³ “^(A)Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.

³⁵ Jesus said to them, “^(A)I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me ^(B)will never be thirsty. ³⁶ But ^(C)I said to you that you have indeed seen Me, and yet you do not believe. ^37 (D)Everything that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I certainly will not cast out. ³⁸ For ^(E)I have come down from heaven, ^(F)not to do My own will, but ^(G)the will of Him who ^(H)sent Me. ³⁹ And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of ^(I)everything that He has given Me I will ^(J)lose nothing, but will ^(K)raise it up on the last day. ⁴⁰ For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who ^(L)sees the Son and ^(M)believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will ^(N)raise him up on the last day.”

Words to the Jews

^41 (O)So then the Jews were complaining about Him because He said, “I am the bread that ^(P)came down out of heaven.” ⁴² And they were saying, “^(Q)Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother ^(R)we know? How does He now say, ‘^(S)I have come down out of heaven’?” ⁴³ Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop complaining among yourselves. ⁴⁴ No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me ^(T)draws him; and I will ^(U)raise him up on the last day. ⁴⁵ It is written ^(V)in the Prophets: ‘^(W)And they shall all be ^(X)taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.