The Purpose of Parables(A)

10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

11 He answered and said to them, “Because (B)it has been given to you to know the [a]mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 (C)For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

(D)‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not (E)perceive;
15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears (F)are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have (G)closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I [b]should (H)heal them.’

16 But (I)blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you (J)that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:11 secret or hidden truths
  2. Matthew 13:15 NU, M would

An Explanation

10 Then the disciples came to Him and asked, “Why do You speak to the crowds in parables?” 11 Jesus replied to them, “To you it has been granted to know the [a]mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.(A) 12 For whoever has [spiritual wisdom because he is receptive to God’s word], to him more will be given, and he will be richly and abundantly supplied; but whoever does not have [spiritual wisdom because he has devalued God’s word], even what he has will be taken away from him.(B) 13 This is the reason I speak to the crowds in parables: because while [having the power of] seeing they do not see, and while [having the power of] hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand and grasp [spiritual things]. 14 In them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,

You will hear and keep on hearing, but never understand;
And you will look and keep on looking, but never comprehend;
15 
For this nation’s heart has grown hard,
And with their ears they hardly hear,
And they have [tightly] closed their eyes,
Otherwise they would see with their eyes,
And hear with their ears,
And understand with their heart, and turn [to Me]
And I would heal them [spiritually].’(C)

16 But blessed [spiritually aware, and favored by God] are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.(D) 17 I assure you and most solemnly say to you, many prophets and righteous men [who were honorable and in right standing with God] longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:11 Things which humans cannot know or discover on their own unless God reveals it to them.

10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. 13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 15 for this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. 17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

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10 ¶ Then the disciples came, and said to him, Why speakest thou to them in parables?

11 [a]And he answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.

12 (A)For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

13 Therefore speak I to them in parables, because they seeing, do not see: and hearing, they hear not, neither understand.

14 So in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which prophecy saith, (B)By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive.

15 For this people’s heart is waxed fat, and their ears are dull of hearing, and with their eyes they have winked, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should return, that I might heal them.

16 [b]But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

17 (C)For verily I say unto you, that many Prophets, and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:11 The gift of understanding and of faith is proper to the elect, and all the rest are blinded through the just judgment of God.
  2. Matthew 13:16 The condition of the Church under and since Christ, is better than it was in the time of the Fathers under the Law.

10 And the disciples having come near, said to him, `Wherefore in similes dost thou speak to them?'

11 And he answering said to them that -- `To you it hath been given to know the secrets of the reign of the heavens, and to these it hath not been given,

12 for whoever hath, it shall be given to him, and he shall have overabundance, and whoever hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken from him.

13 `Because of this, in similes do I speak to them, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor understand,

14 and fulfilled on them is the prophecy of Isaiah, that saith, With hearing ye shall hear, and ye shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and ye shall not perceive,

15 for made gross was the heart of this people, and with the ears they heard heavily, and their eyes they did close, lest they might see with the eyes, and with the ears might hear, and with the heart understand, and turn back, and I might heal them.

16 `And happy are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear,

17 for verily I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men did desire to see that which ye look on, and they did not see, and to hear that which ye hear, and they did not hear.

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