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Matthew 13:11-17
New International Version

11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven(A) has been given to you,(B) but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.(C) 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;
    though hearing, they do not hear or understand.(D)

14 In them is fulfilled(E) the prophecy of Isaiah:

“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
    you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;
    they hardly hear with their ears,
    and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
    hear with their ears,
    understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.’[a](F)

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.(G) 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see(H) but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:15 Isaiah 6:9,10 (see Septuagint)
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Matthew 13:11-17
New American Standard Bible

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

‘[c](D)You shall keep on listening, [d]but shall not understand;
And [e]you shall keep on looking, [f]but shall not perceive;
15 (E)For the heart of this people has become dull,
With their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
Understand with their heart, and return,
And I would heal them.’

16 (F)But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 For truly I say to you that (G)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.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:11 Lit He
  2. Matthew 13:14 Lit for them
  3. Matthew 13:14 Lit With a hearing you shall hear; a Heb idiom
  4. Matthew 13:14 Lit and
  5. Matthew 13:14 Lit Seeing you shall see
  6. Matthew 13:14 Lit and
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Matthew 13:11-17
Amplified Bible

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.
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Matthew 13:11-17
King James Version

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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Matthew 13:11-17
Contemporary English Version

11 Jesus answered:

I have explained the secrets about the kingdom of heaven to you, but not to others. 12 (A) Everyone who has something will be given more. But people who don't have anything will lose even what little they have. 13 I use stories when I speak to them because when they look, they cannot see, and when they listen, they cannot hear or understand. 14 (B) So God's promise came true, just as the prophet Isaiah had said,

“These people will listen
and listen,
    but never understand.
They will look and look,
    but never see.
15 All of them have
    stubborn minds!
They refuse to listen;
    they cover their eyes.
They cannot see or hear
    or understand.
If they could,
they would turn to me,
    and I would heal them.”

16 (C) But God has blessed you, because your eyes can see and your ears can hear! 17 Many prophets and good people were eager to see what you see and to hear what you hear. But I tell you they did not see or hear.

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