14 In them is fulfilled(A) 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](B)

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

18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom(E) and does not understand it, the evil one(F) comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away.(G) 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth(H) choke the word, making it unfruitful.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:15 Isaiah 6:9,10 (see Septuagint)

14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

(A)‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not (B)perceive;
15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears (C)are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have (D)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 [a]should (E)heal them.’

16 But (F)blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you (G)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.

The Parable of the Sower Explained(H)

18 (I)“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word (J)of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately (K)receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when (L)tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately (M)he stumbles. 22 Now (N)he who received seed (O)among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:15 NU, M would

14 And [a]in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,

[b](A)You shall keep on listening, [c]but shall not understand;
And [d]you shall keep on looking, [e]but shall not perceive;
15 (B)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 (C)But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 For truly I say to you that (D)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.

The Sower Explained

18 (E)Listen then to the parable of the sower. 19 When anyone hears (F)the [f]word of the kingdom and does not understand it, (G)the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one sown with seed beside the road. 20 The one sown with seed on the rocky places, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution occurs because of the [g]word, immediately he [h](H)falls away. 22 And the one sown with seed among the thorns, this is the one who hears the word, and the anxiety of (I)the [i]world and the (J)deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it [j]becomes unfruitful.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:14 Lit for them
  2. Matthew 13:14 Lit With a hearing you shall hear; a Heb idiom
  3. Matthew 13:14 Lit and
  4. Matthew 13:14 Lit Seeing you shall see
  5. Matthew 13:14 Lit and
  6. Matthew 13:19 I.e., message
  7. Matthew 13:21 I.e., message
  8. Matthew 13:21 I.e., from the faith
  9. Matthew 13:22 Or age
  10. Matthew 13:22 Or proves to be unfruitful