³³ With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.^(A)

¹² “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.^(A)

³⁴ Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.^{(A) 35} So was fulfilled^(B) what was spoken through the prophet:

Warning Against Falling Away^(A)

¹¹ We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand. ¹² In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths^(B) of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!^{(C) 13} Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant,^(D) is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. ¹⁴ But solid food is for the mature,^(E) who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.^(F)

The Church and Its Leaders

3 Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit^(A) but as people who are still worldly^(B)—mere infants^(C) in Christ. ² I gave you milk, not solid food,^(D) for you were not yet ready for it.^(E) Indeed, you are still not ready.