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The Purpose of the Parables(A)

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

11 He answered them, “It is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. 12 For to him who has, will more be given, and he will have abundance. But from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables:

‘Because they look, but do not see.
    And they listen, but they do not hear, neither do they understand.’[a]

14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah which says:

‘By hearing, you will hear and shall not understand,
    and seeing, you will see and shall not perceive;[b]
15 for this people’s heart has grown dull.
    Their ears have become hard of hearing,
    and they have closed their eyes,
lest they should see with their eyes
    and hear with their ears
    and understand with their hearts,
and turn, and I should heal them.’[c]

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which you see, and have not seen them, and to hear those things which you hear, and have not heard them.

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The Purpose of the Parables(A)

10 When He was alone, those who were around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. 11 He said to them, “To you is given the secret of the kingdom of God, but to those who are outside, everything is said in parables, 12 so that

‘seeing they may see, and not perceive,
    and hearing they may hear and not understand;
lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.’[a]

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