Matthew 13:9-16

Amplified Bible

⁹He who has ears [to hear], let him hear and heed My words.”

An Explanation

¹⁰Then the disciples came to Him and asked, “Why do You speak to the crowds in parables?” ¹¹Jesus 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) ¹²For 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) ¹³This 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]. ¹⁴In 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)