Proverbs 1:6
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
6 to understand a proverb and a figure,
the words of the wise and their riddles.
Proverbs 1:6
New International Version
Footnotes
- Proverbs 1:6 Or understanding a proverb, namely, a parable, / and the sayings of the wise, their riddles
Psalm 78:2
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
2 I will open my mouth in a parable;
I will utter dark sayings from of old,(A)
Psalm 78:2
New International Version
2 I will open my mouth with a parable;(A)
I will utter hidden things, things from of old—
Mark 4:11
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret[a] of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything comes in parables,(A)
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- 4.11 Or mystery
Mark 4:11
New International Version
11 He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God(A) has been given to you. But to those on the outside(B) everything is said in parables
Hebrews 5:14
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
14 But solid food is for the mature, for those whose faculties have been trained by practice to distinguish good from evil.(A)
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Hebrews 5:14
New International Version
14 But solid food is for the mature,(A) who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.(B)
Psalm 49:4
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp.(A)
Psalm 49:4
New International Version
Acts 8:30-31
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
30 So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 He replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.
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Acts 8:30-31
New International Version
30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.
31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.
Mark 4:34
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
34 he did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.(A)
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Mark 4:34
New International Version
34 He did not say anything to them without using a parable.(A) But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.
2 Peter 3:16
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
16 speaking of this as he does in all his letters. There are some things in them hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist[a] to their own destruction, as they do the other scriptures.
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- 3.16 Other ancient authorities read will twist
2 Peter 3:16
New International Version
16 He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable(A) people distort,(B) as they do the other Scriptures,(C) to their own destruction.
Matthew 13:34-35
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Use of Parables
34 Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing.(A) 35 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet:[a]
“I will open my mouth to speak in parables;
I will proclaim what has been hidden since the foundation.”[b](B)
Matthew 13:34-35
New International Version
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:
Footnotes
- Matthew 13:35 Psalm 78:2
Matthew 13:10-17
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
The Purpose of the Parables
10 Then the disciples came and asked him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” 11 He answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets[a] of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.(A) 12 For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.(B) 13 The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’(C) 14 With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:
‘You will indeed listen but never understand,
and you will indeed look but never perceive.(D)
15 For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes,
so that they might not look with their eyes,
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart and turn—
and I would heal them.’(E)
16 “But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.(F) 17 Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.(G)
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- 13.11 Or mysteries
Matthew 13:10-17
New International Version
10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”
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.
Footnotes
- Matthew 13:15 Isaiah 6:9,10 (see Septuagint)
Ecclesiastes 12:11
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
11 The sayings of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings that are given by one shepherd.[a](A)
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- 12.11 Meaning of Heb uncertain
Ecclesiastes 12:11
New International Version
11 The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails(A)—given by one shepherd.[a]
Footnotes
- Ecclesiastes 12:11 Or Shepherd
Numbers 12:8
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
8 With him I speak face to face—clearly, not in riddles,
and he beholds the form of the Lord.
“Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?”(A)
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Numbers 12:8
New International Version
Matthew 13:51-52
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Treasures New and Old
51 “Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” 52 And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
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Matthew 13:51-52
New International Version
51 “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked.
“Yes,” they replied.
52 He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”
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