Matthew 13:10-17
New Living Translation
10 His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”
11 He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets[a] of the Kingdom of Heaven, but others are not. 12 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. 13 That is why I use these parables,
For they look, but they don’t really see.
They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.
14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,
‘When you hear what I say,
you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
you will not comprehend.
15 For the hearts of these people are hardened,
and their ears cannot hear,
and they have closed their eyes—
so their eyes cannot see,
and their ears cannot hear,
and their hearts cannot understand,
and they cannot turn to me
and let me heal them.’[b]
16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 13:11 Greek the mysteries.
- 13:14-15 Isa 6:9-10 (Greek version).
Matthew 13:10-17
International Standard Version
The Purpose of the Parables(A)
10 Then the disciples came and asked Jesus,[a] “Why do you speak to people[b] in parables?”
11 He answered them, “You have been given knowledge about the secrets of the kingdom from[c] heaven, but it hasn’t been given to them, 12 because to anyone who has something, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who doesn’t have anything, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 That’s why I speak to them in parables, because
‘they look but don’t see,
and they listen but don’t hear or understand.’
14 “With them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says:
‘You will listen and listen but never understand.
You will look and look but never comprehend,
15 for this people’s heart has become dull,
and their ears are hard of hearing.[d]
They have shut their eyes
so that they might not see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears,
and understand with their heart and turn,
and I would heal them.’[e]
16 “How blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear! 17 I tell all of you[f] with certainty, many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see but did not see them, and to hear the things you hear but did not hear them.”
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Matthew 13:10 Lit. him
- Matthew 13:10 Lit. to them
- Matthew 13:11 Lit. of
- Matthew 13:15 Lit. they hear with ears of heaviness
- Matthew 13:15 Cf. Isa 6:9-10
- Matthew 13:17 The Gk. pronoun you is pl.
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