Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹⁰ The disciples came to Jesus and asked him, `Why do you tell the people these stories?'

¹¹ Jesus answered them, `You can learn the secret things about the kingdom of heaven. But they cannot learn them.

¹² Anyone who already has something will get more, and he will have plenty. But he who does not have anything, even the little that he has will be taken away from him.

¹³ That is why I tell them stories. They look, but they do not see. They listen, but they do not hear or understand.

¹⁴ They make what Isaiah the prophet said long ago, come true. `Isaiah said: "You will listen and listen, but you will not understand. You will look and look, but you will not see.

¹⁵ The hearts of these people have no feeling. They do not hear well with their ears. And they have shut their eyes. They do not want to see with their eyes. They do not want to hear with their ears. They do not want to understand in their hearts. They do not want to turn to me. If they did turn, I would heal them."

¹⁶ `God is blessing your eyes because they see. God is blessing your ears because they hear.

¹⁷ I tell you the truth. Many prophets and good men wanted to see what you see, but they did not see them. They wanted to hear what you hear, but they did not hear them.