7
Other seeds fell among
1thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.
8
Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some
2a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
9
3He who has ears, let him hear. ”
The Purpose of the Parables
10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables? ”
11
And he answered them,
4“To you it has been given to know
5the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.
12
6For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not,
7even what he has will be taken away.
13
This is why I speak to them in parables, because
8seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear,
9nor do they understand.
14
Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:
10“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. ”
15
For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears
11they can barely hear, and
12their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and
13understand with their heart and
14turn, and I would heal them. ’
16
But
15blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.
17
16For truly, I say to you,
17many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.