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"1For whoeverhas, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, evenwhat he has shall be takenaway from him.
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"Therefore* I speak to them in parables; because while 2seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
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"In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,'3YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND;YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCEIVE;
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4FOR THE HEART OF THISPEOPLE HAS BECOMEDULL,WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELYHEAR,AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES,OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES,HEAR WITH THEIR EARS,AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART AND RETURN,AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.'
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"5But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.
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"For truly I say to you that 6manyprophets and righteousmendesired to seewhat you see, and did not see it, and to hearwhat you hear, and did not hear it.
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"When anyonehears8the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, 9the evil one comes and snatchesawaywhat has been sown in his heart. This is the one on whom seed was sownbeside the road.
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"The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediatelyreceives it with joy;
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yet he hasno firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when afflictionorpersecutionarisesbecause of the word, immediately he 10fallsaway.
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"And the one on whom seed was sownamong the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of 11the world and the 12deceitfulness of wealthchoke the word, and it becomesunfruitful.