Matthew 13:9-19

9 And Jesus concluded, "Listen, then, if you have ears!"
10 Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked him, "Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?"
11 Jesus answered, "The knowledge about the secrets of the Kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
12 For the person who has something will be given more, so that he will have more than enough; but the person who has nothing will have taken away from him even the little he has. 1
13 The reason I use parables in talking to them is that they look, but do not see, and they listen, but do not hear or understand.
14 So the prophecy of Isaiah applies to them: 2 "This people will listen and listen, but not understand; they will look and look, but not see,
15 because their minds are dull, and they have stopped up their ears and have closed their eyes. Otherwise, their eyes would see, their ears would hear, their minds would understand, and they would turn to me, says God, and I would heal them.'
16 "As for you, how fortunate you are! Your eyes see and your ears hear. 3
17 I assure you that many prophets and many of God's people wanted very much to see what you see, but they could not, and to hear what you hear, but they did not.
18 "Listen, then, and learn what the parable of the sower means.
19 Those who hear the message about the Kingdom but do not understand it are like the seeds that fell along the path. The Evil One comes and snatches away what was sown in them.

Cross References 3

  • 1. 13.12Matthew 25.29;Mark 4.25;Luke 8.18; 19.26.
  • 2. 13.14, 15Isaiah 6.9, 10 (LXX).
  • 3. 13.16, 17Luke 10.23, 24.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.