Matthew 13:10-17 - The Reason For The Parables

¹⁰ Then the disciples came to him and said, "Why do you speak to them in parables?"

¹¹ He replied, "You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but they have not. ¹² For whoever has will be given more, and will have an abundance. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. ¹³ For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand. ¹⁴ And concerning them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: 'You will listen carefully yet will never understand, you will look closely yet will never comprehend. ¹⁵ For the heart of this people has become dull; they are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'

¹⁶ "But your eyes are blessed because they see, and your ears because they hear. ¹⁷ For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

¹⁰ When he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. ¹¹ He said to them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables, ¹² so that although they look they may look but not see, and although they hear they may hear but not understand, so they may not repent and be forgiven."

⁹ Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. ¹⁰ He said, "You have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand.