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

¹⁰ And the disciples came and said to him, Why dost thou speak to them in parables?

¹¹ He answered and said, Because to you it hath been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; but to them it hath not been given. ¹² For whoever hath, to him will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever hath not, from him will be taken away even what he hath. ¹³ Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, nor understand. ¹⁴ And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, "Ye will hear indeed, and not understand; and ye will see indeed, and not perceive. ¹⁵ For this peoples heart hath become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and turn from their ways, and I should heal them."

¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. ¹⁷ Truly do I say to you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and did not see them; and to hear the things which ye hear, and did not hear them.

¹⁰ And when he was in private, they who were about him, with the twelve, asked him about the parables. ¹¹ And he said to them, To you hath been given the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to them, who are without, all things are done in parables; t ¹² hat seeing they may see, and not perceive, and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest they should turn, and be forgiven.

⁹ And his disciples asked him what this parable meant. ¹⁰ And he said, To you it hath been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God; but to others [these things are spoken] in parables; that while seeing they may not see, and while hearing they may not understand.