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

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

¹¹ He answered and said to them, Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. ¹² For whoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that which he hath. ¹³ Therefore I speak to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. ¹⁴ And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: ¹⁵ For this people's heart is become gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

¹⁶ But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. ¹⁷ For verily I say to you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear the things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

¹⁰ And when he was alone, they that were about him, with the twelve, asked of him the parable. ¹¹ And he said to them, To you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but to them that are without, all these things are done in parables: ¹² That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

⁹ And his disciples asked him, saying, What doth this parable mean? ¹⁰ And he said, To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.