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

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

¹¹ He answered them, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, but it is not given to them. ¹² For whoever has, to him will be given, and he will have abundance, but whoever doesn't have, from him will be taken away even that which he has. ¹³ Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don't see, and hearing, they don't hear, neither do they understand. ¹⁴ In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, 'By hearing you will hear, and will in no way understand; Seeing you will see, and will in no way perceive: ¹⁵ for this people's heart has grown callous, their ears are dull of hearing, they have closed their eyes; or else perhaps they might perceive with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and should turn again; and I would heal them.'

¹⁶ "But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear. ¹⁷ For most certainly I tell you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which you see, and didn't see them; and to hear the things which you hear, and didn't hear them.

¹⁰ When he was alone, those who were around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. ¹¹ He said to them, "To you is given the mystery of the Kingdom of God, but to those who are outside, all things are done in parables, ¹² that 'seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest perhaps they should turn again, and their sins should be forgiven them.'"

⁹ Then his disciples asked him, "What does this parable mean?" ¹⁰ He said, "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, but to the rest in parables; that 'seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.'