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

¹⁰ (And His disciples came and asked Him, "Why do you speak to them in figurative language?"

¹¹ "Because," He replied, "while to you it is granted to know the secrets of the Kingdom of the Heavens, to them it is not. ¹² For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but whoever has not, from him even what he has shall be taken away. ¹³ I speak to them in figurative language for this reason, that while looking they do not see, and while hearing they neither hear nor understand. ¹⁴ And in regard to them the prophecy of Isaiah is receiving signal fulfilment: "'You will hear and hear and by no means understand, and you will look and look and by no means see. ¹⁵ For this people's mind is stupefied, their hearing has become dull, and their eyes they have closed; to prevent their ever seeing with their eyes, or hearing with their ears, or understanding with their minds, and turning back, so that I might heal them.'

¹⁶ "But as for you, blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. ¹⁷ For I solemnly tell you that many Prophets and holy men have longed to see the sights you see, and have not seen them, and to hear the words you hear, and have not heard them.

¹⁰ When He was alone, the Twelve and the others who were about Him requested Him to explain His figurative language. ¹¹ "To you," He replied, "has been entrusted the secret truth concerning the Kingdom of God; but to those others outside your number all this is spoken in figurative language; ¹² that "'They may look and look but not see, and listen and listen but not understand, lest perchance they should return and be pardoned.'"

⁹ The disciples proceeded to ask Him what this parable meant. ¹⁰ "To you," He replied, "it is granted to know the secrets of the Kingdom of God; but all others are taught by parables, in order that they may see and yet not see, and may hear and yet not understand.