Matthew 13:10-17

Good News Translation

The Purpose of the Parables^(A)

¹⁰Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”

¹¹Jesus answered, “The knowledge about the secrets of the Kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. ¹²^(B)For the person who has something will be given more, so that he will have more than enough; but the person who has nothing will have taken away from him even the little he has. ¹³The reason I use parables in talking to them is that they look, but do not see, and they listen, but do not hear or understand. ¹⁴^(C)So the prophecy of Isaiah applies to them:

‘This people will listen and listen, but not understand;
    they will look and look, but not see,
¹⁵because their minds are dull,
    and they have stopped up their ears
    and have closed their eyes.
Otherwise, their eyes would see,
    their ears would hear,
    their minds would understand,
and they would turn to me, says God,
    and I would heal them.’

¹⁶^(D)“As for you, how fortunate you are! Your eyes see and your ears hear. ¹⁷I assure you that many prophets and many of God's people wanted very much to see what you see, but they could not, and to hear what you hear, but they did not.

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Luke 8:9-10

Good News Translation

The Purpose of the Parables^(A)

⁹His disciples asked Jesus what this parable meant, ¹⁰^(B)and he answered, “The knowledge of the secrets of the Kingdom of God has been given to you, but to the rest it comes by means of parables, so that they may look but not see, and listen but not understand.

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