10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”

11 He answered and said to them, “Because git has been given to you to know the 1mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 hFor whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:

i‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,

And seeing you will see and not jperceive;

15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.

Their ears kare hard of hearing,

And their eyes they have lclosed,

Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,

Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,

So that I 2should mheal them.’

16 But nblessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you othat many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.