Matthew 13:10–23

The Purpose of the Parables

¹⁰Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” ¹¹And he answered them, ^x“To you it has been given to know ^ythe secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. ^12zFor to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, ^aeven what he has will be taken away. ¹³This is why I speak to them in parables, because ^bseeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, ^cnor do they understand. ¹⁴Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

^d“ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand,

and you will indeed see but never perceive.”

¹⁵For this people’s heart has grown dull,

and with their ears ^ethey can barely hear,

and ^ftheir eyes they have closed,

lest they should see with their eyes

and hear with their ears

and ^gunderstand with their heart

and ^hturn, and I would heal them.’

¹⁶But ⁱblessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. ¹⁷ⁱFor truly, I say to you, ^jmany prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

The Parable of the Sower Explained

^18k“Hear then the parable of the sower: ¹⁹When anyone hears the word of ^lthe kingdom and ^mdoes not understand it, ⁿthe evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. ²⁰As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately ^oreceives it with joy, ²¹yet he has no root in himself, but ^pendures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately ^qhe falls away.^{2 22}As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but ^rthe cares of ^sthe world and ^tthe deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. ²³As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and ^munderstands it. He indeed ^ubears fruit and yields, in one case ^va hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”