Matthew 13:10–23

Why Jesus Used Parables

¹⁰Then the disciples ^pcame up and asked Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” ^q

¹¹He answered them, “Because the ^•secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know, ^rbut it has not been given to them. ¹²For whoever has, more will be given to him, and he will have more than enough. But whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. ^s13For this reason I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, ^tand hearing they do not listen or understand. ^u14Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:

You will listen and listen,

yet never understand;

and you will look and look,

yet never perceive. ^v

¹⁵For this people’s heart has grown callous;

their ears are hard of hearing,

and they have shut their eyes;

otherwise they might see with their eyes

and hear with their ears,

understand with their hearts

and turn back—

and I would cure them. ^wx

¹⁶“But your eyes are blessed ^ybecause they do see, and your ears because they do hear! ^z17For ^•I assure you: Many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see yet didn’t see them; to hear the things you hear yet didn’t hear them. ^a

The Parable of the Sower Explained

¹⁸“You, then, listen to the parable of the sower: ^b19When anyone hears the word ^cabout the kingdom and doesn’t understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the one sown along the path. ^d20And the one sown on rocky ground—this is one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy. ^e21Yet he has no root in himself, but is short-lived. When pressure or persecution ^fcomes because of the word, immediately he stumbles. ²²Now the one sown among the thorns—this is one who hears the word, but the worries of this age ^gand the seduction ^hof wealth ⁱchoke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²³But the one sown on the good ground—this is one who hears and understands the word, who does bear fruit and yields: some 100, some 60, some 30 times what was sown.”