Matthew 13:10–17

The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

He replied, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven^e has been given to you,^f but not to them. Those who have will be given more, and they will have an abundance. As for those who do not have, even what they have will be taken from them.^g This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;

though hearing, they do not hear or understand.^h

In them is fulfilledⁱ the prophecy of Isaiah:

“ ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;

you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

For this people’s heart has become calloused;

they hardly hear with their ears,

and they have closed their eyes.

Otherwise they might see with their eyes,

hear with their ears,

understand with their hearts

and turn, and I would heal them.’^j

But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.^k Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see^l but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.