Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t hear, neither do they understand.
Parallel translations
- KJV Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
- BSB This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’
- NKJV Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
- NASB Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
- NLT That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don’t really see. They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Jesus speaks in parables because the crowds see without seeing and hear without understanding.
Overview
Their spiritual blindness is the result of hardened, unbelieving hearts. Parables thus become a fitting judgment, veiling truth from those who reject it. Yet they remain an invitation to any who will truly listen.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Ezek 12:2“Son of man, you dwell in the middle of the rebellious house, who have eyes to see, and don’t see, who have ears to hear, and don’t hear; for they are a rebellious house.
- Jer 5:21‘Hear now this, foolish people, and without understanding; who have eyes, and don’t see; who have ears, and don’t hear:
- Isa 42:18–20“Hear, you deaf, and look, you blind, that you may see.
- 2 Cor 4:3–4Even if our Good News is veiled, it is veiled in those who perish;
- John 3:19–20This is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil.
- Deut 29:3–4the great trials which your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders.
- Matt 13:16“But blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears, for they hear.
- John 9:39–41Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, that those who don’t see may see; and that those who see may become blind.”
- Isa 44:18They don’t know, neither do they consider: for he has shut their eyes, that they can’t see; and their hearts, that they can’t understand.
- Mark 8:17–18Jesus, perceiving it, said to them, “Why do you reason that it’s because you have no bread? Don’t you perceive yet, neither understand? Is your heart still hardened?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Commentaries & study tools
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 13:13 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.