Matthew 13:13
New International Version
This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.

New Living Translation
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.

English Standard Version
This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

Berean Standard Bible
This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’

Berean Literal Bible
Because of this I speak to them in parables: 'Because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.'

King James Bible
Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

New King James Version
Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

New American Standard Bible
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.

NASB 1995
“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.

NASB 1977
“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.

Legacy Standard Bible
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.

Amplified Bible
This is the reason I speak to the crowds in parables: because while [having the power of] seeing they do not see, and while [having the power of] hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand and grasp [spiritual things].

Christian Standard Bible
That is why I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
For this reason I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see, and hearing they do not listen or understand.

American Standard Version
Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And from him who has it not, will be taken even that which he has, therefore I am speaking to them in parables because they who see do not see, and those who hear neither hear nor understand.

Contemporary English Version
I use stories when I speak to them because when they look, they cannot see, and when they listen, they cannot hear or understand.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Therefore do I speak to them in parables: because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

English Revised Version
Therefore speak I to them in parables; because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
This is why I speak to them this way. They see, but they're blind. They hear, but they don't listen. They don't even try to understand.

Good News Translation
The reason I use parables in talking to them is that they look, but do not see, and they listen, but do not hear or understand.

International Standard Version
That's why I speak to them in parables, because 'they look but don't see, and they listen but don't hear or understand.'

Literal Standard Version
Because of this, in allegories I speak to them, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor understand,

Majority Standard Bible
This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’

New American Bible
This is why I speak to them in parables, because ‘they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.’

NET Bible
For this reason I speak to them in parables: Although they see they do not see, and although they hear they do not hear nor do they understand.

New Revised Standard Version
The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’

New Heart English Bible
Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing, they do not hear, neither do they understand.

Webster's Bible Translation
Therefore I speak to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

Weymouth New Testament
I speak to them in figurative language for this reason, that while looking they do not see, and while hearing they neither hear nor understand.

World English Bible
Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they don’t see, and hearing, they don’t hear, neither do they understand.

Young's Literal Translation
'Because of this, in similes do I speak to them, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor understand,

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Purpose of Jesus' Parables
12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.’ 14In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 29:4
Yet to this day the LORD has not given you a mind to understand, eyes to see, or ears to hear.

Isaiah 42:19
Who is blind but My servant, or deaf like the messenger I am sending? Who is blind like My covenant partner, or blind like the servant of the LORD?

Isaiah 42:20
Though seeing many things, you do not keep watch. Though your ears are open, you do not hear."

Jeremiah 5:21
"Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.

Ezekiel 12:2
"Son of man, you are living in a rebellious house. They have eyes to see but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear, for they are a rebellious house.

Ezekiel 20:49
Then I said, "Ah, Lord GOD, they are saying of me, 'Is he not just telling parables?'"

John 9:39
Then Jesus declared, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind may see and those who see may become blind."


Treasury of Scripture

Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

Matthew 13:16
But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

Deuteronomy 29:3,4
The great temptations which thine eyes have seen, the signs, and those great miracles: …

Isaiah 42:18-20
Hear, ye deaf; and look, ye blind, that ye may see…

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Ear Figurative Form Hear Hearing Language Parables Reason Sense Similes Speak Stories Understand
Matthew 13
1. The parable of the sower and the seed;
18. the explanation of it.
24. The parable of the weeds;
31. of the mustard seed;
33. of the leaven;
36. explanation of the parable of the weeds.
44. The parable of the hidden treasure;
45. of the pearl;
47. of the drag net cast into the sea.
53. Jesus is a prophet without honor in his own country.














(13) Because they seeing see not.--As the words stand in St. Matthew, they might mean that our Lord adopted the method of parables as a condescension to their infirmities, feeding them, as babes in knowledge, with milk, and not with meat. In St. Mark and St. Luke the reason given assumes a penal character, "that seeing they might not see;" as though they were not only to be left in their ignorance, but to be plunged deeper in it. And this, it is obvious, is even here the true meaning, for only thus does this clause answer to the conclusion of the proverb of Matthew 13:12, "From him shall be taken away even that which he hath." In one aspect, then, the parable was a veil hiding the truth from them, because they did not seek the truth, and this was the working of the divine law of retribution. But even here we may venture to trace beneath the penalty an element of mercy. The parable could, at all events, do men no harm. It could not rouse the fierce enmity that had been kindled by truth spoken in its plainness. And it might prepare the way, might set men thinking and questioning, and if so, that was at least one step towards the "having," though it were but a very little, which might place them among those to whom more shall be given.

Verse 13. - Therefore (διὰ τοῦτο). To carry out the principle of the whole preceding verse, but with special reference to the second half of it. Because, in this case, they "have not," therefore I speak to them thus. Speak I to them in parables because. In the parallel passages Christ says that he speaks in parables "in order that seeing," etc.; but here, "because seeing," etc. The difference of the thought, which is more formal than real, is that

(1) in the parallel passages their moral blindness and deafness are represented as the effect of what he says, parables being used to bring about the punishment for what was presumably earlier sloth (thus laying stress on the idea of "shall be taken away "in our ver. 12; cf. "that they which see not may be made blind," John 9:39; and Bishop Westcott's note).

(2) In Matthew their present moral blindness and deafness are represented as the reason for the use of parables. Parables are themselves the punishment; the people are fit for nothing else (thus laying stress on the "has not" of ver. 12); therefore Christ speaks to them in parables. They seeing see not (seeing they see not, Revised Version, keeping the order of the Greek, as even the Authorized Version in the next clause); and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. The participles "seeing," "hearing," in Matthew and Luke, probably do not represent the Hebrew infinitive in its common usage of giving intensity or continuance to the idea of the finite verb to which it is joined (so in the original passage of Isaiah, and perhaps in Mark; compare also "seeing" in the next verse), but are to be taken separately, i.e." Though they have powers of seeing and of hearing, they nevertheless do not so use these powers as to see and hear" (for the thought, cf. Jeremiah 5:21; Ezekiel 12:2). Thus in meaning, though not in form, as compared with the next verse, seeing is equivalent to "seeing ye shall see;" they see not, to "and shall in no wise perceive;" hearing, to "hearing ye shall hear;" they hear not, to "and shall in no wise understand."

Parallel Commentaries ...


Greek
This
τοῦτο (touto)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3778: This; he, she, it.

is why
διὰ (dia)
Preposition
Strong's 1223: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through.

I speak
λαλῶ (lalō)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular
Strong's 2980: A prolonged form of an otherwise obsolete verb; to talk, i.e. Utter words.

to them
αὐτοῖς (autois)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

in
ἐν (en)
Preposition
Strong's 1722: In, on, among. A primary preposition denoting position, and instrumentality, i.e. A relation of rest; 'in, ' at, on, by, etc.

parables:
παραβολαῖς (parabolais)
Noun - Dative Feminine Plural
Strong's 3850: From paraballo; a similitude, i.e. fictitious narrative, apothegm or adage.

‘Though
Ὅτι (Hoti)
Conjunction
Strong's 3754: Neuter of hostis as conjunction; demonstrative, that; causative, because.

seeing,
βλέποντες (blepontes)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 991: (primarily physical), I look, see, perceive, discern. A primary verb; to look at.

they do not see;
βλέπουσιν (blepousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 991: (primarily physical), I look, see, perceive, discern. A primary verb; to look at.

[though]
Καὶ (Kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

hearing,
ἀκούοντες (akouontes)
Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

they do not hear
ἀκούουσιν (akouousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 191: To hear, listen, comprehend by hearing; pass: is heard, reported. A primary verb; to hear.

[or]
οὐδὲ (oude)
Conjunction
Strong's 3761: Neither, nor, not even, and not. From ou and de; not however, i.e. Neither, nor, not even.

understand.’
συνίουσιν (syniousin)
Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4920: To consider, understand, perceive. From sun and hiemi; to put together, i.e. to comprehend; by implication, to act piously.


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NT Gospels: Matthew 13:13 Therefore I speak to them in parables (Matt. Mat Mt)
Matthew 13:12
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