Isaiah 6:9-10
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
9 [a]And he replied: Go and say to this people:
Listen carefully, but do not understand!
Look intently, but do not perceive!(A)
10 Make the heart of this people sluggish,
dull their ears and close their eyes;
Lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,
and their heart understand,
and they turn and be healed.(B)
Footnotes
- 6:9–10 Isaiah’s words give evidence that he attempted in every way, through admonition, threat, and promise, to bring the people to conversion (cf. 1:18–20), so it is unlikely that this charge to “harden” is to be understood as Isaiah’s task; more probably it reflects the refusal of the people, more particularly the leaders, who were supposed to “see,” “hear,” and “understand,” a refusal which would then lead to a disastrous outcome (vv. 11–12).
Isaiah 6:9-10
New International Version
9 He said, “Go(A) and tell this people:
“‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding;
be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’(B)
10 Make the heart of this people calloused;(C)
make their ears dull
and close their eyes.[a](D)
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,(E)
understand with their hearts,
and turn and be healed.”(F)
Footnotes
- Isaiah 6:10 Hebrew; Septuagint ‘You will be ever hearing, but never understanding; / you will be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ / 10 This people’s heart has become calloused; / they hardly hear with their ears, / and they have closed their eyes
Matthew 13:13-15
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
13 [a](A)This is why I speak to them in parables, because ‘they look but do not see and hear but do not listen or understand.’ 14 (B)Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:
‘You shall indeed hear but not understand,
you shall indeed look but never see.
15 Gross is the heart of this people,
they will hardly hear with their ears,
they have closed their eyes,
lest they see with their eyes
and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart and be converted,
and I heal them.’
The Privilege of Discipleship.[b]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 13:13 Because ‘they look…or understand’: Matthew softens his Marcan source, which states that Jesus speaks in parables so that the crowds may not understand (Mk 4:12), and makes such speaking a punishment given because they have not accepted his previous clear teaching. However, his citation of Is 6:9–10 in Mt 13:14 supports the harsher Marcan view.
- 13:16–17 Unlike the unbelieving crowds, the disciples have seen that which the prophets and the righteous of the Old Testament longed to see without having their longing fulfilled.
Matthew 13:13-15
New International Version
13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
“Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.(A)
14 In them is fulfilled(B) the prophecy of Isaiah:
“‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 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.’[a](C)
Footnotes
- Matthew 13:15 Isaiah 6:9,10 (see Septuagint)
Mark 4:12
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
12 so that
‘they may look and see but not perceive,
and hear and listen but not understand,
in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.’”(A)
Mark 4:12
New International Version
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