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13 For this reason I am speaking to them in parables— because while seeing, they are not seeing; and while hearing, they are not hearing, nor understanding. 14 And the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled in them, the one[a] saying [in Isa 6:9-10]: ‘In hearing, you will hear and by no means understand. And while seeing, you will see and by no means perceive. 15 For the heart of this people became dull[b], and they hardly[c] heard with their ears, and they closed their eyes that[d] they might not ever see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand in their heart and turn-back, and I shall heal[e] them’.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:14 That is, the prophecy saying.
  2. Matthew 13:15 Or, thick, fat, insensitive.
  3. Matthew 13:15 That is, with difficulty. They are spiritually hard of hearing.
  4. Matthew 13:15 This expresses the purpose of the people. They willfully closed their eyes to God that they might not ever see what they did not want to see, and never have to change their ways and return to God.
  5. Matthew 13:15 Or, would heal. This is what God would do if they saw, heard, understood, and turned back, but they refuse to take this path.

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)

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:15 Isaiah 6:9,10 (see Septuagint)