Focused Passage

Matthew 13:10-17

The Kingdom in Parables: Hearing, Hiddenness, Growth, Worth, and Judgment

Matthew moves from public parabolic teaching beside the lake, to private explanation with the disciples, to more kingdom parables, to fulfillment of hidden speech, to further private explanation, to parables of kingdom worth and final judgment, to the disciples’ responsibility as trained scribes, and finally to hometown rejection.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

10 Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Why do You speak to the people in parables?”

11 He replied, “The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.

12 Whoever 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.

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

14 In them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.

15 For this people’s heart has grown callous; 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.’

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.

17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 10

Original words

Then Καὶ G2532 Conjunction the οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural disciples μαθηταὶ G3101 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural came to [Jesus] προσελθόντες G4334 Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural [and] asked εἶπαν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural - αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular Why Διὰ G1223 Preposition . . . τί G5101 Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular do You speak λαλεῖς G2980 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Singular to [the people] αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition parables παραβολαῖς G3850 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural
Verse 11

Original words

- δὲ G1161 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Singular He replied ἀποκριθεὶς G611 Verb - Aorist Participle Passive - Nominative Masculine Singular . . . εἶπεν G2036 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular . . . αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural - Ὅτι G3754 Conjunction The knowledge γνῶναι G1097 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active of the τὰ G3588 Article - Accusative Neuter Plural mysteries μυστήρια G3466 Noun - Accusative Neuter Plural of the τῆς G3588 Article - Genitive Feminine Singular kingdom βασιλείας G932 Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular of τῶν G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Plural heaven οὐρανῶν G3772 Noun - Genitive Masculine Plural has been given δέδοται G1325 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular to you Ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural but δὲ G1161 Conjunction not οὐ G3756 Adverb to them ἐκείνοις G1565 Demonstrative Pronoun - Dative Masculine Plural - δέδοται G1325 Verb - Perfect Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular
Verse 12

Original words

- γὰρ G1063 Conjunction Whoever ὅστις G3748 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular has ἔχει G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular - αὐτῷ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular will be given [more] δοθήσεται G1325 Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular and καὶ G2532 Conjunction he will have an abundance περισσευθήσεται G4052 Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular - δὲ G1161 Conjunction Whoever ὅστις G3748 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular [does] not οὐκ G3756 Adverb have ἔχει G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular even καὶ G2532 Conjunction what G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular he has ἔχει G2192 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular will be taken away ἀρθήσεται G142 Verb - Future Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular from ἀπ’ G575 Preposition him αὐτοῦ G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Verse 13

Original words

This τοῦτο G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Singular is why διὰ G1223 Preposition I speak λαλῶ G2980 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular to them αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural in ἐν G1722 Preposition parables παραβολαῖς G3850 Noun - Dative Feminine Plural Though Ὅτι G3754 Conjunction seeing βλέποντες G991 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural vvv οὐ G3756 Adverb they do not see βλέπουσιν G991 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural [though] Καὶ G2532 Conjunction hearing ἀκούοντες G191 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb they do not hear ἀκούουσιν G191 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural [or] οὐδὲ G3761 Conjunction understand συνίουσιν G4920 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural

BSB notes

  • See Deuteronomy 29:4, Isaiah 42:20, Jeremiah 5:21, and Ezekiel 12:2.
Verse 14

Original words

- Καὶ G2532 Conjunction In them αὐτοῖς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural the G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular prophecy προφητεία G4394 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular of Isaiah Ἠσαΐου G2268 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular is fulfilled ἀναπληροῦται G378 Verb - Present Indicative Middle or Passive - 3rd Person Singular - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular - λέγουσα G3004 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Feminine Singular You will be ever hearing ἀκούσετε G191 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural . . . Ἀκοῇ G189 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular but καὶ G2532 Conjunction never οὐ G3756 Adverb . . . μὴ G3361 Adverb understanding συνῆτε G4920 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural - Καὶ G2532 Conjunction you will be ever seeing βλέψετε G991 Verb - Future Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural . . . βλέποντες G991 Verb - Present Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural but καὶ G2532 Conjunction never οὐ G3756 Adverb . . . μὴ G3361 Adverb perceiving ἴδητε G3708 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 2nd Person Plural
Verse 15

Original words

For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction - G3588 Article - Nominative Feminine Singular this τούτου G3778 Demonstrative Pronoun - Genitive Masculine Singular - τοῦ G3588 Article - Genitive Masculine Singular people’s λαοῦ G2992 Noun - Genitive Masculine Singular heart καρδία G2588 Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular has grown callous Ἐπαχύνθη G3975 Verb - Aorist Indicative Passive - 3rd Person Singular - Καὶ G2532 Conjunction they hardly hear ἤκουσαν G191 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural . . . βαρέως G917 Adverb with [their] τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Plural ears ὠσὶν G3775 Noun - Dative Neuter Plural and Καὶ G2532 Conjunction they have closed ἐκάμμυσαν G2576 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural their αὐτῶν G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Plural - τοὺς G3588 Article - Accusative Masculine Plural eyes ὀφθαλμοὺς G3788 Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural Otherwise Μή‿ G3361 Adverb . . . ποτε G4219 Conjunction they might see ἴδωσιν G3708 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural with [their] τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Masculine Plural eyes ὀφθαλμοῖς G3788 Noun - Dative Masculine Plural - Καὶ G2532 Conjunction hear ἀκούσωσιν G191 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural with [their] τοῖς G3588 Article - Dative Neuter Plural ears ὠσὶν G3775 Noun - Dative Neuter Plural - Καὶ G2532 Conjunction understand συνῶσιν G4920 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural with [their] τῇ G3588 Article - Dative Feminine Singular hearts καρδίᾳ G2588 Noun - Dative Feminine Singular and Καὶ G2532 Conjunction turn ἐπιστρέψωσιν G1994 Verb - Aorist Subjunctive Active - 3rd Person Plural and Καὶ G2532 Conjunction I would heal ἰάσομαι G2390 Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 1st Person Singular them αὐτούς G846 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Accusative Masculine 3rd Person Plural

BSB notes

  • Isaiah 6:9–10 (see also LXX)
Verse 16

Original words

But δὲ G1161 Conjunction blessed [are] μακάριοι G3107 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural your Ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural - οἱ G3588 Article - Nominative Masculine Plural eyes ὀφθαλμοὶ G3788 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural because ὅτι G3754 Conjunction they see βλέπουσιν G991 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction - τὰ G3588 Article - Nominative Neuter Plural your ὑμῶν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 2nd Person Plural ears ὦτα G3775 Noun - Nominative Neuter Plural because ὅτι G3754 Conjunction they hear ἀκούουσιν G191 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural
Verse 17

Original words

For γὰρ G1063 Conjunction truly ἀμὴν G281 Hebrew Word I tell λέγω G3004 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 1st Person Singular you ὑμῖν G4771 Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 2nd Person Plural - ὅτι G3754 Conjunction many πολλοὶ G4183 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural prophets προφῆται G4396 Noun - Nominative Masculine Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction righteous [men] δίκαιοι G1342 Adjective - Nominative Masculine Plural longed ἐπεθύμησαν G1937 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural to see ἰδεῖν G3708 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active what G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural you see βλέπετε G991 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural [but] καὶ G2532 Conjunction vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb did not see [it] εἶδαν G3708 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural and καὶ G2532 Conjunction to hear ἀκοῦσαι G191 Verb - Aorist Infinitive Active what G3739 Personal / Relative Pronoun - Accusative Neuter Plural you hear ἀκούετε G191 Verb - Present Indicative Active - 2nd Person Plural [but] καὶ G2532 Conjunction vvv οὐκ G3756 Adverb did not hear [it] ἤκουσαν G191 Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.