Amplified Bible
Matthew 13:15
15For this nation’s heart has grown hard, And with their ears they hardly hear, And they have [tightly] closed their eyes, Otherwise they would see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, and turn [to Me] And I would heal them [spiritually].’
Matthew 13:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
- New International Version (NIV)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.’
- English Standard Version (ESV)For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.'
- New King James Version (NKJV)For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’
Context of Matthew 13:15
13This 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]. 14In them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘You will hear and keep on hearing, but never understand; And you will look and keep on looking, but never comprehend; For this nation’s heart has grown hard, And with their ears they hardly hear, And they have [tightly] closed their eyes, Otherwise they would see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, and turn [to Me] And I would heal them [spiritually].’ 16But blessed [spiritually aware, and favored by God] are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17I assure you and most solemnly say to you, many prophets and righteous men [who were honorable and in right standing with God] longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
Read all of Matthew 13Matthew 13:15 word by word
ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν βαρέως ἤκουσαν, καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάμμυσαν· μήποτε ἴδωσιν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσιν καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσιν καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσιν καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς.¶Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Forγάρgar · forG1063
- thisοὗτοςhoutos houtoi hautē hautai · this/he/she/itG3778
- people’sὁho hē to · the/this/whoG3588
- people’sλαόςlaos · a peopleG2992
- heartκαρδίαkardia · heartG2588
- is waxed grossπαχύνωpachunō · to thickenG3975
- andκαίkai · andG2532
- earsοὖςous · earG3775
- are dull ofβαρέωςbareōs · difficultlyG917
- hearingἀκούωakouō · to hearG191
- theirαὐτόςautos · it/s/heG846
- eyesὀφθαλμόςophthalmos · eyeG3788
- they have closedκαμμύωkammuō · to closeG2576
- lest at any timeμήποτεmēpote mē pote · lestG3379
- they should seeὁράωhoraō · to see: seeG3708
- should understandσυνίημιsuniēmi · to understandG4920
- should be convertedἐπιστρέφωepistrephō · to turnG1994
- I should healἰάομαιiaomai · to healG2390
Cross-references for Matthew 13:15
- Psalms 119:70Their heart is insensitive like fat [their minds are dull and brutal], But I delight in Your law.
- Zechariah 7:11But they refused to listen and pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder [stiffening themselves in resistance] and stopped up their ears.
- John 8:43Why do you misunderstand what I am saying? It is because [your spiritual ears are deaf and] you are unable to hear [the truth of] My word.
- Acts 7:57But they shouted with loud voices, and covered their ears and together rushed at him [considering him guilty of blasphemy].
- 2 Timothy 4:4and will turn their ears away from the truth and will wander off into myths and man-made fictions [and will accept the unacceptable].
- Hebrews 5:11Concerning this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull and sluggish in [your spiritual] hearing and disinclined to listen.
- Isaiah 29:10For the Lord has poured over you a spirit of deep sleep. He has closed your eyes, [you who are] the prophets; And He has covered your heads, [you who are] the seers.
- Isaiah 44:20That kind of man (the idolater) feeds on ashes [and is satisfied with ashes]! A deceived mind has led him astray, so that he cannot save himself, or ask, “Is this thing [that I am holding] in my right hand not a lie?”
- 2 Thessalonians 2:10and by unlimited seduction to evil and with all the deception of wickedness for those who are perishing, because they did not welcome the love of the truth [of the gospel] so as to be saved [they were spiritually blind, and rejected the truth that would have saved them].
- Acts 3:19So repent [change your inner self—your old way of thinking, regret past sins] and return [to God—seek His purpose for your life], so that your sins may be wiped away [blotted out, completely erased], so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord [restoring you like a cool wind on a hot day];
- 2 Timothy 2:25He must correct those who are in opposition with courtesy and gentleness in the hope that God may grant that they will repent and be led to the knowledge of the truth [accurately understanding and welcoming it],
- Hebrews 6:4For [it is impossible to restore to repentance] those who have once been enlightened [spiritually] and who have tasted and consciously experienced the heavenly gift and have shared in the Holy Spirit,
- Isaiah 57:18I have seen his [willful] ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him [also] and will restore comfort to him and to those who mourn for him,
- Jeremiah 3:22“Return, O faithless sons,” [says the Lord], “I will heal your unfaithfulness.” [They answer] “Behold, we come to You, For You are the Lord our God.
- Jeremiah 17:14Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; Save me and I will be saved, For You are my praise.
- Jeremiah 33:6Behold, [in the restored Jerusalem] I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them; and I will reveal to them an abundance of peace (prosperity, security, stability) and truth.
Commentaries on Matthew 13:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15Heart is waxed gross - , is become fat - inattentive stupid, insensible. They hear heavily with their ears - are half asleep while the salvation of God is preached unto them. Their eyes they have closed - Totally and obstinately resisted the truth of God, and shut their eyes against the light. Lest - they should see, etc. - Lest they should see their lost estate, and be obliged to turn unto God, and seek his salvation. His state is truly deplorable who is…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 10-17Verses 10-17 Christ, in these verses, gives a “reason” why he used this manner of instruction. See also Mark 4:10-12; Luke 8:9-10. Matthew 13:11 The mysteries of the kingdom - The word “mystery,” in the Bible, properly means a thing that is “concealed,” or that “has been concealed.” It does not mean that the thing was “incomprehensible,” or even difficult to be understood. The thing might be “plain” enough if revealed, but it means simply that it “had”…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-15Similar to the message of the prophet Isaiah, the message of Jesus has two effects: It judges those who do not believe or obey, and it creates a small group of faithful people who do the Lord's will (Matthew 21:43).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-52Introduction (Mt 13:1-3). 1. The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the seaside.Read the comment
Topics related to Matthew 13:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Matthew 13
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Catena Aurea
- Illustrated New Testament
- Burkitt’s Expository Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Family Bible Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- John Lightfoot Commentary
- Luther’s Commentary on Selected Bible Passages
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- The People’s New Testament
- Robertson’s Word Pictures
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- The Fourfold Gospel and Commentary on Acts
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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