Matthew 13:3-14

3Then he used stories as illustrations to tell them many things. He said, “Listen! A farmer went to plant seed.

4Some seeds were planted along the road, and birds came and devoured them.

5Other seeds were planted on rocky ground, where there was little soil. The plants sprouted quickly because the soil wasn’t deep.

6But when the sun came up, they were scorched. They withered because their roots weren’t deep enough.

7Other seeds were planted among thornbushes, and the thornbushes grew up and choked them.

8But other seeds were planted on good ground and produced grain. They produced one hundred, sixty, or thirty times as much as was planted.

9Let the person who has ears listen!”

10The disciples asked him, “Why do you use stories as illustrations when you speak to people?”

11Jesus answered, “Knowledge about the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you. But it has not been given to the crowd.

12Those who understand ⌞these mysteries⌟ will be given ⌞more knowledge⌟, and they will excel ⌞in understanding them⌟. However, some people don’t understand ⌞these mysteries⌟. Even what they understand will be taken away from them.

13This 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.

14So they make Isaiah’s prophecy come true: ‘You will hear clearly but never understand. You will see clearly but never comprehend.